《When I Reincarnated I Was a Soldier?! ~A Man Called the Red Shinigami~》 1-I found myself there. ???He received a heavy blow to the back of the head. I''m losing consciousness. ''...t!???Hey!???Are you alive????Pat! Who the hell''s Pat????I''m...???I''m Pat. But????What????My name''s Jin, right????What????What????Do you remember Jin, or Pat? You''re Pat now????What about Jin????A dream????No, no, no. There''s no such thing as a long life dream, right????A past life????No, no, no, that''s impossible. But the back of my head hurts anyway. This guy''s been screaming at me. Well, he''s a fellow recruit... He''s a fellow recruit. ''Yeah, I''m alive, Wayne. ''Then pick up your sword and help me! ''You''re not very good with people. ''You''ll die if you don''t.'' ''Yes, indeed! ???With that, I pick up my sword, look around, and run toward the fat, boar-faced monster running toward my allies. ''Leave me to die!???You orc! He slams his cheap two-handed sword into the back of the boar''s head with all his might. ???The back of the Orc''s head cracks open, blood and brains splattering. This is the front line of the battlefield. 2-to blow off ???I don''t even remember how many orcs I cut. The back of my head is still throbbing. The corpses of the Orcs and their comrades lay on the ground. Finally, when I thought I had almost destroyed this group of Orcs, from the back of the room, I saw a man about three meters tall, twice as tall as the Orcs I had seen so far, with a wrestler-like physique, and an axe like a woodcutter''s that I wondered where he had picked up. ''Oak King...'' Someone muttered. ''Archers!???Shoot arrows at him! The captain of this squad shouts. The archers hurriedly pick up their arrows and fire. The arrows reached the Orc King, but did not pierce him. ''Oh, my God!???How hard can it be? Someone muttered weakly. They''re coming!???All of you intercept! The Orc King walks toward us with slow but steady steps. He raises his axe above his head and swings it down on a soldier''s head. The soldier catches the axe with his sword. But the axe swung down on his head, sword and all, and the soldier''s head split open like a pomegranate. It was a scene that made me wonder if I was in hell. One by one, his comrades were dying. ''The eyes!???Aim for his eyes! At the captain''s words, the archers and spearmen tried to aim, but they couldn''t hit him because he was too high and above all, he was moving. ''Hey, is there anything? I said to myself as I looked around and spotted something. An axe still in the hand of a larger orc who has already fallen. You rush over, pick up the axe, and sneak around behind the orc. (For God''s sake, please don''t let my Achilles tendon be tight! With a golf swing, you take a full swing at the Orc King''s left ankle! ''Guffaw! The Oak King lets out his first cry of pain and drops his left knee to the ground! ''Yes! He lets out a yelp. ''Pat, run!'' Wayne shouts. The next thing I know, the axe the Orc King was swinging in agony is right in front of my side. (Behind you! I can''t do that, I have to go forward!) In a split second of thought, I lunged at the Orc King. The handle of the axe, not the blade, slammed into my side. I blow up, and my companion''s spear pierces the Orc King''s eye. I''m knocked out. 3-awakening ''Where am I? I said out loud, ''Wounded warrior aid station. I''m glad you''re awake, how''s the pain? Someone answered. It''s my colleague Wayne. Wayne Kimball. He''s fifteen like me, maybe six feet tall. His long golden hair swayed in the wind. ''Hey, Wayne!???My side hurts like hell. I replied, ''I bet you do. You''re lucky you weren''t killed by the Orc King''s blow, even if it was a piece of wood! He smiles at me with his blue eyes. ''And the Oak King? ''After that, my spear got stuck in his eye and we all managed to kill him. Otherwise, I wouldn''t have been able to carry you this far.'''' ''That''s great!???Wayne gets all the credit! ''No, no, no. It''s Pat. Without it, the spear wouldn''t have reached you. Even the captain praised it. ''No, I got blown up and fainted.???It''s not cool... If I was a muscle-bound macho like you, I''d be fine...'' ''I don''t know what a muscular macho is, but you''re definitely not complimenting me, are you????Oh well, it''s great that you were able to get behind me. (Don''t worry about the details, handsome guy!) ''I don''t have much of a presence there! ''It''s true that it''s always hard to tell where you are, Pat! ''Right? We both laugh, ''Ouch...'' I laughed and it hit me in the side. ''Get some sleep!???I''ll go tell the captain you''re awake.'' With that, Wayne leaves. Looking to the side, there are many wounded soldiers. There''s also a soldier further back with a cloth over his head. How many have been killed or wounded? The Orc pack was discovered by an adventurer, and the 3rd Battalion of the Kingdom''s 1st Army was ordered to go out and kill the Orc pack quickly, so it''s probably a relief that the people weren''t harmed. Thinking of this, I closed my eyelids again. 4-reward Lie down and think. (But then again, I''m an ex-Japanese, right? I''ve never heard of an Achilles'' heel in this world.) Pat, real name Patrick Rigsby. Third son of a baronet in the western frontier of the Mental Kingdom. He is not the eldest son who will inherit the family in this world where 15 years old is the age of maturity, he is the second son who is used as a backup or as a son-in-law to connect with other families. Well, there are not many families that take a son-in-law, so one second son is enough, and there is no demand for third sons and beyond. If they were daughters, they would be in demand because they would be married off. The third son, Patrick, joined the Royal Army as soon as he came of age. This is the pattern of most noble families after the third son. (The first and second sons of Baron Rigsby are the children of his wife. I''m the son of a concubine. Well, it''s more accurate to say I was kicked out of the house. His mother died of an illness two years ago. But that house is a bunch of scum. The father only cares about taxing the people, the eldest son is a pompous incompetent, the second son is a burly macho coward, and his wife is a pig who only cares about jewelry. I''m glad I joined the army and there''s no one left to curse. I was the only one with dark hair and eyes, so they could say I was the son of the devil, or that I was too thin, or that I didn''t have Rigsby''s blood, or that I was cursed, or whatever they wanted to say. Her mother must have been stressed and sick if she lived in such a house. Well, the memories of Japanese people are also full of things they don''t want to remember, so let''s soldier on and live comfortably.) ???????????????????????????????????? ''Patrick Rigsby is awake, sir! Wayne reports to the captain. ''Mmm, thanks for the report!???Stand down, good.'' ''Aha! ''But that''s the new recruit, Patrick Rigsby. You''ve got some guts.'' The second-in-command speaks to the captain. ''So he''s the third son of the Rigsby family. I wasn''t expecting him, but he''s pretty good. I thought that family was just a bunch of big guys with no guts. ''I heard that both the first and second sons applied for discharge in less than three months? ''The first son lasted one month. The second son was two months, I think.'' ''Isn''t one month even the end of their training? ''Yeah, he ran away during the field training, thinking he couldn''t sleep in a tent. ''Then again, what can I say? ''The second son also finished his training, but he ran away just before the actual battle, because he had no guts. ''Why don''t you drink some of the third son''s nails? ''That''s right! ''What are you going to do about Patrick Rigsby''s prize? ''He''s a sergeant now, isn''t he? ''Yes, sir, coming from a noble family, sergeant at the end of training is basic. ''Five gold coins and a promotion to sergeant will be fine. ''Yes, sir!???I''ll do it that way, sir. ''Also, three gold pieces for Wayne and ten silver pieces for the rest of you. ''Yes, sir! 5-Lets go to the weapons store. ''Five gold coins? I couldn''t help but exclaim when I saw the contents of the bag I received at the prize ceremony after returning to the barracks. The currencies of this world are gold, silver, and copper coins. One gold coin is 100 silver coins. One silver coin is 100 copper coins. One copper coin is 100 Japanese yen, which may help you understand. In reality, there are three types of coins: large silver coins, which are worth 10 silver coins, large copper coins, which are worth 10 copper coins, and small copper coins, which are worth a quarter of a copper coin. A small copper coin costs about 25 yen. Cheaper goods are basically sold for 25 yen each. A silver coin is worth 10,000 yen, and a gold coin is worth 1 million yen. That''s 5 coins! Five million yen! I couldn''t help but jump for joy. ''Hey!???What are you going to do with the money? (There he is, the handsome guy!) I thought, ''Oh!???Isn''t that Wayne who got three gold coins? ''Shut up, it''s Master Sergeant Patrick who got five gold pieces! The two of them laugh at each other. ''Let''s go to the weapon shop! I invite Wayne to join me. If you join the army of this kingdom, you''ll be provided with a minimum of military equipment. A private (commoner recruits start here) gets one spear. A private has a spear and a one-handed sword. But the supplies are not new. And for sergeants (where aristocratic recruits start from), it''s a spear and a two-handed sword, but they''re used ones. Some of them are on the verge of breaking. In fact, this was Patrick''s first actual battle, and his spear was broken at the first blow. So he had to fight with his two-handed sword, and was hit in the back of the head because he was fighting at the distance of the orc''s club. ''You don''t want to be hit by a club, do you? Wayne agreed with a laugh. ''Spears are pretty expensive. This was Patrick''s impression at the weapon shop. In this world, spears are often the main weapon in battle. The main reason for this is that they can attack demons while maintaining a certain distance. Even against humans, spears have an advantage over swords if their strength is equal. A cheap spear can be bought for as little as 50 silver coins, but if a spear of one gold coin is placed next to it, even a layman can see the difference. Weapons are more important than gold. Whether a weapon is good or bad depends on the person. Some are more concerned with cutting ability, others with strength, and still others with handling and weight. There are also those who are foolish enough to say that they are concerned with appearance. ''What about you, Wayne? ''I''d like a sturdy one with moderate weight. And the clerk says, ''Then this is the one. The shopkeeper said, ''Well then, this is the one. And he brought out a spear. It was a spear made of all iron. ''It looks heavy. I said without thinking, and the shopkeeper said, The shopkeeper said, ''It''s hollow inside, so it''s not so heavy. I see, it''s in the shape of a pipe. Wayne picked it up and shook it lightly. ''What''s the price? He likes it. ''Two gold pieces. ''Too expensive. One gold coin and fifty silver coins! ''No, no, no, that''s made of pretty good iron by good craftsmen. One piece and 75 pieces! ''Do something about it!???One piece and 65 coins! ''That''s the limit, one and seventy! ''That''s it, then! 1.7 million yen. ''So, which one do you want? ''I''ll go for a lighter one with more cutting power! ''Then it''s this one, this one. The owner of the store brought out two spears from the back. ''This one has a slightly shorter handle, so it''s lighter, easier to handle, and has excellent cutting power. This one has a normal length and the tip is a little smaller, so it feels lighter when you hold it. The cutting performance is excellent. The cutting performance is excellent. With the middle finger of my left hand, I tap the side of my black, single-lidded eye. This is a habit of mine when I think, but it helps me to think calmly. (It''s easier to get hit in the back of the head with a long finger than a short one, right?) I came to the conclusion, ''I''ll take the one with the short tip!???But it''s expensive, isn''t it? But it''s expensive, isn''t it?'' I ask the owner. ''''What a surprise, that spear, special service this time, one gold coin for free! ''''Ooooh! ''''I bought it! ''''Thank you! After they left, the owner of the store said, ''''Why did you sell that spear for one gold coin? Couldn''t you have gotten a little more? She asked the owner''s husband. ''Just for the heck of it? ''Stupid husband! I heard shouting and slapping noises from inside the store... Sometimes it''s better not to know. 6-Soldiers Job 1 ???Morning comes early for soldiers. No, not only soldiers, but all people in this world have early mornings. Since there is no such thing as electric light, night light is provided by candles or firewood. Candles are expensive, and the common people often use firewood. But firewood is also expensive. Therefore, the common people start their activities at sunrise. Soldiers, without exception, start their activities at sunrise. The first thing they do is run early in the morning. They carry a heavy load on their backs and run through the training grounds. After that, breakfast is served. On the menu: hard black bread. Bean soup. Bacon. That''s it! The bacon is the best part. After you eat, you''ll start your shift. There''s a variety of duties, but the main one is patrolling to maintain security in King''s Landing. This is like the Japanese police. Next, the gatekeepers of King''s Landing. The purpose of this is to prevent criminals from entering and to prevent the flow of illicit goods. They check the back of carriages and see if there is anyone who resembles the description of a criminal. Next is the patrol around the royal city. This world is a fantasy of swords and bows. Naturally, there are demons like the orcs we''ve already seen. There are also the standard goblins. They are small, but they are troublesome because they form groups. Ogres. They are more powerful and wise than orcs. Dragons. There are many kinds of dragons, including wyverns. There are other kinds of dragons, but they are not included here. The purpose of the patrol is to detect and eliminate them as soon as possible. An adventurer is a person who is commissioned to kill demons or collect medicinal herbs in a region. Since medicinal herbs also grow around the royal capital, the adventurer who found the pack of orcs this time was an adventurer who mainly collected medicinal herbs. ''Is today going to be a bad day? ''I heard there were three orcs yesterday. ''Really? Then maybe not today. The team members walk around complaining. Goblins swarm. If you see one, assume there are three. That''s goblin common sense. I''m talking about the possibility that they were the last three. ''Don''t let your guard down because there might be more of them. Wayne, the second-in-command of the platoon, said. ''Yes, sir!???Sir, yes, sir. The first sergeant replies. ''What do you think, captain? ''It''s been a while since he left yesterday, right????I have a feeling he''s still here. Patrick replies. ''Because he was promoted to sergeant and put in charge of a platoon. The smallest unit in the army is the squad. A squad is three men. Three squads is a platoon. Three squads is a platoon. Three squads is nine men plus the platoon leader is ten men. The platoon consists of a sergeant, a corporal, a captain, a private, a private first class, and a private second class. I''m next in line for sergeant, Wayne. So I''m second in command. ''Let''s go a little deeper.'' I tell them all. 7-Soldiers Job 2 ???We walked deeper into the forest for half an hour, I heard noises and cries from deep within. ''Stop!???Sergeant Wayne''s squad will take the right side, Corporal Tony''s squad will take the left side, and Corporal Mirko''s squad will take the center with me. Understood?'' Everyone nodded. ''Wayne''s squad and Tony''s squad, time your assault for five minutes after we start moving. He produces a tool the size of the palm of his hand. It''s a magic tool of time. ''Then let''s move! Wayne''s squad and Tony''s squad move off. This world has 12 months of 360 days a year, 24 hours a day of 30 days a month, and 60 minutes an hour. There are two moons in the solar calendar. There are no leap years. The time grimoire is expensive, but it is provided to squad leaders and above because it is necessary for military service. Let''s go. Patrick calls out to Corporal Mirko, who has short brown hair and blue eyes. He is about ten years older than Patrick. He is a slender, austere man. The other two men move forward slowly