episode_0069

“… The Demon King and the Demon King’s twin horns passed through that checkpoint.”

After hearing the report about the Demon King, the Empress took on a very serious expression and began to ponder something.

“This is definitely not an ordinary thing. And I didn’t think even the soldiers in the border area would be that corrupt.”

“It seems like the corruption from the preemptive era still remains.”

“… Sigh. No matter how much I do, new tasks keep piling up, and I just can’t handle it. ”

It was only natural that this would happen to an already corrupt country that was going through an all-out war.

No, if it weren’t for Her Highness the Empress and Camilla’s brother, the situation would have been much more serious. If the Emperor’s concubines who were eating away at the treasury had not been impaled, the situation would have been even more serious.

Camilla and I also suppressed the chaos by killing their relatives and their private soldiers who rose up.

Although our reputation has declined because of that act, we had no choice but to stain our hands and honor for the sake of our country.

“By the way, shouldn’t we go there? If the Demon King and the twins are there, even you can’t do it alone….”

“No, Your Majesty.”

Her Highness the Empress, who had suffered a painful defeat, seemed to feel a sense of discomfort.

“It’s suspicious that they showed up so obviously. They could have moved more stealthily if they wanted to. And if we move in that direction and the capital is attacked, it’s over.”

It certainly made sense. Leila’s death was the same. They deliberately exposed a weak point and then attacked us who were waiting for it.

Moving rashly was probably their desired goal. If the empty capital were attacked, it was obvious what would happen to the empire.

In other words, it was still too early to move the military. We had to watch the situation a little longer.

“First of all, Camilla left for that place this morning, so the two of you should watch the situation. For now, I will send troops there. We don’t know what the enemy will do yet.”

Her Highness the Empress became overly cautious immediately after losing Leila.

As if you never want to make that mistake again.

“Raul, I’m really sorry for forcing you into another fight. But…”

“I know my position best. And that I have no choice but to fight.”

It was a life that had lost most of its meaning to begin with. If I could use this life for my friends, then it wouldn’t be so bad.

“Sigh, when one thing is solved, two more shitty things come up. At this rate, it’ll take 20 years to properly see off my successor.”

“Your Majesty…!”

“Didn’t you work hard yesterday? Creating a successor. Jim is so tired today because of that, but why is the Empress’s skin so much…”

“Hey!”

Her Highness the Empress lost her mind and began to strangle His Majesty.

It was interesting to watch the murder scene in real time, but I had no idea that the two were already doing it.

I was the one who brought it up first, but I didn’t know it would progress so quickly.

“How about you and Camilla get along?”

“… I.”

“Oh shit, seriously.”

A familiar yet annoying male voice irritated our ears unpleasantly.

“Did I teach you to talk about your love life in front of your cheating wife and your daughter’s father?”

Heron Argus. Our teacher and the military minister of this country, he is also Camilla’s father.

Originally, he had been wandering around drunk, leaving everything to Camilla’s older brother, but immediately after the incident broke out, he returned to the capital and devoted himself to work.

To put it simply, he was the man we all hated.

“……”

“……”

“……”

He smoked a cigarette during the meeting, lit it, and vented his discontent.

“In short, let’s just wait and see for now. Isn’t that right? Well, we should move cautiously. But it’s also true that there’s something fishy near the raccoon kid’s house. You must have also considered sending troops instead of our two kids. If it were me, I would have cut off those troops in the middle. ”

What bothered me the most was that he was still talking properly when he was really drunk.

“Then what are you going to do, Argos Military Minister?”

“This side should put on a show too. If I lie down on the floor and stretch out, won’t something come out?”

I couldn’t understand the point of that statement at all.

“Stop pretending to be on guard and just let it go. And then, won’t that little lizard baby show up in front of you during that gap?”

It was clear that they would take advantage of my moment of carelessness.

“… I think it would be better to think of a way.”

“Then let’s just leave it at that and this old master will go back to his work.”

“You’re just going to focus on work. You’re just going to go back to drinking or something.”

“… Your Highness the Empress. This old master has not yet cut off communication.”

“The surprising thing is that I knew that too.”

After the military minister left, Her Majesty the Empress cursed him, muttering unspeakable curses.

“Your Highness, you are still our benefactor.”

It was thanks to his teachings that we were able to survive the battlefield, even though those teachings included some beatings and cruelty.

“If you’re a bastard and a piece of shit, then just fuck…”

◦ ◦ Stop the story of the fuck? ◦ ◦ ◦

“… How is everyone doing?”

“Your sister is still working hard and learning at the Empress’s side. And the rest…”

His Majesty gulped down the cold water that was in a large goblet that was full of thirst.

“Your… no, Lizel’s mother is currently asking about your whereabouts. If even I, who has no interest in her, can hear about it, then that’s enough to say.”

“… Now, this is a story about a woman who has nothing to do with me.”

“And Marquis Rosie Nevermore is in complete isolation. They’re investigating, but they haven’t found any evidence. It’s true that he looks innocent… but at the same time, it’s true that he looks ignorant.”

“… I see.”

His Majesty spoke sharply, but his expression was full of annoyance.

“By the way, Raul.”

The moment I was about to turn off the communication, Her Majesty the Empress suddenly spoke to me again.

“Do you have any more work to do?”

“It’s your birthday soon, right?”

Now that I think about it, my birthday is only a few days away. I’m not the type of person to celebrate things like that, so I ended up forgetting.

“I’ll send you a gift soon. I’d like to have a party with you, but the circumstances don’t allow for that.”

“I would like to decline Her Highness the Empress’s gift if possible.”

Her Highness the Empress had a terrible sense of gift-selection. There were lion teeth, whale gallstones, rhinoceros horns, pink leopard skins, and ancient human bones… things like that, full of incomprehensible things.

“Excuse me! If someone saw me, they’d think I was a woman who only gave gifts that were difficult to get rid of!”

“……”

“……”

“Hey you humans!!!”

By the way, since it’s my birthday… I thought a plan might come out that wasn’t too bad.

If I were to throw a banquet to celebrate my birthday, my enemies would think I let my guard down. I wouldn’t be throwing a banquet while I’m on guard against my enemies.

I explained my plan to His Majesty and His Highness the Empress, and they nodded in agreement as if my plan was acceptable.

“Not bad. I would be wary if it was an unexpected banquet, but there’s also the excuse of a birthday.”

“But aren’t there not enough people to hold a banquet?”

“You can just call the villagers. Of course, it’s just a banquet, so there’s no compulsion.”

Then, His Majesty and His Highness the Empress began to look somewhat uneasy.

“If anyone saw me, they would think I was an idiot with no social skills.”

“…..”

“……”

The two of them remained silent, and I glared at them with eyes full of resentment.

“Honestly, that’s not wrong, is it?”

The two nodded as Kyle, who was standing next to them, said something annoyed.

“… Leila would have understood.”

“No. I’m sure Leila would have told me not to talk nonsense either.”

I thought further conversation would be meaningless, so I just disconnected the magic tool.

“As expected, Your Majesty. You knew what Leila was going to say.”

“Kyle. Remember that your mouth is a door that invites disaster.”

“You know that’s not something that should come out of Raul’s mouth, right?”

“……Enough of the useless talk. Let’s prepare for the banquet in a week.”

“Well, it would be enough to do it outside. Let’s say you prepare the ingredients and alcohol, prepare them and cook them, prepare the tables and chairs for the banquet, and prepare decorations and other tableware..”

Kyle smiled and held up four fingers.

“If you can hire four men, four days will be enough.”

“……”

“If you just hire those two…”

“If only there was one person who could help me out…”

“……”

“So you’re telling me to prepare all of that by myself in a week?”

“Yeah.”

“While also watching that damn pharmacist?”

“You know very well.”

“Hey you son of a bitch!”

Leaving Kyle behind, I went back to my room and decided to stroke the crow’s beak.

It was a beak that was slightly firm yet smooth, and truly enjoyable to the touch.

But the crow started grumbling in a loud voice as if it was displeased with something.

“Oh my… What is that smell?”

“That’s a question I don’t understand. I wash diligently, so I don’t think it will stink.”

“No. It stinks.”

What I felt in the crow’s voice was a murderous, yet somehow familiar tone.

“The rotten stench of a fucking slut.”