168 And the story goes on.

Later, when the representatives of each country have arrived, they will go to Garne Castle. The fact that Taze arrived early doesn't mean that the rest of the world will follow suit.

If Taze's castle is a fantasy castle that looks like something from the Middle Ages, Garne's is a fantasy castle that looks like something from a movie.

Gánais gives you a fantastic impression when you see it, but when you actually live in it, I think you'll feel more at home in Tánais Castle. The most comfortable place to live would probably be a small apartment or a Japanese mansion with a lot of Japanese style.

We were taken inside, this time not to the throne room, but to the meeting room.

The room was large enough to hold a large number of people. Most of them were soldiers and knights.

I wonder if they think they're entering a demon lord's lair, and everyone seems to be on edge except for the Ghanaians.

Oh, there were exceptions. Only King Zenotta and His Holiness Eupharo were sitting in their seats with aloof faces. They waved their hands in greeting when they saw us enter the room.

I think Taze is the last one.

If it was just the knights, I'd have them waiting first thing in the morning. It's just as well, in that sense.

"Well, that's something ...... to say, yeah.

Garne's soldiers are almost nonexistent. There are almost no soldiers in Garne. I'm sure they know there's no danger, so there's no need to intimidate them.

On the other hand, Taze is the most densely populated with Lord Léanor, Lord Fowl, and the two elites selected from their squads, each with a dozen men.

Next in line is Mejlis. Or rather, Yuggraism. Holy knights and priests, including Jox, are tightly packed behind Pope Eupharo.

King Zenotta has only five guards. I thought it was a sign of generosity, but all five of them said, "What, there are so few of us? Are we going to make it out alive? Are we going to make it out alive?

The one sitting next to King Zenotta is probably a representative of Trinh. Behind the cat-based subhuman are a variety of other subhumans.

Trinh is a large country with the largest number of beast subhumans. The king is the only one who has always been human, but most of his top officials are subhumans. That means, that representative is not the king of Trinh.

So, that's Selende. ......

I'm a little impressed. The representative of Serende, the one behind him, is a subhuman. It's not just any subhuman. They are not just any subhuman, but a special kind of subhuman called an elf, with pointed ears and a beautiful face.

Elves and dwarves have existed for a long time as a different race from humans, not in the form of animals. The actual pronunciation is different, but since the translation function here works with it, I guess it's the same as the characteristics.

If you look closely, you can also see a dwarf-like subhuman. He looks like an old man, but his skin is dark and his beard and body hair are huge.

Serende is said to be a land ruled by such non-animal sub-humans. In fairy tales, elves and dwarves often do not get along with each other, but this was resolved long ago, and now the sub-humans are getting along well with each other. The influence of the demon lord created by Seiya Yukura is not so bad, though it must be annoying.

I finally got to see an elf, a representative of fantasy subhumans! One of my wishes has come true. I would have liked to see a female elf, though.

Don't stare too closely. It's not polite to stare like a freak.

You're right. I'm getting a lot of stares over there.

Your dark hair is unusual.

Yes, Trinh and Selende are all staring at the Earthman who just walked into the room.

I'm sure they've been told what's going on, and their demonic appearance is probably just as alarming.

Let's sit down then.

You're over there, aren't you? There are seven chairs, that's what it means.

That's what it means. Gold, you should have called ...... Jest Staff for making you look so conspicuous. No, even Harkdock would have fainted at the sight of ...... the gold.

You can't help it if it's provided. I'll just sit down. But with Ilias, Wolfe, and Lakra in the background, isn't that a bad look?

A female knight, a subhuman, and a cleric. As a neutral party, it doesn't look like a form of discrimination, but won't they think you're letting a woman serve you? Are you okay with that?

It looks like everyone is here.

The last two to enter were the Lord of this castle, the King of Garne and the Demon Lord, Gold and Ludfen.

I'm not sure what to make of that.

I'm not sure what to make of that. It's not fair in many ways.

The only thing is that most of the gazes he gives are laced with hostility. I don't envy him in the least.

"Now, let's have each of you identify yourselves. The mistress is King Garne, and she is also the Golden Demon Lord, one of the Demon Lords who are considered to be the enemies of mankind. Take care of her, will you?