and quietly. In a slightly open area, five goblins are devouring the bellies and entrails of fawns. ''Bows ready...'' Everyone quietly raises their bows. It''s a standard goblin hunting technique. ''Release! With a whoosh, the arrows are released. At about the same time, arrows are fired from both sides. Gya! Geez. Pygea! The arrows pierced the three animals on the outside. The goblins, not fatally wounded, rolled about, moaning. The other two look up from the fawn''s corpse and scurry around. ''Second shot, those who are ready, fire first! I order loudly so that the rest of the squad can hear. With a whirring sound, the arrows fly and hit the two goblins. ''Everyone, stay alert and go for the finish line! ''Yes, sir! ''Yes, sir! And from the trees, the troops begin to move. Each of them changes their weapons from bows to spears and pierces the necks and hearts of the writhing goblins. Five goblins are completely silenced. ''Cut off their heads!???They''ll turn into zombies if you leave them alone!???Just keep the noses for proof of defeat!'''' Wayne ordered his men. Wayne and the others don''t realize that there''s a creature watching the scene from further back. 8-Soldiers Job 3 Goblins are bipedal demons at the bottom of the pyramid. They are the ones to be hunted, so to speak. Above the goblins are other bipedal demons such as orcs, ogres, trolls, and cyclopses. Of these, the monsters that prey on goblins are, Orcs and , ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? I''m not sure what to make of that. Wayne turned his head in panic, ''Trolls...a????? Why are they here? A Troll, They''re about four meters tall and very powerful. However, their intelligence is low and they lack agility. ''Each of you!???Prepare for battle!???Grab your bows!???Fire at your own discretion! At the sound of Patrick''s voice, everyone readied their bows and fired their arrows. A few arrows pierce, but are not fatal. A troll slowly approaches. ''Keep firing! The flying arrows pierce the belly of the troll, but due to the thick subcutaneous fat, they do not reach the internal organs. ''All ready to spear! He threw away his bow and readied his spear. Apparently, the troll felt that he was the strongest and set his sights on Wayne. They walk towards Wayne. In the troll''s right hand, he holds a log that he seems to have picked up along the way. Boom! The log is swung around with a bang. Wayne dodges and thrusts out his spear. The spear sticks a few dozen centimeters, but Wayne can''t get it out even when he pulls. The troll swings the log regardless. Wayne takes his hand off the spear to dodge the log. While Wayne is trying to dodge the log, the rest of the team thrusts their spears out, but they only pierce the log by a few millimeters. Perhaps it was the difference in weapons and skill. Wayne gives up his spear and prepares his two-handed sword. He fights off the swinging log with his sword and swings it with all his might at his belly. He slices a few inches of fat from his belly, but the troll grunts and lunges forward. ''Wayne!???Crouch!'' At the sound of Patrick''s voice, Wayne quickly crouched down. Then Patrick, his spear at his waist, rushed at him. Patrick''s spear pierced the wound in his stomach that Wayne had slashed open. Hyahhhh! The troll lets out a cry of pain. Wayne, who was crouched between the troll and Patrick, grabbed Patrick''s spear and twisted it deep into the troll''s stomach with all his strength. The troll shouted even louder, and as his chin was up, Wayne thrust his two-handed sword at his throat. With a cracking sound, a large amount of blood dripped down, turning Patrick and Wayne red. Then, slowly, the troll fell onto his back. ''Tony, cut the troll''s head off. Patrick ordered in a tired voice. 9-Soldiers Job 4 ''Yes, sir!'' Tony pulled out his two-handed sword and swung it down at the troll''s neck. After a few swings, the head finally separated from the body. ''Is everyone hurt?'' Patrick''s voice said, ''Just a few scrapes and bruises, no one is seriously hurt. '' ''Good!???Is Wayne okay?'' ''Yeah, thanks for the help, platoon leader! Wayne responds with a half-hearted smile. ''But we''re not so lucky to run into a troll so close to King''s Landing, are we? Everyone nodded at Patrick''s words. ''At any rate, I''ll bring back the troll''s head and report it!???Get ready to move out. Understood. ''That''s the end of the report, sir!???Colonel!'' Patrick said, ''Good work!???We''ll take care of the rest. Go back and rest.'' A blue-eyed man with a bald head and a body like a barrel replied. ''Huh!???Excuse me, sir.'' Patrick saluted and left. ''Trolls in the woods nearby. What do you think?'' ''I don''t like the sound of that, I hope it''s a stray, what do you think Colonel Leadon? ''If they''re stragglers, fine, but if they''re scouts, that''s troublesome. Trolls usually act in groups of three or so, don''t they????Worst case scenario, there could be two more lurking around.'' ''How long will you send out to investigate? ''A squadron, with ballistae for movement. I''ll leave it to you to decide which squadron to send out. ''Yes, sir!???Right away! Patrick and his men reported back with the heads of the trolls and slept like dirt, exhausted. The next day, Patrick was awakened by a commotion in the barracks. ''Hurry up and bring me a tankard! ''No bandages yet????Hurry up! ''Pull yourself together!???Stay awake!???Don''t fall asleep! Shouting and running footsteps. I walked out of the private room and headed towards the sound, only to see a soldier on a stretcher on his way to the first aid room. ''Hey, what''s going on? Patrick grabbed a nearby private and asked him a question, ''A company that went out to investigate encountered two trolls and destroyed them in combat, but 15 people were injured, including three seriously. We''ve just returned. And with that, he left. (If they went out to investigate right after that, they arrived in the evening????Did they fight at night?a????? Who was the commander????No matter how slow a troll is, a night battle is not a good idea!???You said there were two of them????What were you going to do if you got pinned down?) Even though trolls are slow, they can''t run in the forest at night. If he ran, he would surely sprain his ankle. A stone or a branch could easily twist his ankle. When it comes to walking, a troll with a wide stride is faster. Therefore, in the forest, the theory is to fight by day. (Didn''t you learn that in your military training? Were you impatient for success????Or were you attacked while camping????I guess it''s too late to tell. ) 10-Soldiers Job 5 ''Hmm, what do we do now?'' ''Colonel Leadon, what can I do for you? ''Well, I''ve ordered a company to investigate, but do we go into the woods in the evening????I don''t know what Ensign Scott was thinking. Wouldn''t they normally camp in front of the forest and enter the forest early in the morning????A night fight in the woods at night is like going to your death. Bring me his battle record. ''Ha! ''They''re all goblins... we had a different company the other day with the orcs. Did you think the trolls were big goblins????At all.'' ''I''m sorry, sir. It was my fault for ordering him to go out. ''No, it was because he was available, wasn''t it????Rather, it''s the one who raised him to Ensign. Well, that being the case, go get some of the soldiers who survived this battle, and we''ll conduct an interview. Colonel Leadon''s first officer said, ''Yes, immediately. And then he left. Testimony 1 ''Don''t be afraid, Ensign, a platoon of Trolls could defeat them. We''re a company, and we even have ballistae... there''s no way we can lose!???I was told that...'''' Testimony 2 ''Are you serious about the night battle in the forest????They''re big and slow!???If we run, we''re faster!???And they''re big, so they''re good targets for the ballista.???You can hit them all you want!???He laughed at me...'' Colonel Leadon''s head snapped up as he listened. He was a thin, lanky man with long golden hair and green eyes, dressed in a sparkling military uniform. The man with the arrogant personality exuding from his face, Ensign Scott went to the call from the Colonel in a good mood. After all, he had destroyed two trolls. There were a few injuries, but that''s the way battle is. ''Maybe I''ll get promoted to lieutenant. I whispered, lifting the edge of my mouth to let out a whisper. ''Ensign Scott Pagenaud!???What the hell have you been learning?'' Colonel Leadon''s first words were this. Ensign Scott had no idea what he was talking about, ''How to defeat the enemy, sir? He asked back. ''You idiot!???How dare you say such a thing when you have 15 wounded and 3 dead! The three seriously injured did not survive. The three seriously wounded didn''t survive. Ensign Scott, who was shouted at, got angry and said back. ''Injuries and deaths are inevitable in a battle with demons!???It''s important to defeat the enemy as quickly as possible! ''Is it combat to just charge in without a plan????That''s bullshit!???That''s called suicide! ''That was just the inexperience of those who died in battle, I''m not responsible for that!???The others were injured, even the idiot who ran and fell!???I didn''t train hard enough! ''It''s common knowledge that if you fight in the forest at night, you''ll slip on rocks and branches!???That''s why you were taught not to fight at night in the forest! ''I didn''t fall, sir.???I''ve been training hard! ''That''s just a coincidence! ''No, I don''t fall and I don''t die. ''That''s ridiculous!???Enough!???Back off! ''So, who promoted that idiot to Ensign? ''Yes, Rear Admiral Jonathan Newgarden. Apparently, he''s a relative of the Major General.'' ''That pig Rear Admiral. I knew his face was disgusting.'' ''What can I do for you, sir? ''Contact Lieutenant General Penske and have him take him down. We''ll never have enough soldiers if we keep using that idiot!???That idiot should be demoted to sergeant! ''d*mn it!???What are you, a colonel????You haven''t even seen me, and you''re so high and mighty!???I don''t care how many of my men die or get injured!???I don''t care how many people die or get hurt!???What''s wrong with the nobles making the most of it! I''m a future Major General, no, a future General!???You''re a colonel!???Watch and see, if you ask your uncle, he''ll demote you in a heartbeat! The next day, ''Sergeant Patrick Rigsby promoted to second lieutenant. Rewarded with five gold pieces.'' ''Promotion of Sergeant Wayne Kimball to the rank of Master Sergeant. Awarded three gold pieces.'' "Second Lieutenant Scott Pagenaud demoted to Sergeant. A letter of resignation was issued. 11-Wayne My name is Wayne. Wayne Kimball. Rank of sergeant. Sergeant is the lowest rank in the nobility. I volunteered for the army, joined the Royal Army, and met a man. His name was Patrick. He was a nobleman like me. He had unusual black hair and dark eyes, but with an ordinary face that could be found anywhere and a slender build of about 5''8", he was anything but ordinary. First of all, it was difficult to find out where he was. It''s not that he has little presence, it''s that he has almost none. On top of that, he''s in a place where he''s hidden from people, so it''s not easy. When I go to a diner, I am eating in a halfway populated place, neither crowded nor empty, and I can somehow recognize that there is a person there, but I cannot recognize Patrick. If I go into the woods, I can hear him, but I don''t know where he is, and sometimes he''s right next to me, and many times I thought my heart would stop. Martial arts are moderate. Even in training, I''m better than the average soldier, but when it comes to fighting demons, I can deliver the coup de grace. But when it comes to fighting demons, he is a man who shines. I truly believe that it was thanks to Patrick that I became friends with such a man, experienced a real battle, and saved my life. If he hadn''t made the breakthrough, I''d probably already be on the other side. I can''t let him beat me! and started to train myself hard. I hope my skills have improved a bit. Anyway, where did he go? He was behind that tree again... 12-Sergeant Milko My name is Mirko. I''m a corporal in the royal army. I''m a commoner. I joined the army and started as a private. Well, it''s easy to go from private to first class. You only have to go through two real battles to become a private. Well, a lot of people get injured in two battles and get discharged. From there, I fought hard to stay alive for 10 years. I finally got promoted to corporal. Now I''m a squad leader. Now I''m a squad leader. When you become a squad leader, you get two subordinates. I have a private and a private. My boss is an aristocrat named Ensign Patrick. He''s a small, unreliable man who''s just come of age and doesn''t have much presence, but that''s not the point. He''s a very brave platoon leader when the time comes. One more person who deserves special mention is Sergeant Wayne, the squad leader of the same platoon. Sergeant Wayne is also a nobleman, but this one is a real nobleman! He''s tall, blond-haired, blue-eyed, and handsome enough to make a man sigh. It''s so handsome that it almost makes you think there''s an aura emanating from his back. He''s strong and fast, and he''s so dependable that you''ll wonder if he''s really just come of age. The battle with the trolls was almost defeated by these two, and without them, I would have been a corpse in the forest. I was lucky to be in a good platoon. So where''s the platoon leader????I''ve been looking for you for half an hour. Hmm????Is that Sergeant Wayne????Why would he go behind a tree? Oh, I finally found the platoon leader. 13-new order About a month after the troll defeat, I was resting behind a tree at the end of my training. A pleasant breeze was blowing just right behind the tree. ''Ensign Patrick!???Your battalion commander has ordered you to report.'' Wayne called out, shaking his blond hair. ''Order to report????What did I do? ''I don''t know!???I was just told to go get him.'' As he spoke, ''Ensign Patrick!???The battalion commander wants you to report immediately! Corporal Mirko came running up to me and said. ''The battalion commander is well aware that you are hard to find. He even sent out a message to the two of you.'' Wayne said, and Corporal Mirko chuckled. ''I don''t mean to hide, but...'' And with that, he made his way to the battalion commander. ????????????????????? ''If you don''t mean to hide, why are you all the way behind the tree? Wayne asked Corporal Mirko''s question, ''I''m not sure I''d be able to find him if he moved with the intention of hiding,'' Wayne muttered. ??????????????? ''Street sweeping, sir?'' Patrick asked back. ''Mm!???In ten days, His Royal Highness the Dauphin is going to visit the Marquess of Dixon in the south. Before that, I want you to clean up any bandits or demons that might be bothering him. Here are the orders! He handed a piece of paper to Patrick. 