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Interlude: Dragontan
THE day after Mynoghra decided to attend the All-Faction Conference, Takuto promptly busied himself taking care of the small tasks that had been piling up. He was currently visiting the town of Dragontan. Seldoch ranked higher in the priority list, but he figured he should get Dragontan out of the way since it’d take less time.
His objective was to assess how the town was operating and identify any issues he could resolve. Takuto’s current policy for Dragontan prioritized its stability over development.
He entered the familiar Town Hall and told the overly flustered civil servant, who’d offered to escort him, to get back to work as he headed to the mayor’s office.
He knocked on the door and heard the call of “Come in.”
“Hi there, Mayor Antelise. How are things?” Takuto casually greeted her as he slipped inside the room. Shock bloomed on Antelise’s face when she met him at the door. Takuto was pleased to see that her complexion looked significantly healthier than the last time he had seen her.
Е̌ň ú m̀ а̊ . і ď
“Oh my! King Takuto Ira! If you had sent word of your visit, I would have gone to greet you myself! Please come in and have a seat right over here. Spirits take me, I can’t believe I failed to welcome our great and mighty king properly…”
“Don’t worry about it,” Takuto said lightly. “I’m the one who showed up out of the blue. And it’s not that big of a deal, anyway…”
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
“But as your humble servant, I must admonish you for coming without any of your entourage.”
“No worries. This is a double. I’m using this trip as a test run,” Takuto said as he deactivated Mimic on just one part of his double’s body. He’d already mastered this level of control over the Botchling double.
“Whoa!” Antelise cried. “So this is one of your subordinate’s abilities at play, I see. Now that’s a relief. Forgive me for offering unnecessary advice.”
After learning about the test run, Antelise finally understood the purpose of his unusual visit. Takuto might’ve casually dismissed her concern for his safety, but this felt like far too careless of a visit even for him—especially when Atou, his constant companion and guard, was nowhere in sight.
W̄ ё b ṅ ov̈е́l Е̇n u ḿ а
Did something happen? Is there a special reason for this visit I’m not privy to? Antelise had worried, but it all made sense when he explained it away as a test run for his body double.
Meanwhile, Takuto was more than satisfied with this exchange. The real Takuto was sitting in his private quarters in the Palace in the Accursed Lands. Chatting with Antelise was none other than his body double, whom he puppeted to act as much like him as possible by utilizing the full extent of his shared vision and telepathic connection with the Botchling.
The one downside was that puppeting the double left his real body defenseless. It posed no real problem, however, with Atou and the Elfuur Sisters closely guarding him.
There was a one-second delay when he puppeted the Botchling, but conversations went smoothly regardless. In that sense, it wasn’t a long shot to say that Takuto Ira himself was there in every way but physically.
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I started this whole body double thing on a whim, but it’s more useful than I expected. Looks like it will have plenty of uses after the All-Faction Conference is over, Takuto realized.
It wouldn’t be wrong to say he’d gained a new power in the form of his body double. Previous battles made it clear that no matter how powerful the abilities granted by the game system were, if the Player was defeated, it was all meaningless. In other words, it was difficult for each faction to decide when and how to use their Player.
E̊ ň ú m̀a.
Players could use game-breaking abilities, but their defeat spelled the defeat of their entire faction. For this reason, Players needed to keep their real location a secret. In that respect, the TRPG Player, Keiji Kuhara, was a truly formidable opponent. Takuto still didn’t know what had happened to him, but he’d succeeded in keeping his location a secret until their encounter. Some may label Keiji a coward for that, but sometimes that kind of cowardice is crucial to securing victory.
I should learn from his cowardice, Takuto had thought. And it was by emulating Keiji’s cowardice that he’d added body doubles to his tactic list. Takuto was convinced that this new tactic would become an even more powerful card for Mynoghra to play in the future.
“Your Majesty, how has it been working?” a voice suddenly asked.
Takuto didn’t even need to check to know Mayor Antelise had spoken to him. He appeared to have lost himself in his thoughts once again. It’s a bad habit of mine to get lost in my thoughts in the middle of conversations, he realized.
“So-so. Still not completely used to operating it,” Takuto said, wanting to make up for making Antelise wait. “You’ve been doing an amazing job as mayor. I’m very pleased with your work. Keep it up.”
“Oh my Spirits! It is a joy beyond my wildest dreams to be of use to you. Please continue to give me orders, Your Majesty. I will dedicate my very life to governing Dragontan for you.”
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“Thanks. I’ll have to go all-out with your next bonus,” Takuto smiled.
Doling out just rewards and punishments is an important aspect of governing any kind of organization—whether on the business or national level. Antelise was particularly fond of liquor, so that made Takuto’s job of rewarding her especially easy. He’d raise her salary as well, naturally. People who work hard should be lavished with rewards and bonuses—that line of thought was only natural to Takuto.
“Hehehe. I’m looking forward to it!” Antelise let out a giddy laugh. “So, what are your plans for today, Your Majesty? Fortunately, the administrative side of things has finally stabilized, so I don’t believe there are any problems I need to waste your time with…”
“Like I said, my main objective for today is putting this double through its paces. I also wanted to get a more detailed look at how things are faring in Dragontan. We’ve had a parade of problems lately, which have led to me neglecting things outside the Accursed Lands. I want to be more proactive about management whenever I have the time.”
That being said, there wasn’t much for Takuto to inspect. As far as buildings were concerned, there weren’t any urgent projects after what he’d already taken care of with Emergency Production.
Keeping everything running smoothly. Takuto’s goal was for the town to be stable, and his primary purpose for this visit was to confirm everything was going accordingly. At the end of the day, just like he’d casually come to see Antelise, his true intention for this visit was a casual inspection of Dragontan.