Yeah, it's a little aggressive. That's the way it should be. Some people reacted with hostility, some with disgust, but this was just right. It's a good opportunity to see the relationship between the countries in advance.

"King Marith-Tháza, representing Tháza.

"Representative of Mejlis, Pope of Yugoslavia. Eupharo Rosaleo.

"Representing ......, King Zenotta-Quama.

Three well known representatives came forward in turn. The representatives from Torin and Selende responded most to Euparo, followed by Marito. Apparently, he is known as the Wise King.

Since Marito's greeting was so brusque, Pope Eupharo followed suit, and King Zenotta had no choice but to match.

"Representative Trine, General. Odysseus-Gadjugissa.

Oh, you're a general. You subhumans look so strong that it's hard to tell if you're a soldier or a government official. If you wore glasses or something, I could tell.

"Representative of Selende, third prince, Wascheto-Selende.

This one's a prince. I've never seen a prince before in this world. Marith and King Zenotta are kings, and I've never seen a child of Zenotta's.

I've never seen a child of King Zenotta's. I've heard that elves have a long lifespan, so it's possible that you're older than the oldest of them all,.......

I'm not sure what to make of this. I'm not sure if I'm the oldest or the youngest.

You've said your piece. Shall we begin?

Oh, no need, apparently. I'm a little relieved. It takes courage to use a pseudonym in a place like this.

"Wait, that guy hasn't said his name. If he is seated, he must be in a certain position. Are you planning to proceed without asking him to identify himself?

The one who interrupted was Prince Washekht, who apparently wasn't afraid of the Demon Lord. Well, she's a young fox subhuman girl.

"He can't tell me his name. He can't take a name, because he has to tame the Purple Demon Lord, who can control him just by calling his name. What's the point in giving him a false name?

You may not be able to say your name, but you can at least say your position.

That's true. Well, then, my Lord, let's see what you can do.

Don't say "appropriate. Prince Washekht is getting annoyed.

But I'm completely out of ideas for a proper introduction. I should've thought of a name for the country with Jestiff earlier.

"I'm an alien from the same world as Yggdras the Brave. Enemies will be enemies. That's all.

There's nothing to be surprised about. The other party has at least some prior information. If that's the case, then all we have to do is show them that we'll deal with them as enemies if they become enemies.

I thought about a sales smile, but I don't think sycophancy will work with these people, so I'll just keep it simple.

"Yes, yes. I don't want you to look too suspicious, Trinh and Serende. He's a different kind of scary than Yugra, isn't he?

"Hmm.

Prince Washekht folded his arms and sat back in his chair. I'm not trying to impress you, but I'm glad to see that you're not going to underestimate me.

Now, let's get down to business. As you know, not long from now, the Scarlet Demon King will rise from the dead and begin to invade the territory inhabited by humans. The main battlefields will be Garne and Mejis.

The Scarlet Witch King is lurking near the border between the Ghanaian and Medinese demon worlds. If you want to invade in a straight line, Gurne and Mejis are the main places to go.

In particular, in the Garne Realm, you will be completely at home, and you will be able to collect the demons on the way rather than being disturbed by them.

Taze will deploy mainly in the Garne region, with the Knights as his raiders. I'll assist the Medis if necessary.

Marito raises his hand and talks about the deployment of the army. The Scarlet Witch King's army has very limited ways to invade Taze.

They can either cross the border as usual through Garne territory. Or through the Thaze Demon Realm.

The former is quite possible. It's possible that some of the enemy will drift into the fray. But the latter is unlikely.

The latter is unlikely. The Blue Demon Lord's cooperation is essential to go through the Tarzian Realm. However, until the last moment, there was no sign of the Blue Demon King's help. If we try to force our way through, we'll probably just become food for a huge dragon-type demon.

Even if they went through the Tarzian Realm, they would have to cross the Mountain of the Kuro Demon Slayer.

There is no land-based demon that can cross the dead zone where even the strongest demon king dies, and a flying demon can be detected early enough.

However, we cannot say that there is no possibility. If you're willing to forgo efficiency and go all out for surprise, it's an option.