14-cleaning operation Orders. It''s an absolute for a soldier. Now that Patrick''s a second lieutenant, he has a company of men. A platoon of 10 men is a company of three. There were 30 men, plus Patrick and 10 Transportation Corps (a unit that transported and escorted food and supplies. In total, 41 men make up a company. ''How should we clean up? Each platoon leader was gathered for a meeting. ''What do you think Wayne? I ask Wayne, who is in charge of one platoon of Patrick''s company. ''The demons can be eradicated as needed, but the problem is the bandits. The bandits are the robbers that appear on the streets, and in most cases, they attack the carriages of merchants in groups and rob them of their goods. They kidnap children and women, and kill men. According to the order, more than 50 bandits are spreading and they are attacking not only merchants but also noblemen''s carriages these days. In the case of noblemen, the purpose is ransom, and if word gets out that a nobleman has been kidnapped, the nobleman''s reputation will be ruined, so the nobleman seems to pay the ransom without reporting it to the government. The baron''s son, who had no money, was kidnapped, and he cried out to the state, and the state finally found out about it. The government tried to capture him by hiding at the ransom delivery place, but he was easily found out, and later his head was exposed in a park in the royal capital, which shook the prestige of the country. Since then, the military has been investigating the streets on a regular basis, but they have not been able to capture him yet. ''How did the military investigate? ''Apparently, they just paraded through the streets with a company. And the only thing they reported was that the bandits were too afraid to come out. ''Are there only idiots here? ''If they knew it was an army, they wouldn''t have come out without something to take. ''Even if they take the weapons, they''ll be traced when they sell them. Then we discussed this and that. Tomorrow will be a preparation day, and we''ll leave early in the morning the day after tomorrow. I want you all to be ready! With Patrick''s words, the meeting ended. Each platoon leader began to move. 15-camouflage There are five wagons on a street. You can''t see their cargo because they''re covered. But to thieves, they looked like sitting ducks. Each wagon was guarded by five guards, suggesting that the cargo was expensive. Twenty-five guards would normally make a bandit shy away, but there were 53 of them. They outnumbered us. Moreover, they were fighting while protecting carriages and merchants. The head of the bandits grinned at the report of the guards, ''Let''s get to work, you bastards! '' he shouted. The road came to a bend in the forest just before the Marquis'' territory. It''s a good place to hide, and the curve makes it hard to see what''s ahead. And then, an arrow pierced the wagon, opening the curtain. ''Enemy attack! A shout echoed from the first wagon. Those who looked like adventurers were guarding the wagons were holding their swords and searching the area, while those who were holding bows and arrows were looking closely to see if they could see the enemy. Arrows flew one after another, and in the direction of the flying arrows, the arrows of the guards flew. There was a cry of pain, and men came at them with axes, shouting loudly, perhaps to cheer themselves up. The guards swing their swords desperately, and one by one, they fall to the ground. Bandits and guards alike were falling. The head of the bandits decided that it would be best to finish the job quickly with all hands, so he started running, shouting loudly to frighten them. Just as the difference in numbers was about to double, the hood at the back of the wagon was rolled up and new guards came out one after another. ''Hey! What? In the event that you are not able to grasp what is going on, the head is waving his sword around without giving any instructions, but the increase of 10 guards at once brought confusion to the battle. ????????????????????? ''So we disguise ourselves as merchant troops, hide two by two in the wagons, place more guards, let them think we are carrying high value goods, and wait to be attacked? ''Yeah, if there''s too many of them, they might not attack, right? If we make them think we''re only half as many as they are, they''ll attack. If we get out of the wagon right away, they might retreat, so we''ll wait in the wagon until we''re halfway there. Most of the thieves are farmers or adventurers who can''t afford to eat. They''re probably not very skilled, so we''ll just have to hold out and fight back when the enemy is almost out. ???????????????????????????????????? The number of bandits is gradually decreasing, and the two words that come to mind are retreat. At that moment, I felt a strange chill and looked back, The last thing Kasira saw was a wild man with a black head of hair, his mouth twisted as he swung a one-handed sword. It was the last thing Kasira had ever seen. 16-after the attack ''Report!???51 enemies defeated!???One captured. 2 of our men were killed, 3 wounded. That''s all! ''Who was killed in action? ''Private Ed and Corporal Carter, sir.'' ''Well... who were the three wounded? Their arms were cut off, but they''re alive. They''ve already been treated.'' The rest of you will interrogate the one we captured and search the bandits'' stronghold. There may be some citizens who are being held captive.'''' ''Ha!'' Wayne approached Patrick with a gloomy look on his face, ''Don''t be so downhearted, Pat. Two casualties is pretty good for a battle with that many people, right? ''Wayne, I know, but still. I just think you could have done a little better. I feel bad for their families.'''' Wayne pats Patrick on the shoulder with a bitter expression and heads back to his carriage. The heads of the bandits are all removed and packed into the returning carriage. This is the so-called proof of defeat. These heads will be exposed in a certain place in the capital. And no one noticed that there was a tall man with brown hair fleeing from the forest at full speed. 17-interrogation ''So????Where''s your hideout?'' ''Heck!???I''m not gonna tell you!???We''re going to get killed anyway!???You''ll have to do your best to find it! The captured bandit says. And then Patrick comes, ''How''s it going????Did you throw up? He asks, ''No, sir. He won''t throw up. Even if I hit him, he''d just say something hateful.'' The soldier replies. ''Maybe I should try it. Patrick laughs as he says it. ''And????You''re not going to tell me, are you?'' The bandit, his face swollen, ''If I''m dead if I tell you and dead if I don''t, then why would I tell you? ''Well, yes. Then you''d better keep your mouth shut. I''ll let you get rid of the stress.'' Patrick smirks at that. He holds a needle in his hand. He sticks the needle between his fingernail and finger. Even his allies, the soldiers holding the bandit, smile. The bandit cries out in pain. ''I''m not going to throw up like this! He peels off his nails with pliers. After removing 20 nails, he crushed the bones of his fingers with pliers. Next, he took out a hammer and smashed the base of his fingers. Next are the shins, elbows, and knees. Around these points, the bandit faints, but you hit him to wake him up. The work was done carefully so that no blood would be spilled. The bandit, who had been screaming at first, only trembled when he saw Patrick after he was knocked out. Even his own men were trembling. ''I''ll tell you...I''ll tell you! ''You don''t have to tell me!???I don''t care if you hurt me more first. I''m trying so hard not to die, not to bleed out!???I''m not done yet. Without changing his expression, Patrick pulls out a bottle. A potion. It''s a potion made by the elves. A potion that heals wounds instantly. But for some reason, it doesn''t work on serious, life-threatening conditions. There are many theories, such as that it is not enough for life-threatening wounds to heal mental wounds, or that it is to protect the elves'' demand for healing magic. There is also a rumor that the elves sell only degraded versions of this rather expensive medicine to the humans, which they do not use themselves. I used this medicine on three of my wounded men and treated them. If you force the bandit''s mouth open and make him drink the potion, he will be healed in no time. ''Well, let''s do another round. Patrick says with a refreshing smile. ''I will!???Let me tell you. ''Hey, my company commander, you''re scary. ''I''ll never go against you. ''Me neither! The voices of the soldiers who had been holding him down echoed quietly. 18-Rescue? ''Pat, that''s a bit much, isn''t it????They''re freaking out.'' Wayne says. ''What????That much????I''m taking it pretty easy on them. ''That''s not enough. ''That''s just a trick. (Compared to what they did to me in the past.) ''I doubt your nerves.???I mean, a lot of people get nervous or sick after killing someone, but you don''t seem to mind, do you? ''Wayne seems fine, too, doesn''t he? ''I once killed a bandit in my territory. I couldn''t sleep that night.'' ''Softy! ''Maybe you''re really a softy...'' ''No, no, I''m just kidding! ''Anyway, why are you okay? ''What????Because we''re bandits.???They''re trying to kill us.???Why do I have to lose my nerve to kill them????Only kill scoundrels and cockroaches.'' ''You''re as bad as cockroaches...'' It didn''t seem like the kind of thing to talk about in the woods on the way to a bandit''s hideout, but in Patrick''s mind, bandits were like insects. ''Is that it? He asks the bandit as he is dragged along. ''Yeah, that''s it. There was a cave that looked like an abandoned mine. ''Okay, Wayne''s platoon and I will go in, the rest of you check the area for survivors and be on the lookout!???Wayne!???We''re going in! There was a candlestick at the entrance that the bandits had prepared, so we lit it and proceeded into the cave. Of course, I''ve brought the bandits with me, so I''m letting them lead the way inside. There''s a side hole with food that can''t really be called a pantry, a weapon storage area, a loot storage area, and finally, ''There you are, three of them, just like we said. One is an old man of the human race, about 70 years old. He has gray hair, blue eyes, and is a little taller than Patrick. The other is a younger man, probably a wolf. And a human boy, about ten years old. Patrick thought for a moment that it was a girl, but the nobleman''s clothes he was wearing were for men, so he barely recognized it as a boy. The three of them were observing us. ''This is Ensign Patrick Rigsby of the Kingdom''s First Army. We defeated the bandits, testified that they were holding people captive, learned of their existence, and came to protect them. I''m assuming you''re a nobleman, and I''d like to know your name. Patrick said, and an old man with white hair said, ''The Royal Army!???Thank you!???I''m Carlos, this is Mark, and this is Kevin Dixon, the third son of the Marquess. Hmm????Dixon????Marquess? What? 19-No, Im in the army. ''And for now, please stand back while I destroy the prison.'' Patrick said as he pulled out the sword at his waist. He swings his sword twice to make sure that the three men have moved back. Several bars fell with a clatter. ''I thank you for your help. I''ll be sure to return the favor. The old man who called himself Carlos said. ''I hope you don''t mind, I''m on a mission. Patrick replies. ''No, I will inform my master. ''No, really, I''m on a mission. ''You said your name was Rigsby a moment ago. (Oh, we have a bad reputation. It''s our own fault.) ''Yes, the Rigsbys. I''m ashamed to say it. I''m Patrick, the third son. Well, I''ve been kicked out of the house, so don''t worry about that house! I have to be nice about this. ''Well, thank you personally, Mr. Patrick. ''No, that''s why I''m on duty. Here comes the quiet boy, ''If Patrick-sama doesn''t receive thanks from the Marquess family, the Marquess family''s reputation will be ruined. Of course, I will give thanks to my men as well, but you are the captain, aren''t you? I say. (Wow, he''s quite a clever little boy for such a small man. As expected of a marquis. I mean, from the sound of his voice, I''m pretty sure he''s a boy.) Patrick thought to himself, I''m in charge of a company. Patrick replied. ''That''s quite an accomplishment for a company commander at such a young age. Carlos said. ''Then I must thank you formally, Mr. Patrick. Even though I''m on military duty, the fact remains that he saved my life! I thought it would be rude to keep refusing, I thought it would be rude to keep refusing. I bowed my head. ''All right, let''s get back to the road!???We''ll confiscate their weapons and loot, so pack your things, Wayne, and give me your orders! ''Yes, sir!???Ensign Patrick! Patrick replied with a wry smile to Wayne''s formal tone, perhaps because he was in front of the third son of a marquis. 20-the road to marquisdom The road to the Marquess of Dixon''s domain was uneventful. He freed up one of the wagons, loaded the three of them, and managed to push the rest of the luggage into the rest of the wagons, while slaying the goblins, big boars, orcs, and green bears that appeared on the way. ''That''s just the Royal Army, isn''t it? Orcs and Green Bears killed in the blink of an eye. There was a glint of respect in the eyes of the ten year old boy. Patrick said, Patrick said, ''My Wayne is quite good at it! Patrick said, ''You''re right, Wayne is quite good! (No, no, in Wayne''s shadow, you killed as many as he did, didn''t you?) Carlos said. ''Because our company commanders and platoon commanders are strong! (Especially the company commander!)'' '' says the soldier driving the wagon. ''Order!???The wagon in the front says that a large force has been spotted ahead! The soldiers tell him. ''How many? Over a hundred, I''d say. Bandits? ''No, they say they see a flag! Flags? Oh, I see. All units halt!???It''s probably His Excellency the Marquis'' troops!???Raise the flag too! ''Isn''t it?'' Patrick asks Carlos. ''Two days since the abduction. I''m sure of it. You''re right. 21-Ray Hall, Letterman? ''Captain Rayhall! I''ve spotted several wagons and what appear to be adventurers ahead of us! A large man in his forties called out his name, ''A caravan of merchants? I ask back. We don''t have time for merchants. It''s been two days since my master''s son was supposed to return to the estate. I''ve heard rumors of bandits lately but I''ve been too busy to investigate. It''s partly because of the large number of demons that have appeared near our territory, we haven''t been able to get to the roads. But I didn''t think that the bandits I''d heard so much about would be able to get their hands on the Marquise. A letter demanding ransom was delivered to the Marquise from a certain merchant. It seems that the merchant also had all his goods taken. It was probably lucky that he didn''t take his life just to deliver the letter. ''If you are a merchant, leave it! I said, ''Ah, there''s a flag on the wagon now!???It''s the Royal Army! ''What????Send in the first cavalryman! ''Yes, sir!???Yes, sir! ???????????????????????????????????? A cavalryman comes running up. ''Kingdom troops, I presume!???I''m Letterman, a cavalryman from the Marquess of Dixon''s army, Rayhall troop!???I''d like to speak with a representative of this unit! Patrick stepped forward, ''Second Lieutenant Patrick Rigsby, First Army, Royal Army!???I''m in charge of this company! He said, A short, red-haired, blue-eyed man named Letterman dismounts from his horse. ''Ensign Rigsby, what is the purpose of this unit''s presence here? He asks, ''We were on military duty, clearing the streets of filth, when we came across a bandit''s hideout, protecting the son of the Marquis of Dixon.???I''m on my way to escort him to his estate. Please report to your commander. ''Are you sure? ''Yes, I''ll bring him to you now. This way, please! Patrick led the way to the carriage where the three of them were riding. ''This way, sir!???Mr. Letterman. Excuse me.'' Patrick opens the curtain of the carriage. Of the three men in the carriage, Kevin is, ''Letterman!???All three of you are safe! '' he says, smiling. ''Oh!???Sir Kevin!???Sir Carlos, Mark too!???I''ll go report to the captain right away!???Ensign Rigsby!???I''m sorry, sir, but I''ll be right back with the captain and the troops, so please stay where you are. Letterman looked at the three men, then turned to Patrick and bowed. ''Yes, sir!???Mr. Letterman! Letterman hurriedly mounted his horse and turned back. 22-toward someones house ''We''ve confirmed that Master Kevin is safe!???It seems that he has been protected by the Royal Army! Hearing the report, Reihaul''s heart sank. ''All troops to the Royal Army! Rayhall orders them forward. ''I don''t know how to thank you for this. I''m sorry I''m late, but I''m the captain of the Marquess''s army, Rayhall. Rayhall lowers his blond head. ''Lord Rayhall, please raise your head. My name is Patrick Rigsby of the Royal Army. It is fortunate that I was able to save the three of you safely. Patrick replies. ''I''ll take you to Mr. Kevin. This way, please.'' Patrick walks off with Rahul. ''Oh!???Rayhall!???I''m safe!'' ''Oh!???Master Kevin!???I, Rayhall, have put Master Kevin in harm''s way because of my incompetence, and I can punish him any way I like. But at the very least, I would like to be allowed to escort Master Kevin to his home! ''Rahul is not responsible for you, of course you will escort him to the mansion! ''Yes, sir! ''Ensign Rigsby, we''d love to have you in our home! ''Yes, sir!???I''ll take your word for it. The Marquis''s troops lead the way, with the Royal troops in the rear, aiming for the Marquis''s house. Two cavalrymen are galloping at a high rate of speed. They must have gone to report to the mansion. Patrick hoped that he would receive some compliments at the house and that the soldiers would be allowed to rest. That''s the least you can do during your military service, right? Right? 23-Welcome party? I''m in the hall of the Marquess of Dixon''s mansion. I arrived at the capital without incident. I''m greeted by the Marquis of Dixon, the Marquise and her servants, and Kevin. After that, we received words of thanks, had a thank-you dinner with the soldiers, received thanks from the Marquis, and were dismissed, but somehow I was the only one grabbed by the Marquis. ''Ensign Rigsby, may I have a word with you? He was over 50 years old and seemed like a nice guy, so I couldn''t say no to him. ''Thank you again. I want to thank you again, not only for Kevin, but also for saving the three of us. The Marquis of Dixon''s short golden haired head is lowered lightly as he says this, and his green eyes give the impression that he is strong-willed. I''m glad to hear that your son is safe. We are grateful to you for your kindness, as we are on a mission. He replied. After all, each soldier gave me one gold coin, and I received ten. In Japanese yen, it must have cost me about 50 million yen. ''No, no, I wouldn''t trade my son''s life for anything. (Since you are a marquis, you should be more respectable. I''m just a soldier, and I don''t have to bow to the third son of the Rigsby family. He''s a man of character. ''My son is safe, I avoided the humiliation of being robbed by bandits, and I don''t think I''ve thanked him enough. So, Mr. Rigsby, is there anything more you want????There are quite a few things the Marquess family can do for you. (Can you still give it to me????No, no, I was on military duty!) So, I gave him something, he refrained from giving anything, and finally he settled down, Then, he finally settled on, ''So, if Rigsby has any trouble, we''ll help him. He finally settled on, ''Then, if Mr. Rigsby is in trouble, I will help him. 24-to be able to I slept in a bed in the mansion for the night, and I felt great. Sleeping in a tent or a carriage was a far cry from that. The soldiers seemed satisfied with their breakfast. ''Well, Your Excellency, Kevin, we''re going back to the capital. After greetings, we returned. The return journey was mostly smooth, with only the occasional orc. Unlike the way we went, there were no bandits. That''s because they were the only ones around here. ''The mission to clean up the demons and bandits has been completed without delay. Patrick reports to his superior. Don''t tell him about Kevin. It''s a matter of honor for the Marquess family. The gold reward includes a hush money. There''s an unspoken agreement here. ''Thank you! I''ll give you two days'' leave. Let the men rest.'' ''Yes, sir! Thank you for your consideration. Excuse me! (Yes! Vacation time!) ???????????????????????????????????? ''Hey????Was Ensign Rigsby''s company this good?'' After listening to the report, the superior asks his second-in-command. ''I''m sure it was pretty good, but the guys from Rigsby''s platoon were integrated directly into it. I thought Ensign Rigsby and Sergeant Wayne were particularly good.'' I guess. Well, now His Highness'' visit to the Marquess'' domain won''t be a problem. ''Yes, originally, if His Highness didn''t want to go with a small group, there would have been no need to clean up. ''For some reason, His Highness doesn''t like to travel in large groups. ''I''m also troubled by the likes of that burglar. ''That''s true. 25-good and bad information It seems that His Highness'' tour of the Marquess''s domain has ended without incident. For some reason, it seems that His Highness and the eldest daughter of the Marquis family have also decided to get engaged. I''ve just received news that''s going to ruin that happy mood. ''Is there something fishy going on in the Empire? ''Apparently, they''re importing a lot of food and iron. Logistics and weapons manufacturing. Who are we dealing with? ''Probably our country.'' ''Of course. We don''t get along. The Empire. The Xavian Empire, to be exact. It''s a rather large country to the west of our country. It upholds the supremacy of the human race and discriminates against and persecutes non-humans. Our country is a human-centered nation, but we accept immigrants, so there are not many elves, dwarves, and beastmen living here. There are even noble families that accept their blood. There are also territorial disputes, water disputes, and especially a problem with the mines near the border. There is a mountain ridge that serves as the border, and because there is a mine on that mountain, iron is produced no matter which side you dig from. The diplomats were fighting over the rights to the mines, and they were doing everything they could. ''You''re trying to get the mine in a quick war. ''That country can''t get much iron, so they must be desperate for it. ''The ones guarding the border are the Western Army and the Marquis of Westin''s army. What do you think? ''The Western Army is reasonably powerful, so even if they come, they won''t be able to do anything about it right away. The problem is the Marquis of Westin''s army. It''s said that the house has been losing money lately, and the number of soldiers is decreasing. ''I heard that the Marquise is spending money badly. ''I heard she''s buying jewels, dresses, and precious metals at random. Well, the jewelry and precious metals can be sold to make money, but the dresses are completely custom-made. ''And apparently he''s also into underground gambling. ''Are you serious????Underground gambling is high risk, right? You''ll only get robbed.'' ''I wonder if His Excellency the Marquis can''t control it. ''You''re talking too loud!???What if someone hears you? ''Oh, bad, bad. I have a bad feeling about this. 26-moving empire ''The Empire is on the movea?????'' ''Oh, it looks like they''re here. Such rumors were flying around the army. A room. There were old men in glittering costumes, old men in military uniforms, and old men with thin lines. The king, his generals, and his ministers, including the vizier. The room was a room in the royal castle. ''Well? said a silver-haired man of about 50 years old. ''The western army is currently fighting back at the border. It''s going back and forth, Your Majesty. '' said a middle-aged man with gray hair. Prime Minister Bendrick, with his slightly thick figure and narrow eyes. ''What''s Westin doing? The king said in an irritated manner. ''It''s been reported that it''s taking him a long time to get his troops in order. ''What''s taking them so long is that they have too few men!???This is not the behavior of a nobleman who owns a territory near the border! It''s not the behavior of a nobleman who owns a territory near the border.'''' said Lieutenant General Simon, a well-built man with short gray hair and a mustache. ''There were rumors that your wife was spending money like it was hot water. ''It''s not a rumor, but a fact, isn''t it????We''ve been paying the same amount of tax as in previous years, so we''ve been watching the situation, but it''s not good. ''The Western Army has 2,000 men, right? ''Yes!???There were 2,000 soldiers stationed at the fort. I hurriedly sent 1,000 troops from the southern army to reinforce them, but since I didn''t know the number of the enemy, I sent a secret scout. ''Hmm, depending on the situation, we may have to send the Royal Army as well, so be prepared. ''Ha! ''Well, I don''t think the western army will fall anytime soon. ''Yes! ''The south is a friendly country, so even if we move 1,000, it will be fine, but we can''t reduce the number of troops in the north and east. In the north, the tribes living in the mountainous region frequently invade our territory. In the east, there is a forest called the Dragon''s Nest, where wyverns sometimes fly in, so the army could not move it to repel them. 27-The order has been issued. The next day, the worst news came to Wangcheng. ''What????Westin has betrayed us! ''''Huh!???The Western Army was attacked by the Marquis of Westin''s army from behind as the Western Army engaged the Empire, and the Western Army suffered many casualties. Major General Lannigan was killed. The surviving troops retreat south. The surviving soldiers retreated to the south, where they met up with the Southern Army, which was on its way to reinforce them, and where they were currently engaged in a standoff with a mixed force of Westin and Imperial troops. I''ve come to report to you on the orders of the Colonel of the Southern Army. ''A man of Lannigan''s stature...'' The major general said, ''I''ll take the palace, everyone retreat to the south...'' A glint passed through the soldiers'' eyes. ''Westin!???You''re in contact with the Empire!???Let''s move the troops to King''s Landing!???Lieutenant General!???Hurry!???Annihilate the traitor Westin and the Imperial Guard! The king shouted in anger. ''Ha!???Then I''ll prepare quickly. Excuse me! ''Ensign Rigsby. You''re ordered to move out. Rigsby''s eyes widen as he sees the papers being handed to him. ''The Marquis of Westin''s army...'' ''They''ve betrayed us. ''Are you sure, sir????I am House Rigsby. Like the Marquesses of Westin, I''m from the western lands, and I''m even considered a dog of the Westin family.???Since it''s my f*cking parents, I''m guessing that my family is also in league with the Westin family.'''' ''What?'' ''I have no intention of betraying my country, even if the Rigsbys betray me, but people around me don''t think so, do they? ''Mmm, wait a minute!???I''ll ask my superiors for their judgment. ''Yes!???If it comes to it, you can keep me in jail. You can let Wayne lead the troops.'''' ''I''ll ask my superiors in light of that! 28-hearing ''Ensign Rigsby, your superiors have some questions for you. The returning supervisor says. ''Patrick Rigsby, reporting for duty, sir. Patrick looks around, saluting, and is a little surprised. There were not only military heavyweights, but also national heavyweights. ''Sorry to bother you, Ensign Rigsby. Have a seat over there.'' He was about fifty years old, with red hair and a magnificent beard that ran from the bridge of his nose to his chin. He had a muscular body that looked powerful, and he was about six feet tall. He is General Andretti. The real head of the army. There is a marshal above him, but since the marshal is the king, the top military commander is the general. Well, the general was also sitting here. ''Huh!???Excuse me. He sat down in the empty seat. ''So, what I want to ask you is the relationship between the Westins and the Rigsbys. Well, I''ve heard of the connection. But is it enough to be involved in a betrayal? Normally, I wouldn''t be involved in a betrayal because it''s too risky. But, ''First, let me explain our situation. My parents, well, my mother has passed away, so it''s my father and his wife, my brothers'' mother, but they''re very rough with their money. In a kingdom where there is a fixed limit to the amount of taxes that can be collected, everyone understands that the rest of the money that is paid to the government is used to run the estate, but the wife spends most of it on jewelry, so how does she pay for the security of the estate? Yes, she relies on the Westin family to pay for it. The debt must be quite large. What if House Westin whispered to them that they could lower the interest on their debts or reduce the principal a little? Also, the Empire leaves the rate of taxation up to the lords. If the Empire wins, what if they promise to make you an Imperial nobleman afterwards? I think he''ll betray his country easily. ''Do you have any proof? ''I don''t have any proof, but I don''t trust those people enough to think they haven''t betrayed us. ''Why do you have such a hard time trusting the people in your family? ''Would you like me to tell you about my background????Can I take a moment of your time? As he finished speaking, a gloomy atmosphere filled the room. ''All right, we should respect Ensign Rigsby''s opinion and act as if the Rigsbys are betraying us. Ensign Rigsby, is there anything else?'' The King opened his mouth. ''Ha!???His Majesty the Marshal!???We think there are other houses that are betraying us. ''''What!'''' A few people shouted. ''''The house to the west has several territories that are not suitable for farming. The Westin family has been lending support to them. I''m sure the lords of those lands are not too happy with House Westin. In some of the worst cases, they even gave away their daughters. ''Mm-hmm. ''Do you know where that house is? ''Yes!???Viscount Harter''s. Also, the ones that are on loan are the Barons Curley and Eger, I believe.'''' ''''The territories of those three families are certainly not suitable for farming. But Ensign Rigsby, how do you know so much about them????If they were treated poorly at home, wouldn''t they have been informed?'' Said the King, ''I heard it from the maid who was attached to my mother when she was alive. I believe she is now back at her mother''s home, Baron Kanaan''s family. ''Hmm, I see. Now, I know the general situation. I''ll leave the army''s movements to General Andretti, but I''d like to ask you, Ensign Rigsby, to do something. I hear you''re quite good. Of course, I''ll keep an eye on you just in case, but personally, I think we can trust you. ''Thank you, sir!???So, what do you want? 29-before preparation The meeting continues. For some reason, Patrick was left in his place. ''So, Ensign Rigsby, carry out the Marshal''s orders!???The selection of the men is left to you. As for everything else, stick to the plan!???Let''s get rid of the traitors and the Empire! At General Andretti''s words, everyone in the room stood up and saluted the General. Patrick hurries into action. ''Wayne!???The General has given me an order. I''ll be going my separate way. Wayne''s in charge of the squad. Get your asses in gear! ''What? This was the first thing that came out of Wayne''s mouth, not knowing what was going on. ''No, that''s why Wayne should lead the troops...'' ''No, no, wait a minute!???Imperial order????General????What''s going on????By imperial order, do you mean the marshal told you to do it????General means His Majesty the King, right????What????Huh????I''m in charge of a unit????I''m still a sergeant.???You''re leading a squadron? Wayne panicked, ''I can''t give you the details, but that''s what it''ll be for now. I''ll put you in charge of the company, so fight like hell!???I''ll also be borrowing two men from the company, so be prepared for that! Patrick said, and ran off. ''What''s going on? Wayne muttered to himself, but there was no one to answer him. 30-running dragon Patrick grabs Corporal Mirko and Corporal Colton, a dumb-looking private with short blond hair and brown eyes. These are the only two soldiers, aside from Wayne, who can manage to find Patrick while he is resting. They are also soldiers who can ride a running dragon. Normally, the army moves on foot or horseback. A horse can be ridden by anyone with training. Then, what is a running dragon? It''s a reptilian demon that looks like an ostrich on Earth. It is one of the few demons that can get used to people. It''s bigger than an ostrich and has scales instead of feathers. It is an omnivore, fast runner, strong in heat but weak in cold. They look at people. They choose who they ride. They will never put someone they don''t like on their back. This is not an individual difference but a species difference. If they can ride a certain pterosaur, they can ride other pterosaurs. We don''t know why. Some researchers believe that it is because they emit a scent that the dragons like, but it has not been clarified. However, many children of those who can ride the dragon are able to do so, so it may not be wrong. The body odor of a person is similar to that of a parent and a child. I told the two of them about my plan and prepared my equipment. They were upset, but I managed to persuade them and we were able to leave two hours after the meeting. 31-opening of a war The royal army is leaving from King''s Landing. More horses, more wagons. Followed by infantry. Among them, of course, is Rigsby''s company, led by Wayne. Wayne doesn''t know what''s going on, but he''s following orders. It''s the military. They follow orders. The journey west, which had taken several days, was going smoothly and they would be in Westin territory by tomorrow. So I thought. Until an arrow flew through the air. ''Enemy attack!???Enemy attack! The soldiers rushed into action. Lieutenant General Simon, the head of the reinforcements.., Simon, the head of the reinforcements, wondered if the Westin family had betrayed him. I was only half convinced. Simon, the leader of the reinforcements, reassured himself that he hadn''t believed it yet. If House Westin hadn''t betrayed them, the Empire wouldn''t have come this far to invade. Even if their forces were small, they would still have enough strength to defend themselves. Lieutenant General Simon issued a series of orders and engaged the Westin forces. The enemy numbered about a thousand. In addition to the banners of Westin''s army, I saw the banners of the Kingdom''s nobility. And the flag of the Empire. ''As ordered? You''re a disgrace to the kingdom! Lieutenant General Simon spat hatefully. A messenger from Westin''s army came to the Westin residence to report. ''Report!???In the Sahara grasslands to the east of our territory, the Royal Army has begun battle and is currently in the ascendancy. ''Thank you!???You may leave.'' We knew they were coming, so we built a hastily constructed fort and waited for them. It was only natural that they would have the upper hand. ''If we drive them back here, they''ll get in the way of our invasion of King''s Landing, so we''ll have to destroy them. A greasy old man said. This fat, bar-code, bald, fat man with a shiny, greasy face is the head of the Westin family. This is the head of the Westin family. ''Are you sure about this????If it fails, we''ll be in trouble too. said a slender man who was present. He had long brown hair and was a little taller than Patrick. ''Shut up!???It was Baron Rigsby who said yes when I told him I''d get rid of the debt! Baron Mike von Rigsby shrugs his shoulders at the shouting, and the three men look at him anxiously. The well-known Viscount Harter, Curly, and Baron Eger. ''Our men are out there, we can win. The man who said this was Rudolf van Zabeen, the third prince of the empire, the mastermind behind the connection between the Westin family and the empire, a slim man of about 20 years old. ''Then that''s fine, because we can''t back down now. ''If you win, I''ll make you a proper Imperial nobleman. Don''t worry.'' Grinning, the blonde-haired, blue-eyed Rudolf. 32-rip-off Under the command of Lieutenant General Simon, the Royal Army fights. However, they had a hard time against the Westin''s army, which had hastily built a fort. The fort, which is only fenced with trees and covered with boards, is quite effective. Archers rained down from inside the fort, making it difficult to reach the fort. The Royal Army also shoots arrows, but they are only blocked by the fort. The kingdom''s army was gradually dwindling. ''Dismantle the wagons and make shields!???For now, we just need to block the falling arrows! Under the command of the lieutenant general, a shield was made that was no better than a simple wooden board. This is not a shield. ''Can we call this a shield? This was Wayne''s first comment. It was just a crude thing made by ripping off the back of a wagon and attaching a handle. ''It''s better than nothing. He held the tattered shield like an umbrella, blocking the arrows that fell from above. Some of the arrows pierced through. When you get a little closer to the fort, you get a direct shot, that is, an arrow aimed straight at you instead of upward. You raise your shield at an angle and charge in. Some of the men were hit by arrows that pierced their shields and fell to the ground. Finally, some of you reach the fort. They insert their two-handed swords into the fortress, which is only covered with boards, and use the principle of leverage to remove the boards. ''Now we can finally fight. Wayne grinned, and several of them entered the fort with their shields at the ready. One by one, the archers are cut down by Wayne and his men. A bow and arrow, once released, requires time before the next shot can be made. It''s not something you can hold while running. Since there were no soldiers to protect the archers of Westin''s army, Wayne and his men were in the state of warriors in the fort. When the inside of the fort is in chaos, there are naturally fewer soldiers to shoot arrows outside the fort. The Royal Army came avalanching into the fort at once. 33-cavalryman While Wayne and the others were killing the archers, a cloud of dust rose from the back. ''Watch out!???Cavalry!'' Wayne shouts. They are cavalrymen, mounted on horses and wearing metal armor. Infantry, by the way, have leather armor. They can''t run around in metal armor. Metal armor is for charging on horseback. They manage to avoid cavalrymen who charge at them with spears at the ready. The speed of the horse is not that fast because it is top heavy. Wayne slashes the horse while avoiding it. The horse neighs and stands up on its two hind legs, dropping the horseman on top of it as it runs away. The fallen cavalryman managed to get up, but it was too late. Wayne thrust his sword into the gap in the armor. In armor, there are many gaps in the joints to allow movement. It''s because you can''t move without them. ''Gofuu''. The blood spitting cavalryman collapsed and fell. But not everyone can do as well as Wayne. A number of his allies had fallen prey to the cavalry. ''Don''t freeze!???Get in position to avoid them! Wayne and the other captains instructed their men. ''The cavalry will be here in a few minutes!???Hold on! 34-smoke When the Royal cavalry rushed in, they found the Royal Army, the betrayed Westin Territorial Army, and the Imperial Army all mixed up. The Royal cavalry took aim at the Imperial cavalry and the Westin Territorial Army cavalry. Running horses and crossed spears. One by one, they fall from their horses. When the cavalry had dwindled considerably, the Imperial reinforcements appeared. ''Are there still so many of them...? The words muttered by one of the soldiers must have been the consensus of the Royal Army. The majority of the Imperial Army was supposed to be dealing with the survivors of the Western Army and the reinforcements of the Southern Army. And yet, here we are, with this amount of soldiers. It is understandable that the Royal Army is growing impatient and anxious. General Simon called out desperately to the demoralized Royal Army, somehow inspiring them to continue the battle. Lieutenant General Simon saw it, ''The enemy''s pantry is on fire!???Just as we planned!???They have no more food!???If we can survive today and tomorrow, we''ll win! We''ll win if we survive today and tomorrow! Is it really a pantry? If it is a pantry, we don''t know how much we''ve burned, but General Simon doesn''t seem bothered by that. If this voice raises morale... It will bring light to the Royal Army. Darkness to the Imperial Guard and the rebels. It will change morale. 35-go through the woods The time was when the Royal Army was leaving King''s Landing. With Corporal Mirko, Corporal Colton, a 30-year-old blond-haired male, blue-eyed, six-foot-tall and well-built, and Sergeant Josh, the inspector, Patrick was moving through the forest on his running dragon. The advantage of the dragon is that it can move through the pathless forest on two legs. It does not make a sound. They are smarter than horses. On the other hand, the disadvantages are that they are not as strong as horses and are slower. Therefore, they are not suitable for pulling a carriage and can only carry one person. Patrick and his friends are moving in the forest, trying to avoid being seen by the enemy. ''So, Second Lieutenant. What''s the plan? Mirko asks. ''It''s simple, we infiltrate the enemy camp without being spotted and go around setting the pantry on fire. ''What????No, they''ll find us... hmm????Couldn''t the Second Lieutenant be...'' ''Yeah, I''ll go in and set the fire, you two take care of the running dragon and the inspector. And if I mess up, you two can run away and go home at once.'''' ''If the Second Lieutenant is serious about hiding, is there any enemy we can find????I''m not sure I can find them. Colton nodded. Then Inspector Josh, who hadn''t been talking, ''Is it really that hard to find????I''ve heard rumors that it''s easy to get behind an orc. asked Corporal Mirko. ''That''s right!???There are times when you can hear them, but you can''t tell where they are. ''''Am I that bad? ''''That much! Mirko and Colton''s voices came together. 36-match When the Royal Army started to fight, there were four figures in the shade of a tent a little distance from the enemy camp. ''I''m going to kill one enemy, take his equipment, and change my clothes, so I''m going to go for a while. You three stay here.'' Patrick said and walked off as normal. There was no patrol, so he simply took one of the men into custody, stuck a knife into his neck to choke him out, and walked back behind the tent. ''Okay, get this guy''s gear off me. As Patrick tells him to do so, Mirko begins to remove his equipment, and Patrick removes his own leather armor. The shape of the armor was slightly different between the Royal Army and the Territorial Army. One particular difference is the branding on the breastplate. The Royal Army has the national coat of arms as its motif. For the territorial army, the branding is a simplified version of the family crest of the lord of the territory. The imperial army is the emblem of the empire. Patrick had changed his armor just in case he was discovered. He put on the armor of the Westin Territorial Army, ''I''m off then. The three of you wait for me at the running dragon so we won''t be spotted.'' Patrick said lightly and stepped out from behind the tent. He passed several people, but none of them looked at him suspiciously. No, it''s doubtful they even recognize him. Is there anyone you know who is very shady? Someone who is there, but for some reason is surprised when you speak up, or someone who is the only one who doesn''t get handed out things that should be handed out to everyone? People who see things but don''t remember them. You know someone like that, right? Well, Patrick is even more terrible than that. ''Is it here? Patrick muttered to himself as he looked at the tent in front of him, guessing the direction that the cart carrying what looked like food had come from, from where the cart was coming and going. Inside, there were quite a few barrels and bags. It looked like wheat, dried meat, and dried fruit. Patrick poured the oil he had brought in the barrels over the bags of wheat and went around. Then he lights a match, the world''s favorite tool for lighting fires (there are no lighters, of course, and the common people use flint and those who can afford it use matches. ) He lit the match and threw it into a bag soaked with oil. 37-arson After confirming that the fire had reached a certain level, Patrick left the tent. ''Let''s burn a few tents while we''re at it. Patrick breaks into the other tents. Some of the tents have people in them. He passes those tents by. He doused the tents with oil and set them on fire, and when the soldiers saw the tents on fire, they were confused. Patrick walked normally past the running enemy soldiers. But there was only one man who recognized Patrick. ''Oh, that''s the guard who killed the headsa?????''. The blue-eyed man was the only one of the bandits who had managed to escape. This man thought Patrick was a guard for the Chamber of Commerce. He must have gotten around very well, because he escaped and entered the Westin territory, and was even recruited into the territory''s army. ''Oh no, that Reaper has joined the army!???He''s in front of me again, I''d better run for my life! With that, the man ran toward the border. 38-with a startling The center of the enemy camp was on fire. Patrick threw the remaining oil at the largest tent, then threw a match and left. ''I''m back. That was all he said, but the three waiting men jumped up and down in surprise. ''Ensign, I''m counting on you, when you approach an ally, please make your footsteps louder~'' Mirko said apologetically. ''No, they''re on fire, and they''re making a lot of noise, so you know they''ll be back soon! ''That''s what I was waiting for...'' Even Colton is talking like this. ''So????How''d it go? ''Perfectly. Let''s change our armor and get out of here. He hurriedly changed his leather armor and rode his dragon into the forest. ???????????????????????????????????? ''How many tents are burned? The man who was leading the spearhead team asks his men. ''About twenty were burned, sir. Above all, all the tents that were storing food were destroyed. The subordinate replies. ''Idiots!???What were the soldiers doing!???We won''t be able to fight after tomorrow! The commander shouts while spitting. However, this commander cannot speak for others either. Because he was sleeping in the biggest tent, he didn''t notice the fire until it was too late and suffered a severe burn on his right arm. (You''ll get burned if you sleep while soldiers are fighting!) He shouted in his mind, ''I''m sorry, sir, but the soldiers said they didn''t see anyone suspicious. He said. ''It''s obviously enemy arson!???There is no way a tent this big could have burned naturally! Of course not. ''That''s true, but everyone I talked to said there was no one strange. ''Yeah, you incompetent bastards!???At any rate, send out a message to the main force! ''''Yes!???At once! 39-chase The rebels have begun to retreat towards the western fort. The Royal Army begins to pursue. The rebels had little to eat, almost nothing but water. Even salt was burned. Their strength, but more importantly, their morale, was severely weakened, and they lost quite a few to the arrows, swords, and spears of the Kingdom. ''The blond devil! Shouting this, Wayne used his spear to take out the rebels one by one as they recklessly attacked. After killing them all.., ''Who''s the devil????I''m a man! Wayne turns his attention to the new enemy soldiers and runs. You reach the gates of the west fort, ''How many did you get? The rebel commander asks his second-in-command, worrying about the burns on his arms. ''About five hundred, I think. ''You got that many...a????? You came here with 2000! 1,000 Imperial, 500 Westin, and 500 from the other four families. That''s three quarters lost. A devastating loss. ???????????????????????????????????? ''How many men were killed? Lieutenant General Simon asked, ''About four hundred dead, two hundred wounded, I''d say. ''That''s a lot of casualties. No, we''d have lost twice that many if we''d fought like that, thanks to Ensign Patrick''s good work. ''Huh. But here''s the thing. Next time, it won''t be a makeshift fort like last time. ''I never thought we''d have to take down one of our own. 40-Baron Rigsby From Westin''s mansion in Westin territory, a number of carriages rush out. Their destination is the west fort. The same goes for Viscount Harter, Baron Curley, and Baron Eger. And the Barons Rigsby. ''Hurry up!???The Royal Army is entering Westin territory!???We need to get into the west fort!???We must get into the west fort! We can''t escape if we''re too late and the fort is surrounded! A shouting man. Baron Rigsby, Mike Von Rigsby. ''Why should we run to the fort????Why don''t you just tell them that we didn''t do anything! The one who shouted a little hysterically was his full wife, Marianne Rigsby. She was a fat, stocky woman of forty years of age, with a jaw of about 155 centimeters. Incidentally, only the head of the family has a middle name, Fon. ''You can''t use that excuse now!???There are soldiers in armor with my crest on it!???The other houses have the same!???If they are defeated individually, there will be no escape!???We can''t even defend ourselves in a house like this! ''Where are my sons? ''They have gone ahead with the soldiers!???We''re taking food and money with us. ???????????????????????????????????? ''There you are, you son of a b*tc*...'' 41-Attack? There are only two roads from the Marquisate of Westin to the west fort. The closer one would run into the Royal Army. Patrick and the others were on the detour. ''Inspector, please watch carefully. See what I''m prepared to do. ''Yes, sir. Take a good look and report back to His Majesty.'' ''Then I will. You two, escort the inspector.'' With that, he turned toward the carriage, and a second later, the three of them couldn''t see Patrick''s back. An arrow pierced the carriage, which bore the crest of Baron Rigsby''s family. ''An enemy attack? His voice sounded weak, as if he was not sure of what he was saying. It was no wonder, for although one arrow flew, there was no sign or sound of enemy soldiers. ''Hey!???What''s going on????Are those the enemy soldiers? A voice came from inside the carriage. ''Yes, one arrow flew in, but there was nothing after that, so I''m at a loss to judge. ''Hmph!???Throw away the one arrow. Just hurry up and get to the fort! ''Ha! Just as the master was about to whip the horse, the metal fittings that connected the horse to the carriage came off and the horse ran away. ''Huh? Those were the last words of the master. ''Hey!???What are you doing????Let''s go! Mike peeked out from inside. ''That''s impossible. I don''t have a horse.'' He was wearing his royal leather armor, with the rank insignia of second lieutenant on his chest. And a familiar voice, a head of black hair, and most eerily, black eyes. A sword in his hand. ''Hey, Patrick? ''Hey, man. Good to see you, old bastard. ''Mr. Kikki!???Who do you think you''re talking to????That''s not what you say to my father!???You should be ashamed of yourself!???What the hell do you think you''re doing here????You''re in the Royal Army...'' He points and says. ''Yes, I''m here as an Ensign in the Royal Army. ''Second Lieutenant????You can''t be a second lieutenant in less than a year!???It''s you, you dirty bastard!???It''s probably a stolen rank insignia!???It''s even possible that you escaped!???You''re probably going to come home in a fit of pique and tell me you''ve been promoted to Ensign and want to take me home!???But you have nothing to do with my family anymore!???My family will be the nobility of the Empire!???You will be with the Kingdom... ''What a mouthful of nonsense! Mike''s index finger, still pointing, had fallen to the ground. ''You! Marianne, the pig, or rather his wife, appeared at the commotion outside. ''Hello!???Pig!???Are you in the middle of being sent to the pig farm?'' Patrick''s words made Marianne''s face turn red, ''Patrick!???How dare a creepy kid like you talk to me like that!???I won''t forgive you! ''What if I don''t forgive you????What if I don''t? ''Leave this place immediately!???I''ll forgive you!???Now get out of my sight! ''Are you insane, you pig???? Do you have a bug in your head? ???I''m the Kingdom Army. You''re the rebels. Do you think you can escape? Patrick walks towards Mike, who is rolling around. He kicks Mike in the stomach as hard as he can as he rolls around on the ground, and then kicks him in the head as he bends over. He thrusts his spear into Mike''s thigh, piercing it and pinning him to the ground. ''Well, you f*cking penny pincher. I want to thank you for everything you''ve done for me. You know what they''ll do to you.'' ''???,?????|???????¡ì??????a?????¡ê???,???,???????????????????????|????????????????????a?????¡§????????????,?-??????¡ì?????????a?????'' ''?-??????¡ì?????????????????a?o????,????????¡¥?-?????????|????????¡¥¨¨a¡ã?? ???'' ''???,????????¡¥?????a??¡é??3????????¡ê???????????a??¡é??3??????????????¡§???'' ''?????a?????¡ê???????¡ì?????¡ê2????¡ã???¡êa?????'' ''??????????????¡ê???????????????¨¨¡§???¡ê???????? ???????????¡ê??????¨¦???????3??a?????|??a????????|???????¡Ào?????¡ê??|?????¡§???'' ''??????????????????2?oo??¡§???????????a???'' ??????¨¨¡§???¡ê??|,2?oo?????¡ê???¨¨1¡ä??????????????|??????,2?oo????¡À£¤?????|??????¨¦?¡ä???,??¡ê?????????¨¨?????. ??¡è?????¡ì????????a??¡é??3?????¡¥?????¡ì?????¡ê??|??????. 42-revenge The space was filled with screams that could have been mistaken for hell. The man was wounded from the neck down. He had no fingernails, his fingers were bent in ways they should not be, his arms were bent in places they should not be, his bones were sticking out, and his intestines were sticking out of his stomach. Seeing this, the woman screamed, her face turning pale and trembling. ''Well, now it''s your turn. Patrick turns to the woman and smirks. Marianne faints, but when he spears her in the back, she wakes up from the pain and screams. Patrick breaks Marianne''s legs so that she can''t run, and then throws stones at her as she tries to escape with her arms only. The woman''s face had already turned purple and swollen, and blood was dripping from her nose. ''Pitcher, take a swing - I threw! I heard a grunt, ''Strike! I hear Patrick''s voice, sounding a little happy. A second later, Patrick picks up a rock and throws it. You hear the woman''s scream again. Marianne collapses helplessly, with no energy to run. Patrick approaches Marianne and stomps on her face, ''Hey!???Pig!???Get out of here!???Isn''t that what you''ve been doing all these years????You''ve been doing this a lot, haven''t you????If you want, I can make you drink a potion and we can start over.???Just like you did! ''Please, forgive me...'' ''What did you say when I said that? Oh yeah, do you think people listen to the wishes of insects????Did I say that????Then there''s no way I''d listen to a pig''s wish...'' The three who were watching from a short distance away were said to be trembling, their back teeth chattering. 43-enthusiastically How much time has passed? Half an hour, an hour. Or was it more than two hours? The horse was released from the wagon and came back. Well-trained horses are said to return to the carriage by themselves. ''I''m getting tired of this. Patrick said and easily chopped off the heads of Mike and Marianne. He throws the heads into the carriage and calls out to the three. ''This carriage is full of food. Let''s have a meal here. The contrast between the three men, whose faces are drained of blood, and Patrick, who is in a good mood, is tremendous. ???????????????????????????????????? ''Is that the Baron Rigsby''s carriage????Why has it stopped????Is it broken down????My lord!???The Rigsby family carriage has stopped!???What can I do for you, sir? The carriage carrying the Baron Curley called out inside. Baron Curley''s carriage stops next to Rigsby''s. ''I see you are the Rigsbys, this is the Curlys. How may I help you????Is it broken?'' The Baroness Curley calls out to the Baroness Rigsby. ''Oh!???You''ve come to the right place!???We''ve been having trouble with the malfunction! The Baroness Curley looks inside, ''There seems to be a malfunction! But there was no reply. Suspicious, he called again, ''There seems to be a malfunction! I called out louder, ''Shut up, what if the person inside wakes up? Well, he won''t wake up for ever! The voice that came back was a youthful voice in a good mood. It was the last voice the master had heard. ''It went well, but I was nervous!???I can''t act, sir! Corporal Mirko said, ''You did a good job!???You did fine. Let''s keep it up and wait for the other houses to come through. I thought if the Rigsbys were there, the others wouldn''t be yet, but I was right, and if Harter and the others come, we''ll crush them. The moment the carriage stopped, Patrick had broken into it and immediately decapitated the person inside. Patrick laughed and laughed. The three men felt a chill run down their spines. 44-to the fort ''Have you seen Carly and Rigsby yet?'' Asked the Marquis of Westin. ''Yes, my son and his men have arrived, but they''re still behind schedule. ''The others are all here, you idiot! Yes, all but those two families were here. Or rather, those two families were too late, and they didn''t have any soldiers with them, so they were too unaware of being part of the war and rebellion. That''s why they were killed by Patrick. ''The Kingdom''s army is about to attack. Hold the line!???Don''t let them burn our food like they did last time!???Well, this is a proper fort, so I guess we don''t have to worry! Meanwhile, the Kingdom''s army is making good progress, ''Lieutenant General Simon!???I see them!???It''s the west fort!???There are many archers on the ramparts! At the sound of the soldiers'' voices, Lieutenant General Simon said, ''Hmm, we''ll stop just before the arrows reach us. ''Aha! ''Send out a message to the survivors of the Western Army and the reinforcements of the Southern Army, I want to discuss it. ''Yes!???Let''s move them out! Two horses start running with soldiers on them. 45-wait for The commanders of the Royal Army have gathered and are discussing the operation. It is decided that they will fight under the command of Lieutenant General Simon, and only the outline of the operation and the formation are confirmed. We''re going to work on a plan called ''The Plan. The detachment should already be in motion, so until then, we''ll surround the fort and stand by. At Lieutenant General Simon''s words, the surviving commanders of the Confederate and Western armies pulled their jaws together. ''How much time do you need? The commander of the surviving unit asked. ''In the last battle, we were burned to the ground after we started fighting. We have to assume that they can''t move as fast as they want in the fort. We can''t do it today. Maybe tomorrow. Give the soldiers a hot meal! Yes, sir. We''ve been eating only dried meat, so the soldiers will be happy. ''Hmm. Give them a good night''s rest. Tomorrow, we''ll wait, but it''s harder than you think to wait for something you don''t know when it''s going to happen. I see. But will he be all right????He''s only one year old, isn''t he? ''He''ll be an Ensign in a year.???Well, if it doesn''t work, we''ll have to do it the right way, which will cause a lot of damage. Then you might as well wait and hope for the best. 46-to begin to move Patrick and the other four had given up on the other houses that hadn''t shown up since then, and were heading for the west fort. ''In the end, we only managed to kill the Curleys, our idiot, and the pig. Patrick said to the other three, ''No, that''s enough! But they didn''t say it. But they didn''t say anything, because they had already seen Patrick''s fear in their eyes. ''Well, we''ve arrived faster than the Royal Infantry, but the gates are closed, so where should we sneak in? Unlike the Niwaka Fort, there are walls all around. The fort was already fully defended. There are guards on the walls and the gates are closed. However, this fort is built on the assumption that the Empire is the enemy, so the Kingdom''s forces will attack from the back. Therefore, the back gate is heavily guarded, but the front and main gates are relatively unoccupied. The main gates were flanked by service gates, where merchants from the Imperial side and military supplies continued to be transported. Patrick had his eye on it. The road to the fort, a short distance from the main gate. That''s where Patrick and the others were hiding. A carriage was driving towards the fort. An imperial merchant''s carriage. One guard and two guards. There are probably several people in the back of the wagon. ''Finally, a carriage of our own. Patrick said, ''Depends on the amount of cargo, but I''m assuming there''s two people inside, so five total. Patrick and the others are four. We can do this. ''Just as we discussed!???Keep the merchant alive! ''Yes, sir! ''Ha! ''Oh dear, me too. The one who grumbled was the inspector. ''You''re a soldier too, you''ll have to help us! ''All right. I''ll do my best.'' 47-carriage An arrow pierced his throat from the grass. He takes his hand from the reins and scratches his throat. His moans are drowned out by the sound of the carriage. But when the guards sensed something was wrong and were about to call out to him, four figures appeared in the grass. ''Enemy attack! The guard shouts. With no one left to hold the reins, the horses slow down. When the carriage comes to a slow stop, two of the guards have already engaged Corporal Mirko and the warden in a slugfest. Patrick goes behind the carriage and turns up the top. There was a fat man, about 40 years old. ''If you resist, I will cut you down. If you do what I say, I''ll spare your life. Choose now! He thrust his sword at the man and said to him. ''Hee-hee! ''I say again, resist and I will cut you down. Do as I say and your life will be spared. Choose!'' ''I''ll listen!???I''ll listen!???I''ll spare your life! All right!???Wise decision! The two guards had already been cut down. Patrick and the others took off their armor and disguised themselves as guards and protectors. There were only three of them who could disguise themselves, but Patrick decided to put on the replacement clothes of the merchant in the carriage. He was too fat to fit into the armor when he took it off. 48-sneak in The wagon runs. Towards the main gate of the west fort. ''All right!???Don''t say a word and you can go back to your country. If you do, it''s time to say goodbye to the world.'' Patrick said, ''Yes! '' says the merchant, terrified. ''Next! The soldier at the gate calls for a carriage. ''What''s in it? The soldier asks the merchant, ''Wheat, salt and dried meat, sir. ''I''ll just check inside! ''Yes, please. The merchant privately thought that even if he didn''t say anything here, if the soldiers found him hiding inside, he would be saved. ''All clear!???You can go! But his faint hopes were dashed. The merchant has no choice but to return to the carriage. The carriage moves slowly. ''Okay, I''ll just go as I please, and you three leave the fort with him and wait at the original location. ''Wouldn''t that be dangerous for the Second Lieutenant? '' said Corporal Mirko. ''I can hide as long as I want. ''Well, sure.'' ''And keep an eye on him to make sure he doesn''t tip us off. ''Yes, sir. ''Then let''s get moving. 49-candle Patrick walks through the fort pulling a cart. He carries a sack of wheat. He checks the storage of supplies, the soldiers'' quarters, and watering holes. Occasionally, he asks the soldiers where to take the wheat, pretending to be a merchant who has just arrived. Check the pantry, give the wheat to the soldier in charge of the pantry, and receive payment. He hides the cart in the shadows nearby and hides himself. The sun is setting and the streets are slightly less crowded. The fort is patrolled by patrolling soldiers. However, they seem to be less vigilant, perhaps because they are less relaxed. The patrolmen pass by, chatting. ''The kingdom''s army is huddled at the back gate of the fort. ''Well, I guess they won''t come on a suicide mission to the fort. They arrived yesterday, so they''re probably assembling stone throwers right now, right?'' ''Then we''ll start fighting tomorrow morning? ''I guess so. It''s going to be bad on the gates and walls. We''re supposed to be the messengers after the night patrol, so it''s better yet. Hmm, the army''s already arrived. Now we just need to burn the food and deal with the gate. Patrick sneaks into the pantry late at night. Patrick sneaks into the pantry late at night. When he brought in the wheat, he found it unlocked. He also saw that there were two officers in charge. He wasn''t sure if they were still there at night, but there was no one at the door. They must be in there. I opened the door gently. There was a slight squeak. The food officer noticed the sound and looked toward the door, and saw a black figure reflected in the slight moonlight. ''Who is it? At the voice of reproach, the other officer draws the sword at his waist. The two men approach the door, holding candlelight. The man with the sword looks around for signs of life, but it is pitch black inside the warehouse. The candlelight only illuminates a few meters. When he thought he saw something move from the shadow of a pillar, red liquid splashed from the neck of the man holding the sword. ''Ugeeeeeea?????'' The other man dropped his candle and hurriedly drew his sword. The candle is still burning, but the light only illuminates his feet, and his vision becomes even worse. There was a clang behind the soldier, and when he looked back, he saw that a sword had fallen near the candle he had dropped. ''A sword????d*mn it!???Oh no.'' The soldier immediately understood that it was just a sword being thrown, and looked around in panic. His colleague, whose throat had just been slashed, had already expired, or was not moving at all. The soldier turned his body around as if to turn away from his colleague''s death. That was not good. The soldier felt a hot shock on his back and reflexively swung the sword he was holding. 50-blood-soaked black hair Patrick keeps the sword in the soldier''s back and moves his hand away to avoid the oncoming sword. He distances himself from the sword being swung at him and pulls out the knife on his right hip with his right hand. He dodged the sword, approached the soldier at once, and thrust the knife in his other hand into the soldier''s throat. While receiving blood from his right shoulder, he twists the knife and stops his breathing. He pulls the sword from the soldier''s back and places it in a sheath on his left hip. He picks up a candle that has fallen to the floor and sprinkles the oil he has brought with him into a wheat bag. He then threw the candle into the bag. After confirming that the fire had spread, he quickly left the warehouse. He crept into other warehouses and burned them in the same way. After a while, smoke leaked out from the warehouses, and the area became noisy. The inside of the fort was in an uproar, up and down. Even the guards at the back gate were sent out to put out the fire, leaving one man behind. The remaining soldiers were also looking towards the fire. They didn''t even notice the blood-soaked black hair standing behind them. People fell to the ground. 51-black smoke ''Lieutenant General Simon!???There''s black smoke coming from the fort! The lieutenant general, who had gone outside before the soldiers who had come to report, smiled when he saw the black smoke rising from the glowing red fort, ''Prepare to launch!???Hurry up! '' he shouted. The larder is on fire, and it won''t go away even if you pour some water on it. Originally, there were only a few wells in the fort, so there was no need to worry about drinking water, but there wasn''t a lot of it. Water pumped up with a bucket and a rope would be just a drop in the bucket. However, for the sake of food, we could not do without it. All the soldiers were running around fetching water. Even the archers who should be on top of the fort. And no one noticed that the back gate had opened quietly. Patrick opened the gate and looked outside the fort. The Royal Army was there. 52-charge ''Lieutenant General Simon, at your service, sir. Patrick spotted Lieutenant General Simon at the head of the approaching Royal Army and said with a salute. ''Ensign Patrick, thank you!???You''ve done well!???Leave the rest to us! ''No, I''ll help in any way I can. ''All right, let''s move in quickly now, and if you''re tired, rest in the rear. Now, all of you, charge quietly.'' So saying, he advanced the army. When about half of the troops had entered, they realized that more than 1,000 men would be enough. ''Hey, enemy attack! shouted the first soldier who noticed it. And those were the last words of that soldier. For the arrow flew and pierced the man''s chest. And at the same time, the kingdom''s army started running with a loud shout. Ooohhhh! ???????????? Rather than a voice, it was more like a rumbling of the earth. The soldiers working to put out the fire had no bows, swords or shields. They were helpless against the flying arrows, and one by one the rebels fell. By the time the imperial troops, who were not engaged in firefighting, finally rushed in with weapons, the rebel army was in a state of destruction. The Imperial forces were struggling against the powerful Royal Army. The leader of the rebel aristocracy and the Imperial officers in the command center of the fort decided to retreat as soon as possible. 53-flight The officers and the head of the family hurriedly packed up their belongings. When the soldiers saw this, they grasped the situation. (They are trying to escape. A soldier whose morale is broken is very fragile. And if even one person runs away, it spreads like a contagious disease. ''Leave those who run alone!???We''re after the rebel leader and the Imperial Guard leaders!???Don''t let them escape! Under Lieutenant General Simon''s orders, the soldiers set their sights on the wagons. Many of the nobles are physically weak. Except for the noblemen who belong to the army, the noblemen who are confined to their estates can only move around in their houses. When they go out, they use carriages or horses. One after another, the carriages are stopped. Soldiers fleeing on horseback alone will be shot with arrows. The kingdom''s army is holding the back gate, so if you want to escape, go to the front gate. But the main gate is closed. The only gate open is the side gate. It''s a small gate, barely big enough for a carriage. Soldiers fleeing on foot would rush through it, so there would be no room for horses. However, the Imperial Guard leaders kicked even the Imperial Guard soldiers away with their horses as they passed through the gate. Stepping on top of the kicked and fallen soldiers, more horses went out. 54-looting The gate was in such a bad condition that the other soldiers decided to open the main gate. The large gate could not be opened by one or two people. It took about 20 men to pull out the large, heavy bolts and push open the iron door with many men. Immediately, many soldiers rushed out and ran in the direction of the Empire. It took three days to reach the nearest imperial village by wagon. It would take ten days on foot. Then we''ll need food and water to get there. And so it was with Rudolph, who fled on horseback instead of in a carriage. A wagon would have been loaded with food, but Rudolph was more concerned with speed. He wanted to get out of this fort anyway. More than time to load up. Once in the direction of the Empire, he detoured to a village in the Kingdom. A few Imperial troops appeared in a village on the outskirts of Westin territory. Their goal was food. However, the food situation in the village was bad, there was not much stockpiled, and the peddlers were not scheduled to arrive until tomorrow, the worst possible time. If they had a cart, they would have taken it, but they did not even have a horse. We scavenged food from the unresisting villagers, but.., ''Your Highness, there''s nothing to eat. We have little food, not even a cart.'' Upon hearing the report, Rudolph said, ''Is there still a village nearby? He asked, ''About half a day''s ride away. He thought about it. The food they took was enough for about two days. We could go further into the kingdom and look for more food, or we could cut back and run back to the empire. ''It''s no use, we''ll cut and run. Returning to the Empire is our first priority. We can look for something in the forest on the way.'' Between the speed of the wagon and running with just the horses, running with just the horses is faster by far. The rebel lords and imperial leaders who fled in the wagon were all captured. Rudolf''s choice was the right one. ''All that''s left is the Imperial Highness. Lieutenant General Simon regretted that he had let the ringleader escape this time. 55-discovery Rudolph and his friends avoided the city streets and rode near the forest. It was impossible for horses to ride in the forest. A forest, if you will. A place with sparse trees where a horse could manage to walk. He chose to go slower but less likely to be spotted by the enemy. And to get some food. ''There they are!???A rabbit! After praising the soldier who had taken the rabbit with his bow and arrow, the group began to prepare a meal, just in time. They managed to find a stream, secured water, and prepared to boil and cook. Two of them prepared the meal, while the rest of them kept an eye on the surroundings. Rudolph did nothing, but slept next to the hastily built stove. He had never ridden a horse before, and he was exhausted from the unfamiliarity of the camp. ???????????????????????????????????? The running dragon can run in the forest. Patrick met up with Mirko and the others after the main gate opened, and they were hunting for the remnants of the enemy. A deserter becomes a bandit. It''s a common pattern. And most deserters hide in the woods. He would find them and slash them repeatedly. ''Hey, look at that.'' I whispered to the other three and made them look in the direction I was pointing. ''An Imperial soldier, or an officer?'' The inspector says. ''Yeah, judging by their conspicuous white clothes and equipment, they''re pretty high up, aren''t they????He might be a nobleman, and if we catch him we might be able to get a ransom. 20% of the ransom is a reward for the captured soldiers. Let''s make some money. Patrick smirked. 56-easily The imperial soldiers on alert could not see Patrick and the others in the forest. It was a little dark in the forest. You can''t see into the forest from an open area. Patrick walked around and came close to the Kamado. He saw that one of them was asleep. It''s the higher-ups who can sleep with impunity in such situations. I guessed that it was a nobleman who was sleeping. One of the soldiers cooking a rabbit heads toward the stream with it. He probably gutted it and went to wash its stomach. His chance had come. He pulls out a knife from his left hip and throws it at the remaining soldiers. The knife stuck in the soldier''s stomach, ''Guha! Patrick pulls out the dagger on his left hip and rushes to the sleeping man, who seems to be a nobleman. At the sound of the soldier''s voice, the alert Imperial Guard returned, but Patrick had already placed the dagger to the neck of the sleeping man. ''Don''t move!???If you move, I''ll cut him down. I''ll kill him even if he moves suspiciously. If you do what I say, I''ll guarantee his life and yours.'' With that, it took the wary soldier about two minutes to drop his weapon. After that, the soldier who came back with the rabbit started shouting, and the imperial soldier calmed him down. The sound of the soldier''s voice finally woke up the sleeping man and caused him to panic, which was a strange scene. 57-Judgment? The war is over for now. The rebellion has been crushed, and the Imperial invasion has been avenged. The rebellious noble families were basically crushed. The territories were returned to the crown. Except for one family. ''Now, my brother, I know you don''t have one, but do you have a confession? Patrick asks the two brown-haired, blue-eyed, muscle-bound, fat men in front of him. As you can see, they are Patrick''s two older brothers. They had escaped from the fort in a wagon and were captured. ''Patrick!???Hurry up and untie me!???Who the hell are you talking to? ''Yes, I am!???Hurry up and untie me!???I''m the next head of the baronial family! The two of them don''t get it at all. ''Ensign, do these two have worms in their heads? The one who asked was Lieutenant General Simon, who came all the way here. ''You old man!???Who do you think you''re talking to? A lieutenant general of my country, a nobleman, and a marquis, no less. ''Shut up!???Brother!???I don''t like it when you call me brother!???Listen, scum!???This is His Highness the Marquis Simon, Commander-in-Chief of the Kingdom and a senior nobleman!???A mere heir to a former baronet''s house is who you''re talking to!???Don''t open your mouth! Patrick said, kicking his eldest son in the face. ''Well, well, I''ll let Patrick''s face do the talking here. Patrick, I''ve been told by His Majesty that you are in charge of disposing of these men. I''ll just have to wait and see. If I were to give you a word of advice, I''d say that Patrick''s future reputation will depend on what he does with them. ''Ha!???Yes, sir. ''Then leave it to me. Simon sat down in a nearby chair. In addition to the Lieutenant General, the Attorney General, the Marquis, and the top brass of the military were also present. ''So, before I hand down this punishment, let me tell you guys something. I''ve killed your shitty father and the pig that gave birth to you after I''ve paid him back well. What????What? ''Hey, you! They glared at Patrick, but he paid them no mind, ''As for your punishment, the eldest son will not only be unable to stop the leader''s rebellion, but for his complicity in the rebellion, he will be dragged around the capital, stoned, and then beheaded. The second son, after practicing interrogation by our soldiers, had his hands and feet cut off and was hanged upside down until he died. That''s all! After that, the two men shouted abuse at Patrick, but his face looked radiant. ???????????????????????????????????? ''I don''t know what to say, I guess he hates the people in his house that much. ''Well, if what I''ve heard is true, it makes sense, but it''s pretty ruthless. ''I''ll report it to His Majesty. You two can go back. They left the room, leaving only Lieutenant General Simon in the anteroom. Then comes the king with his guards and Patrick''s inspector, Josh. ''Your Majesty! Lieutenant General Simon bows to his subjects, ''Good, Simon. Sit down. Sit down and listen to the report with me. He said. 58-secret conversation ''That''s all! Inspector Josh finishes his report. ''Simon, what do you think?'' The King asks, ''He certainly seems to have a cruel streak. His punishment of my brothers was quite severe. But that''s only for the Rigsbys. His men may fear him a bit, but he seems to be loyal to his country. Simon replies as he sees fit. ''It''s true, according to the report, he blew the head off the Curley''s with impunity, so it''s not as if he''s brutal. Well, let''s leave the interrogation out of this. The king says with a little laugh. ''To be honest, I was scared. I felt like a frog stared at by a snake. My skill level is probably in the middle to lower range, but I don''t think I could beat him on the battlefield, let alone face-to-face. Sergeant Josh speaks up. The inspector is strong. Because it''s their job to make sure the people they''re inspecting don''t escape. ''Certainly, there have been reports of glimmers of light in the fighting so far. These are the words of Lieutenant General Simon. ''Hmm, a snake stared at me. I see. Okay, I''ve got an idea!???And the Empire''s bonkers third prince, that would be Ensign Patrick, right????Isn''t there a department that could make better use of the Second Lieutenant????What a waste, huh? The King said. ''Certainly. But how should we use him? I''m sure he''d be great at assassination, rear distraction, and the like, but we don''t have a department like that. ''If we don''t have one, we can make one! 59-ceremony A month later, the various dispositions were completed, and a five-year non-aggression pact was signed with the Empire. Reparations and ransom have been paid. The Third Prince has returned to the Empire, but it is rumored that he will be imprisoned for some time. The five rebel families have been officially crushed. And the kingdom held a ceremony this day. Wayne''s doing well. Two ranks higher. Corporal Mirko, sergeant. Corporal Colton to Captain. And Patrick... ''Major!???That''s great! '' said Sergeant Mirko. ''And an appointment as Eighth Army Cavalry Regimental Commander and Viscount Snakes! said Wayne. Yes, a knighthood. The name of Rigsby was disgraced, so the king created a new House of Snakes and gave Patrick the title of House of Snakes. He became the third son of a baronet and the head of a viscount. His domain was the former Barony of Rigsby and part of the former Viscount Harter. At the age of 15, he was born the head of a new noble family. 60-Eighth Army There were seven armies in the Royal Army. The first through third armies were responsible for guarding the capital and maintaining public order. The Order of the Kingsguard is also in the first army. The fourth is the Eastern Army, the fifth the Western Army, the sixth the Southern Army, and the seventh the Northern Army. The seventh is the Northern Army. The basic mission of the directional forces is to guard the fortifications in that direction and the surrounding area and maintain security. They are assisted by the soldiers of the local lords, and are responsible for protecting and maintaining the security of the kingdom. The three armies in King''s Landing are commanded by a general and two lieutenant generals. Lieutenant General Simon is one of them, the head of the Second Army. The directional forces are also commanded by lieutenant generals and major generals. What''s unusual this time is the newly created 8th Army. The head of the newly created 8th Army Mobile Regiment is a major general. For all intents and purposes, the head of the Eighth Army is now Lieutenant General Simon. It was not allowed to have a non-general at the head of the army, so it came to this. Since the size of the army is currently only a regiment, Patrick will effectively take command at His Majesty''s word. If the operation is successful and goes smoothly, the number of soldiers will increase. A regiment is the equivalent of three battalions. It was not a large number, but there was a reason for it. First of all, since we would be moving through the forest, it would be desirable to have men who could ride a running dragon. Only about one battalion was able to meet this requirement. In addition to this, there were troops who could ride horses and supply troops in wagons. This combination has resulted in the current size of the regiment. And the training was extreme. Patrick boot camp. It was common to see soldiers wandering around the barracks, slurping muddy water, eating insects, mentally exhausted, and with empty eyes. The weapons were special and the training was intense. One year after its founding, the 8th Army, a cavalry regiment, was thoroughly disciplined until its first battle as a black-robed unit. Patrick, the boss who imposed outrageous training on his men with a wry smile. "Patrick, the Grim Reaper. Patrick the Grim Reaper. 61-military and aristocratic affairs Now, let''s take a look at the form of the military. As I explained before, the smallest unit is the squad. There are three of them. A squad leader and two subordinates. The squad leader is a sergeant, corporal, captain or private. Three squads are a platoon. A platoon leader and three squads, 10 men total. The captain is a sergeant or sergeant-major. Three platoons, a company. A company commander and three platoons, plus support soldiers, for a total of about 40 men. The captain is a second lieutenant or sergeant. Three companies make a battalion. The number of men is 30 x 3, or 90 plus 10 support soldiers, or about 100, once the support soldiers are removed. The captain is a captain or a lieutenant. Three battalions make a regiment. There are about 300 men. The captain is a lieutenant colonel or major. Three regiments, a division. There''s about a thousand of them. The captain is a colonel. Two divisions, a corps. 2,000 men. The captain is a major general or a colonel. Two corps, a district army. Four thousand men. The captain is a lieutenant general or a major general. But as you may have noticed in the story, not all of them are on the front lines. About half of the men are needed in the rear to procure food, carry weapons, etc., and send out messages. The expression "2,000 men" refers to the number of soldiers fighting on the front lines in this world. In Patrick''s regiment, the number of soldiers who can ride a running dragon is about 100. About 100 There are about 50 soldiers who fight on horseback, and 50 who ride as messengers or escorts for transport troops, And 100 for transport troops. That''s 100. When we defeated the bandits in the past, we had that number of soldiers because we were working together with the transport troops in wagons. Even though they are troops, they are still soldiers and can fight. They''ll lose an arm, though. And the nobility of this country. From the top, of course, the royal family. Then dukes, marquises and counts. These are called the high nobility. Then visons and barons. These are the intermediate nobility. These are the nobles who can inherit the family name. And the lower nobility are the barons and knights. A knighthood is a title that a commoner is granted by a nobleman and appointed by the nobleman. The knighthood is not hereditary and is limited to one generation. A knight-errant is recognized by the king and appointed by him. The title is not hereditary and is limited to one generation. However, they are considered higher than knights. A lower-ranking nobleman may be given a baronetcy if he is successful and recognized by the king. However, in the case of a knight-errant, the connection with the nobility is so strong that a knight-errant''s son is often given a new knighthood, but in the case of a quasi-baronet, the connection with the king is not as strong as that between the recognized nobility and the knight-errant, so the knighthood is often truly for one generation only. Naturally, there is a difference in the stipend from the state as well, with a knight baron receiving five gold coins per year and a quarter baron receiving six. A quarter-baronet or a cavalry baronet is also a so-called honorary baronet and has a real job. Since they are usually members of the military, they receive a separate salary from the military. In addition, there are many cases in which the son of a quarter-baron is appointed as a knight-errant, so this area is complicated. To explain the scale of a noble''s domain, a duke has a domain the size of a region, such as the Kanto region in Japan. For a marquis, there are about two prefectures. A count has one province. A viscount is about half a province. Well, four or five cities or towns. A baron has about three towns or villages. That''s about it. Quasi-barons and knights are not given territories. However, they can be hired by nobles to rule towns and villages as deputies. There are also court nobles who do not have estates. 62-banquet The story takes place right after the ceremony. After the ceremony, those who have been rewarded for their achievements in the war are moving to the royal castle. Almost all the heads of noble families and high-ranking military officials attended the banquet, so it was a painful event for the low-ranking soldiers. However, those below the rank of second lieutenant will not be attending this time, as there are too many of them. Patrick and Wayne are in the courtyard of the castle where the banquet is being held. Of course, the others will be there. It''s a standing dinner. It''s customary for lesser barons and legionnaires to make acquaintance with their superiors. Noblemen seek connections with higher-ups, such as joining a faction, to secure their position. If you''re a member of the military, you need backing. In Wayne''s case, he became a lieutenant, but his position was that of a son of a baronet. He is not an heir, so he has almost no backing. That''s how powerless a baronial family is. His family, the Kimble family, is a warrior noble family, all of them military, but even the head of the family is a captain. He''s only one year above Wayne. My mother''s family is also baronial, and the head of this family is a lieutenant. He''s not a powerful man, not even in the military. But there was a crowd of people around Wayne. The head of a noble family usually brings his wife and daughter with him. In a sense, the banquet is a group matchmaking event. Wayne''s appearance was outstanding and his skills were quite good. The second and third daughters of viscount and baron families, as well as families with no sons, are probably trying to get their eldest daughter''s son-in-law to be a samurai. Well, there is no doubt that the daughters are keen on the idea and are actively promoting it. Patrick, who had no place to stay, was eating alone, away from Wayne. No one would talk to him because he had no presence. From Wayne''s direction, the glamorous women were pulling each other''s legs in a perfect balance. Then, a beautiful woman appeared. ''Wayne Kimball, may I have a word with you????I''d like to introduce you to my daughter. And with her came Lieutenant General Simon. 63-a certain family Lieutenant General Simon had no sons. Only daughters were born to him, even though he had five wives. I''m told he has 15 daughters. Apparently he brought in his eldest daughter. She''s a year or two older than Wayne. She''s about six feet tall. She has long blond hair, blue eyes, and a slender frame that makes you wonder if she''s hiding two apples in her chest. Well, beautiful is the word I would use to describe her. Her daughter, too, is blushing and seems eager. To Patrick, who was looking at her blankly like that, ''Brother Pat! A girl''s voice called out to Patrick. It''s a girl''s voice. There are few people who can recognize Patrick. But most people in her family can recognize Patrick. Perhaps it''s the blood. ''Father, brother!???I''ve found your brother Pat! A girl with twin-tailed brown hair happily calls out to the men coming from behind. ''You''re looking good, Aisha. You''ve grown up. You''re a fine lady. But your voice is too loud. Maybe we should tone it down a bit.'' Patrick said with a wry smile, ''It''s been two years, maybe three!???Even voices get louder! A chubby girl with brown eyes stares at Patrick. ''Hey!???Pat!???Long time no see. You''ve been very active!'' ''Mm!???Glad to see you''re doing well!???Patrick! Two men called out to me. ''Good to see you both. Brother Decourse! Uncle Trolla. Yes, my mother''s brother and his cousins. 64-Baroness Canaan Baron Canaan. An aristocracy with a strong military background. The men are well-built and powerful, especially in the cavalry. The women are of the chubby type. Patrick''s mother was also of the chubby type. Patrick''s mother was also chubby. The Rigsbys'' wives were also chubby. In other words, the money men were fat men. His cousin Aisha was also a little chubby. ''Patrick beat me to it!???Hahaha! The head of the Canaanites is a captain in the First Army, and belongs to the Kingsguard. Even though he wears full-body metal armor, he moves around with tremendous speed, and in a sense, he''s a monster. He has brown hair with a slight thinning at the top of his head and big brown eyes. He is about six feet tall, but his muscles are more impressive than that. His character is like a split bamboo, and he says what he doesn''t like, so he is still a captain, but he is a man of ability and should have been a general. However, he did not have a talent for making money, and at a certain time, his territory suffered from a series of bad harvests, and he ran out of food and money, so he borrowed money from the Rigsby family, which was famous as a loan shark among the noble families of the kingdom, or rather, he got through the bad harvest by taking his sister as his wife. He was a man who put the people before his own family. Therefore, he was highly trusted by the people. The Rigsbys, who were forced to borrow money from the Westerns because of his wife''s uncontrollable spending, ridiculed him as the curse of the Canaanites and turned against Patrick, who had black eyes. 65-House of Canaan 2 Decourse similar to Trolla''s. He is the eldest son of Baron Canaan, and his successor has been decided. Until two years ago, he belonged to the Knights of the Kingsguard like his father, but now that his succession has been officially decided, he has left the military and is training to run a business in his domain. He has a body shape similar to his father''s, brown hair and big brown eyes. In this world, in the Royal Army, there are formal discharge, dishonorable discharge, honorable discharge, and reserve discharge. A formal discharge is what is called a mandatory retirement. A dishonorable discharge is a dismissal for misconduct. Honorable discharge is death in battle. A honorable discharge is a death in the line of duty. A reserve discharge means that a soldier, like DeCourse, has been out of the service for a time but is eligible to return. DeCourse was ten years older than Patrick, and when Patrick was a child, he and his mother would often come home once a year to practice with him. This practice continued until Patrick''s mother passed away. For Patrick, he loved DeCourse more than his own brothers, although it is doubtful that he even considered them as his brothers. He was big and strong. Kind at heart. That''s DeCourse. Aisha, two years younger than Patrick, is an energetic, irresistibly chubby girl. She loves Patrick as much as, if not more than, her own brothers. ''Pat, come home again! Your brothers want to see you too!???I want to hear about the war. I''d like to hear about the war. DeCourse said, ''Brother Decourse!???Honestly, thank you!???I''ve been in a bit of a pickle since I suddenly became the leader! He smiled and laughed. Patrick also had people in this world that he could call family. 66-I didnt notice. The four of them had a good time eating and drinking, and promised to take a vacation to the Canaan territory. Just as they were getting into the swing of things, a new person approached them. ''Major Patrick! I hear a cheerful boy''s voice and look over to see a boy I recognize. ''It''s been a long time. It''s Kevin, the man I saved a while ago. ''I''m glad to see you''re doing well. Patrick replies. The Marquis of Dixon comes up behind him. ''Long time no see. His Excellency, the Marquis of Dixon. Patrick greets him, ''Congratulations on your promotion. Major Patrick. I''ve heard of your successes. The Marquis of Dixon smiles back at him. Patrick greets the two and introduces them to Baron Kanaan''s family. The kidnapping was well covered. A young girl watches from afar as the three families talk amicably, but Patrick doesn''t notice. He also didn''t notice that Aisha''s eyes were glowing suspiciously when she looked at Kevin. 67-new equipment After the war, there was a major change in the military. A large number of new recruits came in due to a reduction in the number of men killed or wounded in action. In Patrick''s case, Wayne left. He''s being transferred to Lieutenant General Simon''s office. From what I hear, he''s getting the short end of the stick. Well, I''m sure he won''t injure his future son-in-law in a way that will cause permanent damage. Yes, Wayne''s engagement has been set. Blast the rear! The 8th Army is in the midst of training because it has been newly established. After all, it is expected to work in a completely different way than before. The main missions are so-called rear distraction, infiltration and assassination. We are also tasked with capturing bandits. As for the bandits, Patrick said, ''It''s a good way to train for combat and infiltration. The equipment was renewed. The equipment has also been renewed. Spears, which are a hindrance in the forest, have been replaced with shorter ones. Swords are basically one-handed or swords. Bows and arrows are now smaller and more portable. We are now training with a focus on accuracy and not distance. Next, throwing weapons. Throwing knives are hard on the budget in case we can''t retrieve them, so we''re going with something simpler, something we pulled from a memory from a previous life. ''Shuriken????Is it????I''ve never heard of this weapon before, but how do you throw it? When I showed him the example, it was quite popular. The blacksmith, however, complained quite a bit. ''There are too many of them!???You''re killing me! You''re not going to kill me! I''m not trying to kill you at all! 68-fool Run. Just run. I don''t know how many hours I''ve been running. I''d say half of them have already dropped out. I''m Mirko. I''m a soldier in the royal army. I''m with the 8th Army now. The newly created 8th Army''s main mission is rear distraction, infiltration, and assassination. We are told that we need to be physically strong in order to go behind the enemy''s back, and we are made to run every day. However, they don''t tell us how many hours we have to run, how many times we have to go around the training center, or what our goals are. This is hard. If I had a goal, like how many laps to go, I could work hard, but not knowing the goal is heartbreaking. But the order is to run until the person in the lead says it''s over. It is the army that obeys orders. I drink water from my canteen as I run. I choked a little, but I had to drink or I''d collapse. He''s got a lot of strength for such a small man. I''ve never seen that before. ''Major, there''s less than half of the bottle left, what should we do? I ask, and the Major says, ''Well, if 50 more people drop out, we''re done. In exchange, speed up!???Those who fall behind will be eliminated. There will be a penalty game for those who drop out!???Let''s go! And with that, the Major, who was running in the lead, sped up even more. A monster. 69-outdoor activities Today is fun. All eight of us are camping in the woods. We pitched our tents near a stream in the forest and got food in the forest. There were no beasts, but there were three orcs, so we had enough meat. There were a few injuries, but they were minor and inevitable in outdoor activities. After dinner, we went fox-hunting, or Patrick-hunting. Easy. All you have to do is find me in the woods. I told them if they found me and got a certificate from me, I''d give them a reward when I got back, and they were happy to participate. Yeah, I ended up sleeping in a tree until morning. Didn''t everyone play hide-and-seek when they were little? Well, I slept well, so that''s good. Also, there was a bird''s nest on the tree, and one of the eggs was big, so I took it. A palm-sized egg. I''m heating it now. In a previous life? In a previous life, I longed for a hand-held bird. I couldn''t get anyone to buy me a living thing. It''s a pretty big egg. What kind of bird is it? In the morning, we trained them how to use small bows and arrows in the forest, and taught them how to curve shuriken. However, all of them were listless and their accuracy was poor. We''ll have to train when we get back. There are shurikens for straight lines and those that curve. The so-called cross-shaped ones are the ones that bend. The arrow-shaped ones are the straight ones. At noon, we''ll be hunting Patrick again. If they can''t find him in the middle of the day, they''re not paying attention. I left them clues. I left them clues. Footprints, fallen trees, you name it. I told them we''d skip dinner if they didn''t find it, but they don''t take it seriously? Are you on a diet or something? I don''t care if you complain to me the next morning that you couldn''t sleep because you were hungry! 70-combat uniform We decided to make combat uniforms for the 8th Army in addition to uniforms. We have the same budget as the other armies, but there are too few of them. And of course, no metal armor, because making noise is out of the question. Except for the leather boots and breastplate, the rest of the armor is made of cloth with green, black and brown patterns. It''s called BDU, or battle dress uniform. The kind Earth soldiers wear in battle. And I made a vest-type thing with a waist belt that holds a one-handed sword and a knife, and a breastplate. I stored the shurikens and other items there one by one so that they would not clatter. This should make it much easier to hide in the woods! I hope so. