CH 202.1

Four days to the west of the royal capital by regular golem carriage. There is the provincial city of Landbarn.

「You encountered an Elf, you say?」

The Margrave groaned, reflecting the setting sun outside the window with his bald head.

The Ghost Knight who was thought to be the kingdom’s secret weapon. Count Rosehip and the Rose Knights headed for the Giant Hole to recover its wreckage.

They found a weakened male elf near the giant hole. They bring him back to Landbarn.

「What’s he doing in such a place? I can’t figure out the reason why」

The number of elves is much smaller than the number of humans, and many of them never leave their villages.

Setting aside a place like a major city or along a highway, it was unlikely to encounter their race in a place like that where not a person would pass by.

「About that」

A skinny middle-aged man with a handlebar mustache opens his mouth.

「The clothes that the elf was wearing were similar to a pilot’s uniform. And please look at this」

He pointed to the wreckage that had been recovered.

It seemed to be part of the cockpit of the green-white Knight that had attacked the Reaper.

「I’m not sure how to explain this, but the way they are made and sewn is very similar to the goods made in the elven villages」

The Margrave understands what he said and opens his mouth.

「The green-white Knight was made in the elven village. And the one who was piloting it was also an elf. Is what you’re trying to say, yes?」

However, there was someone who tilted his head at what he said. It was the Count Rosehip, a large man with short white hair.

「Under the circumstances, I suppose that’s true. But I’ve never heard of an elf owning a Knight before」

Count Rosehip knows more about Knights than most of these people. At that statement, Handlebar mustache lost confidence and dropped his shoulders.

The Margrave, however, did not.

「There is a difference between 『not known』 and 『not exist』. If I may ask you, Sir, as someone who specializes in Knights, how is an elf as a pilot?」

Crossing his thick arms, Count Rosehip closed his eyes and thought.

After a short pause, he slowly opened his eyes and said.

「I’ve heard that they are a race that excels in magic. They possess a great deal of magical power and are probably very good at manipulating it」

They are very well suited to be a pilot. After he concluded as such, he exhaled heavily and continued his words.

「It seems that I was a little caught up in my preconceptions. If the elf becomes a pilot, it is not impossible for them to fight like the Ghost Knight」

The Margrave nodded with a smile. Handlebar mustache who sits next to him, expressed his opinion with a thoughtful expression.

「Does that mean that the kingdom has allied itself with the elves?」

However, he doesn’t seem to be convinced himself. He bent his mouth, frowned, and denied it with the following words.

「I couldn’t find anything that prove them lending a hand to the kingdom」

「No, there is. A big reason to do so」

Everyone’s eyes focused on what the Margrave said.

「If the expeditionary force had continued their invasion as is, there is a good chance that the kingdom would have been destroyed」

The bald middle-aged man looked back to the northwest direction of the imperial capital and continued proudly while puffing out his chest.

「And our Emperor is not satisfied with one kingdom. He wants all of the human races on the continent of Ost to be his possessions」

「It is exactly as you said」

Count Rosehip nodded greatly.

The Margrave and Count Rosehip had been by his side since he was the Crown Prince. They were the ones who knew the Emperor’s dream.

「But he will surely won’t stop at that. After the unification of the human race, His Majesty will make strict demands of the elves regarding their rights to the World Tree」

The world’s greatest magical resource, the World Tree. The Elves currently have a monopoly on it and continue to ignore any invitations for joint management.

But that’s only because the human race is so scattered.

「They don’t want the human race to be united. In that case, I can understand the actions of the elves. We have won too much」

The Empire, the Kingdom, and the Eastern country. To divide the major countries and reduce their power. That’s what the Margrave meant.

Count Rosehip and Handlebar mustache pondered silently. Then a low voice echoed.

「I agree with the Margrave’s opinion.」

It was the Grim Reaper. He opened his eyes with dark circles underneath and flicked his gaze around the room.

「The elves are essentially enemies to the human race. We should consider how to deal with them with such thoughts as a basis」

He did not say why. However, his voice was full of conviction and inexplicable persuasiveness.

Seeing that there was no opposition, the Margrave asked Handlebar mustache.

「How are the elves we captured doing now?」

「He seems to be very weak. However, we have given him healing magic and potions, so he should recover soon」

The Margrave nodded.

「You may use the highest rank potion available. Conduct an interrogation as quickly as possible」

First of all, the first report to the home country. The second report will come after we get proof from the testimonies, but we don’t want to wait too long.

「About that matter」

A large man leaned forward and his eyes were shining.

「I hope you can leave the interrogation to me」

He offered in a passionate voice. When I asked him why, he replied with a hint of embarrassment while stroking his chin.

「I’m ashamed to admit that I have no experience with the elves yet. I was wondering if you would allow me to try out wickedness of the defeated on him」

As he stared at that figure, the Margrave bent one eyebrow and pondered.

(Our knights and the green-white Knights are fighting in the giant hole.)

He returned his gaze to Count Rosehip’s anticipation filled face and further thought about it.

(As an empire, we may have the right to do wickedness to the defeated. But it is the Lord Reaper who has the right of priority.)

He glanced over at the Grim Reaper. The hollow-cheeked man with dark circles under his eyes had his arms crossed and his eyes closed.

「It depends on how the Lord Reaper feels about it」

The Grim Reaper quietly opens his eyes at those words. After taking a glance at the Margrave, he shifts his gaze to Count Rosehip.

「I’ll leave it to you」

「Ohh!」

Count Rosehip clearly expresses his joy.

The Margrave does not change his expression, but in a flat tone, he tells the middle-aged man with short white hair.

「All right, but your first priority is to get the information. Don’t get that wrong」

「Your words is a command for my roses」

The Margrave then made eye contact with Handlebar mustache for a moment. He seemed to feel the same way.

(I’m doing this so that I can keep Count Rosehip in my faction)

***

The stage moves from Landbarn to the north-northeast.

It is a rural city located in the northern part of the kingdom, straight north from the royal capital along the highway and past the mountains.

I had just arrived with the Old Lady, and now we were in the conference room in the city hall.

「Winter Shogun, huh?」

I ask the middle-aged man who is reasonably fat as I look at the map spread out on his desk.

The reason I’m here is for work. I’m a pilot for the merchant guild’s Knight, and I’m here to exterminate demon beasts.

(Although actually I wanted to play a little longer)

It’s been three days since the decisive battle. I’ve been going to Jayanne’s every day, drowning in the skills and gentleness of Light cruiser-sensei.

After all, I had been waiting for more than half a year. It’s not that easy telling myself to settle down.

(Although I say that, I was a little too into it. It’s a good thing I have a work to do)

The important thing is to have a balance between work and personal life.

Regardless of whether an elven Knight appears or the ban on Light cruiser-sensei is lifted, time goes on and so is life.

As I reminded myself of this, I listened to the explanation of the mayor, a considerably fat middle-aged man

「Yes, it comes every year, but this year it was a little too early」

The Winter Shogun is said to be undead, but its exact identity has not been determined. He takes the form of a skeleton clad in armor and rides a horse that is also only made of bones.