However, such rare cases are taken care of, and a certain number of knights are left in Taze, ready to buy time and wait for the return of the main force in case of emergency.

That's great. It's a good thing that you're not the only one. It will be a lot easier if we can replenish them.

When it comes to defense, Mejis's main strength will be his holy knights who excel in continuous combat. However, depending on the type of enemy, clerics who mainly attack with magic may have an advantage. There are no magic-based troops in Garne. That is why we are trying to exchange troops to some extent.

When exchanging troops with other countries, there will be problems of chain of command and morale. However, from the perspective of a clergyman who is protecting a country with the same religion, morale is not likely to be affected, and Ghanaians have been trained to operate in other countries. The disadvantages can be minimized while filling in the weak points.

The individual strength may be inferior to the knights of Tarz or Mejlis, but as a military force, Garnets is the best. Handle them well.

I don't need to be told. It would be a shame for a holy knight to use up reinforcements from other countries.

What should we do about Kuama?

King Zenotta, you never lose. In a way, it's strong that you can choose to come here and ask for a decision.

"It would be better to deploy a raiding party of adventurers to the two countries. I would like Quama's soldiers to stay near their own country, mainly for logistical support. There is little room to send reinforcements if demons invade Quama territory.

The Quama territory can only be invaded by crossing the Ghane and Mejis. It is easier to invade than the Tarz, which is relatively safe but difficult to move due to its terrain. Rather than using their own territory as a battlefield, they would prefer to be dealt with in the territories of Ghanae and Mejlis.

Quama's troops will be enough to clean up the enemy who missed the shot. As for the adventurers, their morale is difficult to manage, but there should be a good number of them who can serve as rangers.

It's kind of sad that we don't need them.

If you're forced to go to the front in an unfamiliar place, you'll only cause unnecessary damage.

The Knights of the Taze work in both countries, don't they?

Knights of the Taze are not ...... standard.

Pope Eupharo and 'Gold' look bitter. It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're doing and how you're doing it.

Ordinary soldiers look like a bunch of ordinary people. That's how bad they are, the Knights of the TARDIS.

In addition, Tarzan's horses are fast. And the Tarzan's horses are fast enough to get back to their home country in a short time. The Quama don't have that kind of speed, do they?

I've heard rumors, but is there that much of a difference?

There are horses that the knights rode to this meeting. You can race them later.

That would be fun!

King Zenotta was delighted with the curious look on his face. He is a curious and childlike king.

"Torin will defend himself in his own lands.

"And so will Serende.

On the contrary to the excited Zenotta kings, Prince Washect and Odysse declared that they would not cooperate.

In order for the Scarlet Witch King to invade Torin, he would have to cross the territories of Ghane and Quama.

In the case of Selende, there is a direct route to attack via the Mejis demon world. However, the threat of demons has already faded in the Meziz Realm, and the Meziz Army, which does not want its territory to be ravaged, will probably choose the Meziz Realm as its main battlefield.

If the Mejis Army extends its front toward the Mejis Realm, it will be on the route to reach Serende. Any further detours would require crossing the high mountains.

In other words, both countries are almost safe. No wonder they decided to wait and see.

"Mm, okay.

"Okay." ....... I'm not sure what to do, but I'm sure you'll do fine.

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

"Mmm... I can fix that.

"King Quama, it's no use. We cannot negotiate here.

King Zenotta's words were interrupted by Marito. King Zenotta looks at Marito as if to say, "But King Taze.

"But, King Taze. If Garne and Mejis are overpowered, the only thing that will be troubling is--

"These men are not kings, they are messengers. A messenger is only a spokesman for the king's word. The two of them will not change the decision of the kingdom on their own.

"...... I see. That's right.

King Zenotta sagged with a sad face. I'm sure you'll be happy to hear that. I'm sure you'll be in trouble if the messenger makes a promise like that.

"Well, it's a good thing King Taze understands so quickly.

Seeing this, Prince Washekht laughed with a look of relief on his face. Odysseus is also giving King Zenotta a cold stare. I'm a little irritated.

But you're only here to fulfill your role as messengers. If you don't know what you're doing, and you show up like you don't need to, then you'll know the height of your country for sending such a messenger. You should at least learn that this is not a place to look down on others.