Ẇ е́ b n̈ о̇ ve̊ l Èṅu m̃ã
“I see. So that’s what you have in mind. Then, allow me to show you around. With the new buildings constructed at your orders, this city has developed to the point where it’s hard to remember what it was like before,” Antelise explained.
“You sure you have the time? If you’re too busy, you can leave it to someone else,” Takuto offered.
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“It’s all right. As I previously informed you, things have settled enough for me to step away. Besides, showing Your Majesty around is a great honor I would never entrust to another if I have the choice!” Antelise leapt from the sofa with a determined blaze gleaming in her eyes.
Takuto had heard about her tendency to slack off, but it seemed like she really had extra time rather than just a desire to skip out on work this time. With that settled, Takuto readily entrusted the role of his guide to her.
Considering the current problems plaguing Mynoghra, he wouldn’t be able to inspect his cities very often. One of the real pleasures of 4x strategy games is checking on your empire’s cities. This was a rare opportunity. Takuto was excited to get a good look at the town of Dragontan, which he had developed from the ground up.
“Oh, and…if possible…I wanted to personally consult you about matters pertaining to Lord Vittorio and the Cult of Ira,” Antelise began.
Е n ûmа .і̃ d
“P-Please go easy on me…” Takuto’s voice cracked.
The Cult of Ira, which Vittorio had founded, was rapidly gaining traction. It had spread throughout the Dark Continent to the extent that there was no one who did not know its name. At the same time, this rapid spread was bound to bring about its own share of big problems. The cultists were so devoted to Takuto that the word fanaticism could not even begin to describe them. Even Takuto didn’t know how far they’d go…
“Oh, I know, why don’t I summon Miss Yona’Yona?” Antelise suggested. “I’m sure she would be happy to receive your summons, Your Majesty.”
“Oh yeah, she was left in charge of the cult, wasn’t she? How is she doing?” Takuto asked.
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Lector Yona’Yona was the proxy leader for the Cult of Ira. She was the unlucky beastgirl Vittorio had discovered and dumped all the annoying cult work upon. However, since she was such an earnest girl, it was easy to leave her as the leader of the cult.
Takuto felt terrible leaving everything to her, but he didn’t object either. It’d be a nightmare if his objection led to Vittorio volunteering to lead the Cult of Ira himself. Yona’Yona carried Takuto’s hopes of keeping Vittorio in check entirely on her shoulders, and she was doing everything in her power to live up to expectations.
W е̊ ḃ ń ò v̊ e l̄ E n̆ um а
“She has a promising future when it comes to the practical side of the work, but what’s really impressive are her tactics when it comes to leading and managing people,” Antelise explained. “When I go through her, things get resolved immediately, so I’m really grateful to her. This town has more or less established itself as a religious city, so I would say it’d be nigh impossible to run as smoothly without her acting as Lector.”
“Good to know. It sounds like Vittorio picked the right woman for the job.”
“So, would you like me to summon her then?”
“Yeah, please do since it’s a good opportunity.”
The Cult of Ira was a huge religious organization Vittorio had created from nothing. It was no longer confined to the framework of religion alone—it had a variety of influences across the continent.
Thinking about the Cult of Ira, which had strangely become inseparable from Mynoghra, Takuto absently pondered the best direction to take it in the future.
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◇◇◇
TAKUTO left Town Hall and began his inspection of Dragontan with Antelise as his guide. The once ramshackle and desolate town now brimmed with astonishing prosperity. Buildings unique to Mynoghra, such as the Flesh Trees, the Sumptuous Meat Forest, and the Grotesque Zoo, showcased its influence as an evil empire. At the same time, the new dwellings and various shops supported the town’s development and prosperity. Happy and energetic expressions colored the faces of the people passing by in the streets. They had already excavated the all-important Dragon Vein Mine, and with a faint green light, it produced an endless supply of Mana from the earth.
Takuto sensed great potential from Dragontan as it showed growth worthy of being Mynoghra’s second city.
In the middle of his tour, Takuto spotted a massive building in the center of town where a large mansion had once stood. The first thing that caught his eye was the twisted and intricate spire. And then the numerous windows that were arranged chaotically, as if they had been deliberately designed to be non-uniform. Ringing from only the gods-know-where was an eerie bell that resonated deep in the heart. This building that pierced the skies clearly reflected the evil culture of Mynoghra and gave off religious undertones.
Takuto raked his gaze from the spire down to the foundation of this looming structure, which he had no recollection of. Then, as if he had come to the foregone conclusion that there was nothing he could do about it, he asked Antelise about it in a slow, deliberate tone.
“Mayor Antelise, what might that be?”
È ñ ûm̈а̊ . і.d
“The Cult of Ira’s cathedral: Dumeli Tula, my king,” Antelise whispered, sadness filling her voice. She seemed to utter the words with all the repugnance and humiliation she felt toward it.
Yeah, I had a feeling that was the case. And I’m equally sure a certain jester had everything to do with it, Takuto sighed. He really didn’t want to know the details. His workload was only going to increase with the knowledge.
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“How does this fit into our town plans?” Takuto asked.
“It’s completely not in the plans. To begin with, as the mayor, I never even granted permission for it to be built,” Antelise groaned.
“So, it’s an illegally built structure. Let’s demolish it…” Takuto said.
There were no two ways about it—this building was a Cathedral from Eternal Nations. A Cathedral could be constructed in the religious capital when a nation founded a new religion, but Takuto remembered it came at an insane cost. Vittorio had definitely used his ability to order its construction arbitrarily, but Takuto was curious where he’d scrounged up the resources. Then again, considering the wild fanaticism driving the Cult of Ira and the illicit assets recently acquired from Seldoch, the answer to that question seemed self-evident…
Ē ǹ um̌ а
Takuto let out a long-suffering sigh.
