The Royal Capital of the Kingdom of Boltner, Bolton, lies in the middle of a plain.
While not easy to defend, it also seemed difficult to maintain supply lines in this location.
Marius thought it inferior in size and splendor compared to Filat.
Marius is mistaken, but the Boltner army is by no means weak.
The assessment that “engaging the Boltner army in open battle is the height of folly” rings throughout all the nations on the continent.
However, they are weak in anything other than open battle and are vulnerable to magic.
Boltner’s main industry is sheep farming, with sheep and cow’s milk and meat being their primary exports. Filat is their largest export destination.
Boltner’s friendliness towards Filat stems partly from them being their most valued customer.
A large, white building standing isolated a distance from Bolton is apparently the venue for this year’s Demonplay.
Due to the nature of the competition, it is constructed from magic-resistant materials and layered with multiple defensive barriers.
While Boltner’s mages are not of the highest quality, the Demonplay is a rotating event, meaning the year it is held is known well in advance, allowing for ample preparation time.
“Well, countries do tend to disappear here and there,” Lucas, who was explaining this to Marius, said with a wry smile.
The last time he participated was ten years ago, and there were thirteen countries then.
In just ten years, three countries had vanished.
Marius could not even begin to imagine such a rapid cycle of rise and fall.
(Well, I wonder what will happen to Hordia or the others by the next time it’s held.)
Marius was surprisingly the type to hold a grudge.
After dropping off their luggage at the lodgings provided by the Boltner side within the Royal Capital, they were to change and attend the pre-event party held in the royal palace.
Marius only heard about this after departing Filat, and it was a complete surprise.
“I can’t dance, you know?”
To Marius, who was uncharacteristically showing his displeasure, Lucas, sweating cold, made excuses.
“There’s no dancing. It’s a standing reception party for participants to get acquainted.”
Hearing this, Marius breathed a sigh of relief.
The party began at 6 PM.
As befitting a gathering of royalty and representatives from various nations, the venue was spacious enough to accommodate about a thousand people.
King August III of Boltner gave a brief greeting.
“Welcome, everyone. Please enjoy yourselves, however meager the offering.”
Though everyone shared a faint smile, thinking it a remarkably short speech for a king, they offered a friendly applause.
While many enjoyed talking, no one enjoyed listening to others ramble.
The dishes were a proud display of domestic products, including lamb and beef steaks, pot-au-feu, cheese, and yogurt.
Marius immediately savored the flavors.
The beef steak was well-seasoned with rock salt, reminiscent of “hearty home cooking” from his previous world, evoking a sense of nostalgia.
The lamb was melt-in-your-mouth tender, and the sauce it was served with was a perfect complement.
The pot-au-feu and cheese were also impeccably delicious, keeping Marius’s hands and tongue busy.
Of course, it wasn’t just Marius; the others were equally engaged.
Marius had imagined royal parties to be more subdued, focused on interaction rather than food, but this one was clearly different.
As Marius ate, Emma and Lucas discreetly attended to him, as he was still unaccustomed to the party etiquette of this world.
Lovisa, who would normally participate, was seated next to the Queen, eating with elegant gestures.
It would be awkward for a princess of a nation to attend to a mere mage in such a public setting that drew the attention of nations.
When everyone had eaten about seventy percent of their fill, the names of this year’s participants were announced.
The representatives for the Kingdom of Seraeno were Hemrooth and Agash.
The representatives for the Berganda Empire were Ares and Tom.
The representatives for the Kingdom of Ranleo were Philip and Barra.
The announcement of Princess Barra’s participation caused a stir in the hall.
The representatives for the Kingdom of Galius were Kyle and Paul.
The representatives for the Kingdom of Filat were Marius and Lucas.
While there was no stir, a tension ran through the hall.
The representatives for the Kingdom of Hordia were Mireille and Annette.
This caused a small murmur, due to Hordia being a problematic nation and both representatives being first-time participants.
The representatives for the Republic of Mithra were Alex and Warren.
The representatives for the Kingdom of Barshark were Jasper and Mark.
The representatives for the Kingdom of Vester were Catarina and Stacy.
And the representatives of the host nation, the Kingdom of Boltner, were George and Gregor.
These twenty individuals would compete.
“I am looking forward to seeing if any new contenders will emerge to challenge the previous winner, Lord Philip, the runner-up Lucas, and the third-place finisher Hemrooth,” Crown Prince Robert of Boltner concluded after the announcement.
For a fleeting moment, Marius became the center of attention.
Everyone seemed curious.
Marius pretended not to notice the surrounding gazes, drinking his milk tea while thinking, “So the explanation of the competition is postponed again.”
The highest level among the participants was Hemrooth at 120, followed by Mireille and Agash at 110.
While Mireille and Agash were newcomers and this was understandable, Hemrooth being only third place was likely due to him holding back.
(Perhaps Seraeno’s stance is to send strong members but not reveal their full strength.)
Their soldiers’ high quality was well-known, so they might not feel the need to boast.
And Hordia, with both representatives being Maids and Annette’s level in the thirties, made Marius feel as though he were being mocked.
Marius was likely the only one who could discern others’ levels, so he couldn’t voice his thoughts.
Just then, he noticed Queen Asteria of Hordia making her rounds.
In terms of appearance, she rivaled Lovisa, easily being one of the most beautiful women in the hall. However, there seemed to be no one who held her in high favor.
Yet, as Asteria spoke with her gaze lowered and smiled as she left, quite a few men visibly fawned over her, leading to an increase in the number of women rolling their eyes.
August III and Robert, for example.
(Is the Royal Family of Boltner fond of women?)
It was so obvious that Marius almost harbored prejudice.
As he was dumbfounded, Asteria approached Marius.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lord Marius. I am Asteria, Queen of Hordia.”
Her voice was musically beautiful, and her gestures were elegant, leaving no room for criticism. However, Marius was not impressed. He was already accustomed to the elegant gestures of beautiful women, thanks to Lovisa.
Still, it would be rude to ignore a greeting from a monarch.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Marius. Please forgive this impolite country bumpkin.”
“Not at all. I am truly grateful that you did not kill our soldiers but captured them. You are a most merciful person, and I am deeply impressed.”
The deceased nobles and Ignart, if they were to see this, would undoubtedly ask, “Who are you?”
Asteria’s demeanor was so feminine and refined that it lent great credibility to the excuse that she “pretended to be insane,” planting seeds of doubt in the minds of those outside Filat: “Could Queen Asteria truly have been a victim?”
“Would you do me the honor of becoming my husband?”
Marius almost spat out his milk tea, splattering Asteria’s face with a milky mess.
A murmur rose from those nearby.
He knew it could be a diplomatic maneuver, but he certainly hadn’t expected such a proposal from Asteria at this moment.
“It is a great honor, but it is not something I can decide on my own.”
With great effort, he managed to eke out a refusal. Asteria smiled and left.
(Does she think this will solve everything?)
Marius couldn’t help but find it perplexing.
While the negative atmosphere had eased, Filat remained unconvinced.
If the situation became favorable for conflict, they would likely not hesitate to attack.
(A madwoman who can act sane… or perhaps she has a body double?)
Lucas had mentioned that no one knew Asteria’s face, making this a plausible theory.
If Marius used magic, it would be immediately apparent, but if Filat adopted a stance of “even if they find out,” then…
He considered confirming with magic. He could claim he felt a “foreboding presence.”
Just as he was thinking this, something unexpected happened.
“After everyone has left, in this place…”
To his surprise, Asteria was using “telepathy” right before his eyes.
The problem was that Marius couldn’t even sense the magic being cast.
(A Magic Item that conceals the casting of magic?)
He hadn’t known of its existence, but with “stealth” magic being possible, it couldn’t be denied.
Hordia seemed to possess a power beyond both Marius’s and Filat’s imaginations.
Marius stealthily slipped away and returned to the deserted venue. Asteria was already there, accompanied by Mireille.
After confirming there were no traps, he entered and spoke.
“I thought you would be alone.”
“Unlike you, I don’t have the strength to walk through enemy territory unguarded,” Asteria said, shrugging sarcastically.
The demure and elegant demeanor she displayed at the party had vanished, replaced by an impudent air.
“If you are aware that this is enemy territory, then you must also be aware that I am your enemy?”
As Marius lightly asserted his dominance, Mireille moved to stand in front of Asteria, but Asteria smiled defiantly.
“Of course. However, I very much doubt you could attack a woman with no hostility or combat power?”
Marius clicked his tongue.
He had no regrets about rescuing the slave soldiers during the recapture of Balderra Fortress, and he believed he understood the risks of advertising his own softness, but it turned out to be merely a belief.
Sensing he was at a disadvantage, Marius decided to change the flow of the conversation.
“Let’s get to the point. You didn’t call me here just to provoke me, did you?”
“Ah, yes. For one thing, cast your magic on me and see my intentions.”
“…Is that the main point?”
This audacious request, if one could call it that, merely stunned Marius. He had prepared his mind for sophisticated rhetoric, but this attack from such an unexpected angle rendered his defenses useless.
Besides, when did this woman learn about Marius’s mind-reading magic?
“Don’t you want to know? My true feelings?”
Marius decided to take the bait. He prepared his mind to cast defensive magic at any moment, anticipating the existence of Magic Items that activated as a counter.
Using “Read Sink,” he could see through any intentions, and with Marius’s magic power, even Magic Item defenses would be futile.
Asteria’s thoughts flooded into his mind.
“What… the hell…?”
Marius involuntarily moaned.
The true objective of the invasion of Balderra was “to provoke Filat’s hostility,” and for “Marius to come to Hordia.”
Then, to lure him to the “seal of the Demon Lord Decarabia,” located on the path from Filat to Hordia, and have him defeat the Demon Lord.
The invasion with slave soldiers, the slaughter of the defenders, and the forceful removal of nobles and the rapid reforms were all mere means to this end.
However, the reforms themselves were genuine, and they were intended to make Hordia a prosperous nation should Filat’s invasion be delayed.
Marius finally understood why Asteria seemed so insane.
The Queen before him had as her ultimate goal the defeat of the Demon Lord, and Hordia was merely a tool for that purpose.
“It actually worked.”
Asteria stared with wide eyes, and Marius realized his mistake.
Asteria had simply been bluffing.
Marius, who had no chance in a battle of wits, couldn’t help but ask.
“What if it hadn’t worked?”
“I would have proceeded to further provoke your hostility. Just enough so as not to be killed here.”
In that case, Filat would attack Hordia.
One must not forget about Ranleo, but considering the combined strength of Hordia and Ranleo, it was highly probable that Marius would end up confronting Hordia.
If Marius was angered by Hordia and volunteered, the probability would further increase.
It was all according to Asteria’s calculations.
If she could make him recognize the existence of the Demon Lord by reading his mind, her true objective would not be hindered.
“Are you sane? To discard your entire homeland…”
Marius’s true tone emerged involuntarily, cloaked in sheer horror.
“If the Demon Lord revives, the entire continent, meaning hundreds of millions will suffer. Which is better, tens of millions of casualties or that?”
What she said didn’t sound incorrect, but Marius couldn’t accept it.
“What about those who are discarded? Do you have no heart?”
As Marius chided her, Asteria looked at him blankly.
“Why do you say such strange things? Did you perhaps come from a country where war and monsters do not exist?”
It was so accurate that Marius was speechless. He had been too complacent, underestimating the madness of Asteria’s way of thinking.
“To gain something, something must be discarded. Those who die whether they are discarded or not are discarded. Ten thousand are discarded for the sake of a million. This continent operates like this.”