For a moment, everyone in the room froze.

The reason for this was Marito's momentary flash of anger. That was enough to frighten everyone in the room.

Pope Eupharo was more surprised than frightened, but the others were mildly freaked out. Incidentally, King Zenotta, who is being followed, is also very scared.

"King Taze, this is not the place to scare people, is it?

"I'm surprised anyone would be scared of this place.

Marito smiles wryly at the sarcastic Gold. By the way, your knight who was behind you was also scared.

Marito's emotions come out as much as he can. And his emotions are very easy to convey to others.

I'm sure that Prince Washekht, but Odysseus, the general, was quite surprised.

Let's move on. As for the means of communication, do you mind if we use the Yugoslavian transmissions?

"No problem. There are Yugra cult facilities in Tolin and Selende. They'll be useful for reporting on the war.

"It's certainly useful. Tell the King that Trinh and Serende should contact us immediately in the event of a demon attack. You can ask for help all you want, but we don't want to lose track of the enemy. Keep that in mind, will you?

"Yes, sir.

Odysseus nodded at the same time as Prince Vascheckt's reply.

We have now confirmed the will of the nations. Now, does anyone have any questions?

Prince Washekht, the representative of Selende, raised his hand quickly.

Prince Washekht was looking at me. In other words, he has a question for us.

"You call yourselves the Third Camp, Star People of Yggra. I'm told you have some demon lords and demons at your back. How do you plan to participate in this war?

How can a nation holed up in its own country say that? The others have that look on their faces too.

We can guide the demons of the Mejis and Quama Realms to a certain extent, but basically we'll stand by as a reserve.

You're saying you won't fight?

I want you to think like a soldier in your own country. If there are demons fighting beside you, and you can distinguish between friend and foe, and your morale doesn't drop, I'll send reinforcements there. Are there any?

No response from anyone. That's true. You can tell a demon from a demon, but a demon is a demon. It's hard to imagine a strange being suddenly fighting with a demon.

Subhumans and humans can still communicate with each other, but only a few of our demons can.

But only a few of our demons can communicate with each other. "Although it is possible to train Garne's soldiers to do so. It's hard to work with demons that can't talk.

"But even if they're in reserve, we can't keep them hidden in the line of fire. When they escape or make a strategic retreat, you can have them launch a suicide attack as a lord if you give the signal. If the demon stays behind to fight, we can retreat without worrying, right?

"I see. That would allow us to make some aggressive moves.

Pope Eupharo looks like he's not bad. But if it makes them reckless and puts them in danger, then I don't think it's worth it.

However, if the demons are disposable, it will be much easier to retreat. There is also a way to have the demons carry the wounded soldiers if necessary, but I'll tell you about that later.

However, Prince Washekht still seems to have something to say. I urge you to continue.

"The Scarlet Witch is powerful. If you want to defeat the Scarlet Demon King, you should hit the Demon King that you're following.

I refuse.

That's a request I refuse out of spinal reflex. You can't do that!

What?

The only Demon Lords who can help us are the Purple Demon Lord and the Blue Demon Lord aside from the Gold Demon Lord. Neither of them are suited for direct combat. They don't have the strength to fight the Scarlet Witch King.

I'm not sure what to make of that.

But if it's the Demon Lord...

"The Purple Demon Lord has the power to call out your name and control you. But the Scarlet Witch-king isn't a real name. The Blue Witch-king can use the dead as undead. Your friends and brothers have died in battle and you treat them as monsters. Are there any outsiders among you who want to humiliate and destroy the dignity of your people's lives?

"Gu ......

I'm not sure what to make of that.

I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to do that. And... I don't have the Demon Lord at my side. We've talked and agreed to cooperate. Please don't use the word "subjugate". I don't have the power to stop those who are sensitive to such words.

If Duvraeus had been here, he would have tried to kill Prince Washect without a doubt. Ilias is here, so I can't stop him, but it's inevitable that this place will be in chaos.

And personally, I don't want to stop him. Yeah. I think he's thinking "Let's do it, Duvvleor.

But it seems to have worked as a threat. Prince Washekht ended the questioning with a look of discontent on his face.