Well, at least now his inspection of Dragontan served a real purpose. What with the construction and governance all going smoothly, he thought it’d be fine to leave the town be, but an unbelievable bomb had been lying under the surface all along.
It must have been too difficult for Antelise to bring it up to him. Takuto could sympathize. If he were in her shoes, he would have felt too distraught trying to figure out how to explain its existence, so he couldn’t fault her. After all, cleaning up after a Hero unit’s blunders fell to none other than their Commander—Takuto.
And it seemed awkward feelings over the giant, looming Cathedral weren’t Takuto and Antelise’s alone. A groan teeming with distress and despair came from directly beside him. The groan came from the goatgirl who had been giddily showing Takuto around with Antelise ever since she was summoned to Town Hall. Her merry smile had vanished the moment they came to this building.
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It was none other than the Cult of Ira’s Lector, Yona’Yona. She was also a key material witness to the unauthorized construction of this fantastical building.
“Baah, I’m so sorry! So, so, so sorry!” she bleated. “I can’t believe the construction of this unholy Cathedral went against Your Unholiness’s divine will! The responsibility for this lies solely with me! Please, please, O unholy god, be satisfied with just taking my head and mounting it on your wall!”
Еṅũm̀ а̀ .i d
“No worries. You did nothing wrong, Yona’Yona. You’re doing your best given the circumstances. Don’t throw your life away like that,” Takuto rushed to pacify the girl before she could throw herself facedown at his feet.
She’d have a much easier time if she just blamed everything on Vittorio. The fact that she viewed not reeling him in as her responsibility was both her strength and weakness.
“I-I’m undeserving of such kind words… I… I… O unholy gooooooood…!” Yona’Yona began sniffling.
“I’ll never get used to that form of address,” Takuto said wryly.
The Cult of Ira was a religion Vittorio had arbitrarily created to worship Takuto as a god. It was also a means of collecting the power that arose from concentrating worship and prayer on Takuto alone. As a religion founded on an overabundant use of Vittorio’s persuasion-based skills, every single cultist was a fanatical believer.
They were all crazy people who would gladly offer their head on a platter to Takuto if he ordered it, so he wasn’t too keen on spending much time with them. And now the Lector and acting leader of said cult was weeping as she clung to Takuto. Fortunately, there weren’t too many people around, so they weren’t drawing a ton of attention yet, but Takuto wished she would stop before things got worse.
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In all honesty, what he wanted was for her to stop her blubbering and start explaining how the Cathedral came to be.
“Anyway, I suppose it would be safest just to approve and sanction the building now. I know I joked about demolishing it, but that’d be more of a pain at this point. I’d rather spend that energy on something more productive. Still, were you really unable to do anything about this, Mayor Antelise?” Takuto asked the mayor since Yona’Yona wasn’t going to be of much help. At least the mayor still had a modicum of calm left.
“Not a thing, sadly. The people who live in the area are Ira Cultists who have been bribed, so when the government tries to intervene, they protest day and night in front of Town Hall…” Antelise explained.
“Who’s the instigator?” Takuto asked. “Never mind, I know it’s Vittorio. I can’t let him get away with something this big, so I think it’d be best for all involved to make him take responsibility. How about you summon him, and we behead him as a warning?”
“I have repeatedly called for him, but he hasn’t shown up once… Forgive the imposition, but would you mind summoning him as well, Your Majesty?” Antelise requested.
“I’m pretty sure he won’t show up for something like this even if I call for him…” Takuto shrugged.
Ê ṅ ǔ m̀а̀ . id
“H-He won’t…?”
Vittorio was a man of many follies. Takuto could understand the intent behind each of his wacky actions, so it didn’t bother him too much, but the same understanding couldn’t be expected of others. The higher a person’s position in the government, the more serious and responsible they tend to be. Be it the Dark Elves, Antelise, or Yona’Yona, those who were seriously devoted to Mynoghra and Takuto couldn’t tolerate Vittorio’s misdeeds. They took the chaos caused by his rampant behavior as a personal failure and struggled with it mentally.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Looks like this is the spot for me to step up and help them out, Takuto decided.
“Well, it’s inevitable for Vittorio to screw things up. That jester falls under my direct purview, so I’ll take over this matter. On that note, if he ever shows any signs of stirring up trouble again, report directly to me about it. I won’t make you take responsibility for anything he does.”
The first problem to resolve was where the responsibility lay. Antelise was responsible for all of Dragontan, and Yona’Yona was entirely responsible for the Cult of Ira as its de facto leader. Of course, they were partially responsible for letting the Cathedral get built without informing him, but Takuto sidestepped that inconvenient factor. Nothing would get resolved otherwise.
Making exceptions wasn’t favorable for any organization, but when it came to Vittorio, exceptions became the rule, unless you wanted to be in for an even bigger headache. And so, Takuto chose his words carefully to make sure the two women wouldn’t feel even more depressed. He spoke his next words out of consideration for their positions as well.
Ė n̄ um̂а̀ .ï d_
“Anyways, as much as I can’t approve of the way it got built, it looks like everything came together in the end, right? I assume it’s working as it should, but what do you have to say on the matter, Antelise?” Takuto asked the mayor.
“You assume correctly, sire,” she answered. “As you can see, this bizarre, splendiferous, esoteric building is more than worthy of serving as our Cathedral, and it has become an important holy site to the followers of Ira. Its existence has led to an uptick in pilgrims coming from within and without the country, which naturally contributes to Dragontan’s economy…”
“It’s become a holy site believers feel the need to make a pilgrimage to, eh? So, it’s serving as a proper place of worship, since the cult has outright banned idolatry,” Takuto concluded.
