Another Side
“Princess, may I make a rather earnest request?”
“I can somewhat predict it, but go ahead.”
The light of the sun streamed into the room, illuminating it brightly. In stark contrast, the voices of the two people conversing within were somber.
Dazzlo, the man who had spoken, had a deathly pale complexion, and Princess Anri, who had received his words, was hardly looking any better.
“My stomach is in a terrible state, so I’d like to take about ten years to recuperate in some remote backwater village. If you could refrain from searching for me, I would be immensely grateful.”
“Do you really think I’d agree to that?”
Dazzlo offered the vacation request form with a trembling hand, while clutching his stomach. Unlike in Japan, Isal did not have laws like those guaranteeing paid leave for employees. With a softly cast magic spell, his dream of paid leave vanished along with the paper.
“I don’t think it’s a matter of whether you’ll agree or not. Are the people of Tris’s faction just filled with scriptures in their brains? I can’t keep up with this line of thinking, an old man like me. More importantly, does that country even intend to survive? They seem poised to commit a tremendous act of self-destruction, dragging neighboring countries into it.”
In a certain room at the Anti-Demon Lord Army Headquarters, a middle-aged man was clutching the area above his stomach, his face pale, and a young elf girl was holding her head, enduring a headache.
This combination was a familiar sight at the Allied Headquarters, but it wasn’t something either of them desired.
The content of their conversation was not something they wanted to be discussing, thus it was a source of stress for both of them.
“Please don’t say it. When I think about having to struggle against a country that would do something so foolish, I feel like my homeland is pathetic. No, I understand that they were driven to struggle by their madness, but even so, it’s too clumsy.”
The problem at hand was a certain drug that had begun circulating within the army. There was no need to investigate its origin.
After all, it was an item a priest from the other side had enthusiastically recommended.
They had no intention of hiding it anymore.
Dazzlo and Princess Anri could no longer comprehend the other party’s thinking, as they presented something that could very well split the army. They could understand that crimes like smuggling supplies or plundering for personal gain were driven by greed. However, they never expected to be told to drink a drug, become foolish, and save the world.
Princess Anri had a recent, unpleasant memory of learning that there were things beyond her comprehension.
“Fortunately, the armies of the Empire and the surrounding countries are not problematic. However, we were able to discover several questionable units in the armies of the Kingdom and Tris. I now understand with painful clarity that they have no intention of cooperating.”
“Indeed. I always thought they were a bit eccentric, and they boasted about being chosen people, but I never imagined them to be this unhinged.”
They wished someone would explain the process of how things had become this way, but all the other side said was that it was the will of God, and that was the end of it. It wasn’t even a discussion.
They shut out any other opinions, stubbornly insisting that God’s will was the only correct path. They disrupted the flow, acted as they pleased, and pushed any failures onto those who dared to voice dissenting opinions.
“Dazzlo, what’s the Demon Lord’s Army up to?”
“They’re counterattacking, quite fiercely. I have no idea what they’re thinking, but they’ve appeared on the borders between the Empire and the Kingdom. Thanks to them, we had to reform our defense lines. Fortunately, the hot-blooded Kingdom’s forces charged ahead recklessly, and we managed to minimize our own casualties.”
“In exchange, the Kingdom’s forces suffered a significant blow?”
“Yes, a Great Forest suddenly appeared, luring them into their territory. It’s estimated that there were at least thousands of casualties.”
Things continued to go from bad to worse. They had devised a plan to force the Demon Lord’s Army into a defensive stance, but their counterattack came sooner than anticipated.
Only one, but a dungeon was born in Isal.
If one looked back at history, dungeons typically appeared in multiples all at once. However, only one dungeon had been confirmed. Its appearance was eerie.
“To compensate for the fact that our forces are already out of sync, and the Allied forces are lagging behind… and then, look at all these demands for aid to avenge those who died for God.”
“They act on their own, self-destruct on their own, and push their own opinions? Haa, even a child would make more sensible statements… We’re busy searching for other dungeons, and they’re asking for meals? Haa, really…”
Princess Anri abandoned the thought of how many days she had been awake and reflected on her own actions, realizing that it was unreasonable to ask her not to doubt them.
“You know what they say, the true enemy might be among your own people.”
“That’s not a funny joke. I’ve been thinking a lot lately. Wouldn’t it be easier to form a peace treaty with the Demon Lord’s Army and destroy Tris together?”
How long had it been since she could act with grace and composure? She felt that before the invasion, she could still maintain a sense of ease. But since the war began, she felt like that composure had vanished in an instant.
“Ah, I’ve thought of that too. They might actually listen to us more. Of course, I’d never want to be the one to negotiate, as they’re terrifying enough to make Seraphs their enemies.”
A young maiden, only performing the bare minimum of daily routines, spending the rest of her time battling with documents to maintain the army. She felt so overwhelmed by the incompetence of those around her that she sometimes wished she could escape this place and forget her purpose. Princess Anri now understood the hardship of dealing with allies who were not just a hindrance but an absolute disaster.
“I won’t allow it. If I send a shady middle-aged man like you, Princess, you’ll be captured at the first opportunity, tortured, and then executed after they extract all your information. I can see that happening.”
The subordinate tried to slip away from the Princess, who was trying to hold him back from his foolish plan. He made a face that clearly showed his displeasure. While it wasn’t a face one should show royalty, it was clear they had built enough trust for it to be forgiven. Still, the conversion was far too dark for such a bright, sunlit room.
“What? I’m curious about why you think so lowly of my mature self, but I can see that future myself, so I won’t do it! Also, old man, I hate pain, so before I get tortured, I’ll spill all the information I know that doesn’t concern the Empire and beg for mercy, so please count on me for that.”
“As long as it doesn’t bring disadvantage to the Empire, you’re free to do as you wish. Besides, if there are no demons willing to listen, this whole conversation would just be a wild imagination.”
“Why not use him as an intermediary? It seems like we could arrange a negotiation quite smoothly.”
Princess Anri let out a deep sigh as the days of thinking about how to contain his incompetence flashed through her mind, and she reached for a cup of cold tea.
“No matter how you try to spin it, he’s a being we abducted from the Demon Lord’s Army. If they demand to see the treatment we subjected him to? If that happens, the relationship between the Empire and the Demon Lord’s Army will never improve.”
“Well, yes, Princess. But you knew that when you subjected him to it.”
Princess Anri felt her taste buds, which usually found the subtle bitterness enjoyable, had become so dulled that she now perceived it as mere hydration. She furrowed her brow. It wasn’t delicious, but she knew she needed to drink, so she emptied the cup.
“Moreover, I don’t believe we can negotiate on equal terms in our current state. We’d be asking for disadvantageous terms unless we could at least stalemate them, or better yet, push them back.”
“Right. It would be nice if we knew the whereabouts of the Sun God; we could use that as a souvenir.”
“If only we knew that. We’ve sent envoys several times to see if they could grant an audience, but they always claim to be too busy.”
“That’s what’s suspicious. A god who can apparently do anything claiming to be busy? The all-knowing, all-powerful gods described by the priests are laughable.”
“Absolutely.”
She placed the cup on the table and, after a brief respite, picked up her quill.
“Well, enough idle chatter. From here on, we’ll spend our time thinking of ways to minimize the losses of the Empire’s soldiers.”
“From my perspective as an old man, I thought we should use the people of Tris as a shield. They have quite a lot of hatred towards the Demon Race. If we could come up with some plausible reason, I think they’d charge ahead on their own if we just supplied them with weapons and food.”
Time was limited, and while they hadn’t been talking idly, they hadn’t been discussing anything productive either. Princess Anri began to formulate a plan to salvage her schedule before it completely fell apart. Which ideas were feasible and which were not.
“It would be effective for time-buying. However, given that their fighting strength is an unknown, we want to minimize troop depletion.”
“Princess, you understand that they are not an opponent with whom that is possible?”
“If only I had more competent subordinates.”
“I think you should honestly ask your father for reinforcements. I believe your current forces are at their limit.”
However, even the best-laid plans were useless if the hands that were supposed to carry them out were rotten.
“Haa, you’re right.”
“Rather, I think it is precisely because it is you, Princess, that things have held together this far. Surely, His Majesty will not be unfairly judged. With the Demon Lord’s Army attacking, the Empire must have its own priorities.”
If those hands could move properly, there would be more that could be done. But in reality, those hands each had their own will and moved as they pleased, like spoiled children. It was only when their hands were bound with chains that they could move somewhat properly. Dazzlo praised her for managing to maintain the current situation, enduring the great effort of dealing with bodies that constantly slipped out of their chains, changing tactics and methods.
“Haa, I can hear my uncle’s taunts. I can already see him saying, ‘Is this the result of all your grand pronouncements?'”
“The Prime Minister is quite harsh on you, Princess. Well, after all, you have messed up quite a bit.”
“How dare you! I have acted with the future of the Empire in mind. My actions have never brought disadvantage to the Empire.”
Princess Anri herself knew that her relatives would not be satisfied with such a track record. However, she also understood that it would be utterly unacceptable to increase the damage by fearing their dissatisfaction any further.
“Then, the intelligent Princess knows what she must do, right?”
“Haa, I understand. I will write a letter to my father. Please deliver it by express mail as quickly as possible.”
“As you command.”
Which should she prioritize: her pride or the fate of her country? Even an idiot would know. However, humans value self-preservation. Therefore, they resort to all sorts of desperate measures to try to salvage the situation. Yet, Princess Anri chose to humbly ask for help. She wrote the letter on high-quality paper with high-quality ink, imbuing it with magic to prove its authenticity. She then placed it in an equally fine envelope and sealed it with her personal wax seal.
“Haa, perhaps I should make an effort to be a little more decent while waiting for a reply.”
“When will the next time we can sleep be?”
Princess Anri did not know whether this would bring good fortune or misfortune.
Another Side End
Today’s Word: There is no need to recoup alone from failure.
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