“Y-Yessh,” Yona’Yona said, biting her tongue out of nervousness. “B-Believers in Ira come from all over the continent to visit this grand Cathedral. Th-Things will get a bit complicated if the mighty Ira himself were to denounce Dumeli Tula— Oh, forgive me! I wouldn’t dare speak in opposition to His Unholiness’s divine decisions!”
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“Yup, I know,” Takuto said casually. “I can see the problem with that.”
Takuto had been going over the building’s purpose with Antelise to ensure she didn’t feel solely responsible for it and potentially order its removal later without consulting him. But through that conversation, he learned of a hidden benefit that hadn’t even occurred to him.
Ẃ ëb̄ňоv̀ е ĺ Е n_ùm_а
Simply put, the Cathedral had become a hot destination for people to visit. Believers came to the Dragontan Cathedral to pray to Takuto, effectively maintaining peace in Mynoghra. With how fanatic the cultists were, they would have pushed their way right through the Accursed Lands to the Palace where Takuto resided if they hadn’t had Dumeli Tula as a place of worship instead.
When I think about it like that, I better jump on approving this Cathedral as a place of worship for the Cult of Ira and throw my full support behind it. I initially wanted to limit it before it became too powerful, but that’ll only make my life more difficult in the long run.
Vittorio likely had built the Cathedral because he knew it would eventually come to this. Not asking for permission or even reporting on it was just a part of his rotten personality. But seeing as he was continuing to do things in a way that was hard to understand but kept everything moving along as it should, just went to show that the Gleeful Spin Doctor was in peak condition even after coming to this world.
“I see. I’ll think about what to do with this Cathedral a bit more before I decide,” Takuto said. “Oh, don’t get me wrong, you guys. I’m not holding you accountable for this.”
I need to carefully consider how much backing and approval I want to give the Cathedral and the cult.
The Accursed Lands, the capital of Mynoghra, wasn’t suitable for conducting trade, so he preferred developing Dragontan in that direction as Mynoghra’s second city. The Cathedral would inevitably serve as a catalyst for growth and make a significant contribution to the town’s development. But Takuto wasn’t interested in transforming it into a religious capital. He wanted his second city to excel in economics and production. Now he needed to strike a balance between using the influence of Dumeli Tula without overshadowing and shrinking the town’s commercial activity.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Vittorio had gone and presented him with yet another difficult task. And it was a task he was very much looking forward to resolving. As a lover of all things Domestic Affairs, Takuto delighted in tasks that required him to use his brain to run the empire. He hated how much combat-related activities had taken him away from good old Domestic Affairs lately. He thought it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to take a short break to enjoy this problem.
Well, it was a bad idea.
His mind had been so preoccupied with the joys of Domestic Affairs, he’d entirely neglected to pay attention to his surroundings.
“C-C-C-C-Could you be…our unholy god?!” a high-pitched voice called out to Takuto.
It was a miracle he hadn’t been spotted sooner—by the cultists. The first person’s commotion spread at the speed of light, and people with a crazed glint in their eyes appeared out of the woodwork. They surged around Takuto like an addict spotting the sweet source of their addiction.
“Oh, crud… This is seriously bad news!” Yona’Yona warned.
Е̇ n̄ǔ m̄ а̂. і d
“Run, Your Majesty!” Antelise shouted. She wasn’t kidding around. She was seriously worried about Takuto’s safety. “A festival is about to begin!!”
“Why does everyone look so unhinged?!” Takuto shouted back. “And wait, why a festival?!” He was confused about the mob suddenly holding a festival, but there was no time for him to figure it out.
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“O-Obviously because God Ira has descended upon his unholy cathedral of Dumeli Tula!” Yona’Yona cried. “Such a grand and glorious event will surely be spoken of for generations— Omigosh! Does this mean I’m currently experiencing a myth in the making?!”
“Yona’Yona! Can’t you do something about the— Ah, crap! She’s lost it like the others!” Takuto groaned.
“Oh no, Your Majesty!” Antelise cried out. “They have completely blocked our escape! Believers are coming from the woodwork, literally!”
“C-Cultists are way too scary…”
Ĕn ŭm̃ а.їd
In the end, Takuto escaped from the cultists into the back alleys and disengaged the Botchling’s Mimic skill to prevent being discovered. When he checked with Antelise about it later, he learned they had held the Takuto Ira Graces Us with His Unholy Presence Festival after that. He didn’t go near Dragontan for a while after that.
DURING the afternoon of the day that he managed to escape from the Ira cultists in Dragontan by deactivating his double’s disguise, Takuto attended a regular meeting at the Palace. Being able to be in two places at once was just one of the many perks to having a body double. The Botchling on its own had high Strength stats and a nice lineup of skills. Takuto’s prospective strategies expanded tenfold with the double’s addition.
“All right, my inspection of Dragontan more or less went as expected, so I might as well decide on our policies for Seldoch while I’m at it.”
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The meeting consisted of Mynoghra’s empire-management council members. While Mynoghra had made progress in recruiting useful personnel from outside the fold, such as Yona’Yona and Inquisitor Krähe Imlerith, only a select few were allowed to participate in the council meetings.
The council only consisted of the longest-serving members who had remained loyal since the founding of Mynoghra: Elder Moltar, Gia, Emle, and the Elfuur Sisters. The only others allowed to attend were the Dark Elves, who handled clerical tasks such as taking notes and distributing materials, but they had been present since the start as well.
Eň ù m å
Takuto had a feeling that the current system would eventually have to change. Their administrative capacity couldn’t keep up with the empire’s growth. He wanted to respect the Dark Elves’ long-term loyalty, but they were reaching their limits. This was made all the more evident by the sheer size of Seldoch—their most recently obtained territory.
“The newly acquired city of Seldoch and its surrounding territory is a fertile and temperate region with few natural disasters. It has a large population, so it’ll undoubtedly contribute to increasing our empire’s national power,” Takuto said.
Joy blossomed on the council members’ faces. Considering the hardships they’d faced to get to this point, this was an achievement worth celebrating. The acquisition of new territory is extremely valuable to any nation and something worth rejoicing over. However, they couldn’t revel in their happiness for long.
“However, now that Mynoghra has finally stabilized its control over part of the Accursed Lands and the area around Dragontan, I have no doubt that we will require administrative skills beyond our current limitations to manage our third city,” Takuto announced.
Another problem came hot on the heels of their last one. All the joy slipped from the Dark Elves’ faces, replaced by grimaces and concerned frowns. Proof they understood what Takuto was telling them.
“So, rather than making any sudden, drastic changes to their government, I believe it would be safer to maintain the current system and slowly shift them over to a Mynoghra-style of governance. What are your thoughts on this?” Takuto asked.
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Seldoch encompassed a vast territory that spanned from the borders of the Lawful and Dark Continents to approximately half of the now-defunct Divine Nation of Lenea. Takuto mostly referred to Seldoch itself because it was the most prominent city in the territory they had acquired, but there were many towns and villages in the surrounding areas that also needed to be managed.
Normally, it would be impossible to immediately govern a newly acquired land plundered from another nation without issue. Citizens don’t typically take kindly to being absorbed into an enemy nation. Squashing insurrections and revolts would be on the meeting agenda instead of this peaceful discussion if not for Vittorio’s subversive use of the Ira religion. Every single council member shared that understanding.
“There is no denying that Seldoch is on an entirely different scale from Dragontan,” Elder Moltar conceded. “Haphazardly trying to minutely control things from a distance won’t end well. I despise how incompetent I am to do anything about this problem, but I must concede to His Majesty’s point.”
“The empire’s expanding at a frightening speed to begin with. Moreover, both Dragontan and Seldoch were acquired by converting or occupying land from other countries. There’s not a whole lot we could do to improve things,” Takuto pointed out.
All the territory Mynoghra had acquired thus far had to be incorporated from an outside source. Normally, small settlements develop into cities over time through pioneering, but this was not the case for Mynoghra. The development of Mynoghra as an empire was built on exceptions and deviated from the norm. Elder Moltar spoke as if his incompetence was the cause of their limitations, but managing a nation was about more than the actions of one person.
“Besides, Seldoch is practically on the front lines. Or rather, it belonged to an enemy nation until we acquired it. We have to carefully consider the risk of it being recaptured—even if we plan never to let that happen,” Atou said, listing additional problems with Seldoch and its surroundings.
Е́ n üm а̇
Gia firmly nodded his head in agreement, sharing in her concerns.
The newly acquired region of Seldoch shared a border with the El-Nah Alliance of Elementals and the Holy Kingdom of Qualia. A vast mountain range ran through the center of the Lawful Continent, separating El-Nah and Qualia, but the mountain range ended in the frigid region to the north and in the region to the south that connected to the Dark Continent, allowing passage between the two allies. And because the heavy snowfall to the north made it difficult to traverse, El-Nah and Qualia routed almost all travel through Seldoch.
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In other words, Mynoghra’s newly acquired territory was just as important geographically. It only made sense that both El-Nah and Qualia would want to retake it. If nothing else, they would never be okay with leaving it in the hands of an evil nation like Mynoghra.
“Fortunately, thanks to the spread of Ira, the people of Seldoch are particularly fond of our country,” Elder Moltar said. “We couldn’t ask for more as the reigning government.”
“That’s the one thing we don’t have to worry about,” Takuto agreed. “It appears there’s no need to enact any conciliatory policies, so let’s keep our investments to a minimum and focus on strengthening our position for now. We can buy ourselves some time if we construct a Flesh Tree and a Chapel for the Cult of Ira.”
The move Vittorio made on the Divine Nation of Lenea was extremely crafty and ruthless. He used his skills to forcefully convert the residents to the Cult of Ira. This normally would never work. In Eternal Nations, the enemy nation’s religious units would have taken measures to prevent conversion, and if it were peacetime, believers in the Holy God Arlos would have acted.
Еn ũ m_å.і ḋ
Vittorio could only pull off this tactic because the TRPG forces—Erakino, the two Saints, and the Game Master—had made such a mess of things that it bred utter chaos, which he could take advantage of. The opportunity to acquire land and a city of this scale would likely never come again. It was an unforeseen and unexpected burden to bear, but if they could overcome the struggle, the reward would be immense.
And if he couldn’t overcome an obstacle of this level, then could he really call himself Takuto Ira? Takuto was determined to make it work.
“But, sire, who will you put in charge of Seldoch? We can make use of the current government, but I strongly believe that we need to appoint a governor who can exercise authority over the region,” Elder Moltar pointed out.
“Yeah, that’s the problem right there…” Takuto sighed.
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Takuto was determined to make it work. He was. But there were some areas where reality hadn’t quite caught up with his determination. And that was the problem of assigning the right personnel. He couldn’t keep putting off the decision and hope it’d work itself out. At the bare minimum, it was necessary to appoint a person to be in charge of the region as Elder Moltar suggested. And it needed to be someone capable, so they could more easily promote the policies of appeasing the people and assimilation.
A harsh request for Mynoghra, which was perpetually short on good personnel.
Ẁе_bn̊оv̊ e l̊ _Е ňŭ_m а
Between the size of the territory, population, and the dangers of it bordering our enemies, a Hero would be best for the position. But I’m not giving up Atou, and Vittorio is out of the question. Isla would’ve been perfect for the job, but I can’t change the past… Antelise doesn’t work either. With how dedicated she’s been to Mynoghra, I don’t want to add to her burdens, and then there’s the matter of her origins.
It was easy to forget, but Antelise was originally the heir to a powerful clan in El-Nah. She ran away from home because she hated the old Elven customs and responsibilities, and she eventually ended up in Dragontan. That made her a bad match with the El-Nah Alliance of Elementals. Takuto didn’t know the state of things in El-Nah, but he knew it was a bad idea to send Antelise anywhere near it.
Who else… Yona’Yona doesn’t work either. She lacks practical skills and experience. Besides, I need her to run around keeping the fanatic cultists in check as their de facto leader. Tying her down to one city is out of the question. Takuto pondered his options.
Oh, what about that former Qualian Inquisitor we recruited recently? Krähe Imlerith was it? Would she work? He considered it briefly before shooting down the idea with a shake of his head.
Krähe didn’t lack practical skill or experience. She seemed like an earnest, hard worker, and her former job had a lot of politics and paperwork involved, so she would be quick to pick up on governing work. But she was a former Inquisitor and a traitor to Qualia. She was bound to provoke Qualia. Besides, Takuto planned to have her lead the Paladins of Ira, Paladins who had fallen to the dark side, so he had to reject her as a potential candidate.
Well, crap. We really don’t have the right person for the job. Anyone else wouldn’t live up to the position in terms of strength or qualifications… If only I could find someone who could at least meet one of the requirements… I don’t see any other options, so maybe we should send promising people on short-term assignments there? Takuto would have to closely check their policies each time, but it seemed like that was the only option at this point. If you want to develop new talent, you need to give inexperienced people a chance to gain experience…
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
As Takuto was considering all of this…
“Your Majesty.”
“Kingy.”
“We will go do our bestest in Seldoch!”
“Our bestest!”
The Elfuur Sisters, who had been quietly listening to the meeting, suddenly made an unexpected proposal.
Wе_b̃ n o v̈е l Е̊ ṅum ǎ
Takuto’s eyes rounded at the idea he hadn’t even considered. “You girls will go?” he found himself asking in surprise.
The sisters responded with big nods.
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Takuto was bemused by their sudden offer, but he quickly switched to considering the pros and cons of putting the two of them in charge. Ugh, I wanted to keep them here a little longer so they could learn more at my side, but they are almost too perfect for the job.
It made perfect sense for the twins to be appointed as the Overseer of the new territory. They already held high positions within Mynoghra and were being trained to be future leaders, so they more than met the renown and talent requirements. They also held the skillsets and powers of a Hero unit, even if it had been obtained through unusual means.
Being able to appoint the two of them together made them a lot more flexible than appointing only one person. In many cases, having two people in charge tends to create factional dynamics that can lead to the worst possible outcomes. However, considering their relationship, Takuto had no reason to worry about that with the sisters. He was a little worried about the practical aspects, but the girls were smart enough to understand Takuto’s ideas, and it wouldn’t be a problem if he gave them some support personnel.
When all was said and done, appointing the Elfuur Sisters as the Overseer of the Seldoch region would be a godsend for both Takuto and Mynoghra.
Е.ṅ ũ_m а̇
After running that analysis in an instant, Takuto concealed his loneliness and questioned the girls, who seemed pumped that this was their big moment to shine. “Are you sure you want to do this? With your power as Witches, it shouldn’t take too long to return home, but you won’t be able to make frequent visits. Will you be all right not being able to see everyone all the time?”
Takuto was the one who wasn’t all right with not being able to see them all the time. The twins nodded again, not seeming to mind or think much about that aspect. Takuto scanned the room. Elder Moltar and the Dark Elves seemed surprised but supported the idea. They seemed to think that the girls should work in a position that was commensurate with their abilities, even if they were still children.
Atou also showed her approval with several firm nods. Perhaps she was delighted at the prospect of being able to be closer to Takuto as his guard with the twins removed from duty. Or maybe another thought powered her support for the idea. Either way, she was clearly not on his side in this matter.
He couldn’t find a flaw in the rationale or strategy of appointing them. The only flaw was the internal conflict caused by his own loneliness…
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
I suppose I’ve got no choice here, do I? At least it’s not like I’ll never see them again, he tried to convince himself. He was just about to give consent when the twins spoke before he could.
“We wanna prove that we can be even more useful to you, Kingy!” Maria exclaimed.
Ӗ ňü m̊ а̌. іd
“We feel that we can become even stronger if we are in an environment where Your Majesty and everybody else can’t easily spoil us,” Caria added.
“Yeah! We’ll get stronger!”
They want to become stronger, huh?
A noble and pure desire drove the girls. But their innocent-sounding words revealed that they were driven by more than that.
“Besides, we cannot accept defeat ever again,” Caria stated.
“They won’t get the bestest of us ever again,” Maria echoed the sentiment.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
The image of the battles these cheerful, smiling girls fought in Lenea and the losses they had suffered crossed Takuto’s mind.
Losers lose everything. Even their dignity…
Inspired by their determination never to lose again, Takuto vowed never to forget that same desire.
◇◇◇
<Seldoch City Hall >
“AND so, we are counting on you,” Caria said.
Wе b n̈_о v̆ e ľ Ѐ ñ ũ_ṁ ӑ
“Counting on you,” Maria echoed.
The bright voices of the twin girls echoed through the building, which had formerly been the holy church’s administrative office. Only the sign had changed.
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“Uh-huh…”
The young woman, who was sitting on a sofa that was a little lacking in style for receiving guests but common in Qualia’s culture, which valued honorable poverty, responded to the sudden proposal with an indescribably deflated look.
The young woman’s name was Krähe Imlerith. She was a former clergywoman who held the important position of Qualia’s Inquisitor and accompanied the Scribe Saint Nerim. She was also a defector who betrayed the Holy God Arlos and showed allegiance to Mynoghra in a previous battle with the Scribe Saint over the territory in the Divine Nation of Lenea.
As a woman who found herself in a challenging position, Krähe struggled to process the proposal the Elfuur Sisters had just made her. Of course she would struggle with it, when what they asked of her was…
En̈ û m а̌
“It’s nothing complicated,” Caria said.
“Uh-huh. You just hafta teach us when we’re in a pickle,” Maria added.
…to serve as an advisor to the new Overseers of Seldoch, the Elfuur Sisters.
Krähe understood the situation. The territory Mynoghra had recently acquired was massive. Managing it would be more than these two young girls could handle on their own. They needed someone competent and knowledgeable about the customs and inner workings of the region to be their advisor.
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But they want me for that job? It was this particular point that stumped the usually calm and collected Krähe.
“Um, are you absolutely certain about this?” she asked. “Not only am I a newcomer to Mynoghra, but I am also a turncoat. I believe there will be a backlash from others if I am placed in too important of a position…”
È n úm̃ а . і́ d̆
“There’s no one who’d object. Or rather, there’s no one in a position to…” Maria said.
Krähe was unwittingly convinced. The Elfuur Sisters held high positions in Mynoghra. Apart from the king, Takuto Ira, the number of people who could object to the decisions of these two young girls could be counted on one hand. And it was also a true statement that there was literally no one in a position to object.
Krähe was highly educated when she took up the mantle of Inquisitor. Even without the finer details, she could roughly guess the problems Mynoghra was facing. Simply put, the twins’ proposal was reasonable and difficult to contend.
“Even though Big Sista and I have learned lots at His Majesty’s side, there’s still muchest we don’t know. So, we’ll be in a real pickle if we don’t get help from you, Miss Krähe, with all of your practical experience,” Caria argued enthusiastically.
“But not all problems can be solved with logic alone…” Krähe countered, needing to give voice to her biggest concern, even if it sounded timid.
She knew firsthand the nightmares that could be caused later by disregarding the human aspects of an organizational body, such as a strict hierarchy and following the rules. Sure, she was speaking out of a desire for self-preservation, but since she was driven by the goal of getting Nerim back someday, she desperately wanted to avoid unnecessary problems.
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But she had forgotten a fatal piece of information.
“But if you don’t help Cary and her Big Sista, it’ll be straight to Dragontan for you?” Caria pointed out.
“Hm? What’s wrong with that?” Krähe asked,
It was such a vital piece of information.
“That’s where the great perverted clown haunts,” Caria replied.
“That’s bad news…very bad news.”
Е́ n̂û ṁа̄
Of all the things she could forget about, it had to be Vittorio’s existence. Since he primarily worked out of Dragontan, Krähe risked running into the Gleeful Spin Doctor if she turned down her assignment in Seldoch.
Krähe was one of Vittorio’s many victims. Ever since the day Qualia had dispatched her to Lenea as an Inquisitor, she had her life ruined time and time again by that unhinged Hero.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Shaking her head, Krähe forced herself to forget the slideshow of bitter memories that flashed through her mind. Then she turned her pleading gaze to the Elfuur Sisters.
“You are now a follower of Ira who has turned from the holy teachings of Arlos. A fallen clergywoman, who stands before us as a Paladin of Ira. Just because you became a citizen of Mynoghra does not mean you have completely changed on the inside. As somebody who knows the people of this land well, we desperately need your assistance, Miss Krähe,” Caria argued.
“And you might see the Scribe girl again if you’re here too,” Maria added.
Ẇ ӗ b n̊ оv е l̊ E ǹ u m a
“Nerim…”
Vittorio vanished from Krähe’s thoughts, and in his place came the image of a precious girl, smiling faintly. Krähe had turned her back on Arlos to save that girl. All she did, she did for her. That was Krähe’s sole purpose for being here.
“She is truly a kind and gentle soul. What should I do to save her?”
It was unusual for Krähe, someone who was often criticized for being overly strict and domineering, to seek help from others or reveal her weaknesses. She could sense herself becoming more emotional since joining Mynoghra. Her lament just now was a manifestation of that. She’d heard that the twins had also lost someone dear to them recently and hoped they might have the answer.
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And they did have an answer.
“The civilization invited to heaven will live forever with ultimate happiness and unlimited peace…”
W e b n о̄ v̇ ѐ l̀ Еnŭ mа̂
“What does that mean?” Krähe asked.
“There they will not experience hardship or pain, the dead will revive, loved ones will be reunited, and all will share in their happiness together…”
Krähe couldn’t resist intently listening to Caria’s sonorous recitation. It sounded like a poem of some sort, but not one Krähe knew. There was something about those words that powerfully drew her in.
“His Majesty said that there is a real heaven and that if you go there, you will meet those you have lost.”
Krähe sucked in a breath.
She finally saw a path to save Saint Nerim.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Krähe had met the King of Ruin once already. She hadn’t forgotten the awe she felt in his presence. Nor the primal fear and reverence she felt toward his empyreal being. Just as a tiny insect cannot fathom the full extent of a Titan, a tiny human cannot fathom the King of Ruin.
Feeling like her heart was gripped in a vise, she came to understand one thing: she was standing before a true god.
And that god declared there was a heaven.
Unlike the Holy God Arlos, who only took and gave nothing in return to Krähe, the King of Ruin was a mighty being who extended a helping hand.
Krähe’s heart sped up and her cheeks flushed crimson with her mounting excitement.
“Even without this heaven business, His Majesty is almighty. You might not have to wait too long before you can be friends with the Scribe girl again, you know?” Caria said.
Еnu m а̇
Do you truly believe that? Krähe didn’t give voice to her question. She thought it was foolish to even utter it aloud. As someone who had glimpsed the King of Ruin’s power, she could now accept Caria’s statement as fact.
“But there’s a problem,” Caria shared.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
“What problem?”
Krähe’s heart lurched. What in the realm could the problem be? What could possibly be standing in the way of that precious child living in a safe and peaceful world?
Emotions Krähe barely noticed existed deep within her began to bubble to the surface. Now that she was a citizen of Mynoghra, anger was one of the driving forces that compelled her.
Hurry and tell me. I’ll purge the problem with my sword right now.
W̄е̃ bn ov̀е l Ё n̈ um а
Caria staidly spoke the answer to Krähe’s darkening thoughts, “We are still far too weak.”
Her words doused the flames of wrath burning within Krähe. A feeling of helplessness suddenly engulfed her, but she took a deep breath to suppress it.
Caria was referring to herself, Maria, and Krähe.
If I had been stronger, would the outcome have changed? While they had never spoken of it with each other, all three of these young women shared that same tortuous thought. It was a different time and person they had wanted to save, but they still shared in the despair of having lost someone dear to them. And in the desire for more power. It was through this shared feeling of loss that the twin sisters opened up to Krähe, and it was this that led her to trust them too.
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Weakness is a sin.
Each of them had tasted the bitterness of committing this sin and needed to overcome it no matter the cost. And there was a path to overcome it, even if the road there was fraught and tenuous.
Е̇ ṅ_ùm̌ ă
“Miss Krähe, you can use Holy Sword Artes, right?” Caria asked.
“Yes, I can. The position of Inquisitor was only available to me once I had my qualifications as a Paladin. I have all the skills required.”
“And what about the art of fighting and weapon handling?”
“Not even a question. I am trained in the art of fighting both the human and inhuman… And I even have skillsets I have been sworn to secrecy about.”
Inquisitors master a diverse set of skills. Many of the skills fell more under the domain of the Paladins, but Krähe had even mastered a variety of techniques an average Mesial or Under Paladin couldn’t even dream of competing against.
“Oooh, awesomeness!” Maria chirped.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
“Now that sounds promising, Big Sista!” Caria exclaimed.
“What does?” Krähe asked, though she had a rough idea of what the twins were after.
They wanted to make up for their lack of experience with skill.
When Saint Nerim offered her memories to the Holy God and faced Vittorio, Krähe had an opportunity to closely watch how the Elfuur Sisters fought when they joined the fray. If she were to describe their fighting style in a single word, it would be amateur.
Yes, they were physically more formidable than any mortal. But their moves lacked refinement, and Krähe had the strong impression they fought relying solely on their strength to get them through. Of course, even with that impression, Krähe was absolutely positive she could never defeat them, so they were clearly powerful despite their lack of experience.
It was just that Scribe Saint Nerim was leaps and bounds beyond that.
W е̌ b ń о v̌ е̂ ĺ E ṅu m̌а.
The twins stood no chance as they were.
And that was exactly why they saw a sliver of hope in learning new skills. Krähe was convinced it was a reasonable approach as well. Even so, there were a handful of problems with it. While she painfully understood the desire to gain more power, Krähe hadn’t forgotten the tenuous position they were in.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
“But haven’t the two of you been appointed as Seldoch’s Overseers? It’s wrong to neglect your duties.”
Yes, before all else came work. Work first, self after.
It might have something to do with Krähe’s stickler personality, but it felt wrong to neglect the work she was given to pursue power. It made more sense to her to complete one’s work first and then use one’s free time to train.
But before she could lecture them, the twins devised a clever plan to counter her rebuttal.
Еǹ.ũm̃.а
“No worries. That is what you are for, Miss Krähe,” Caria said.
“Birds of a feather, flock together,” Maria said.
So, this was their objective, Krähe thought, her brow knitting together. But she couldn’t bring herself to get angry at such young girls. When she was still a Qualian, she might’ve lashed out at them out of her discrimination against Dark Elves, but she was now a bona fide citizen of Mynoghra.
The moment she met with Takuto Ira, the King of Ruin, and was accepted as a citizen, all prejudice against other races had vanished. So, to Krähe, the people before her now were nothing more than difficult younger superiors to deal with. She began to sense that they were exploiting her inability to object harshly to them.
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“Oh, since we’ve got the opportunity, why don’t we teach the Paladins of Ira the Mynoghra way?” Caria suggested. “They could be excellent opponents in mock battles. And so would you, Miss Krähe.”
“Time to get Spartan on them! No mercy!” Maria cheered.
Е n û ḿ ӑ . іd̃
The girls cleared the obstacles standing in their way once again.
As someone who’d already fallen to the temptation of power, Krähe was thrilled at the prospect of being able to reach deeper into its depths to obtain more. Besides, making the Paladins of Ira more powerful would directly aid in Mynoghra’s growth and prosperity. And that would serve as a foundation bridging them to the heavens they sought.
Krähe no longer had a reason to refuse.
“And so, we mustest grow stronger. Stronger than anyone or anything. So that we never lose what matters again. And in order to do that, let’s work our hardest together,” Caria said.
“Let’s do our bestest together,” Maria echoed.
The twins invited her with the same bright, innocent voices.
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“I-I will help you to the best of my meager ability…”
Krähe no longer had any option but to accept their invitation with a nod.
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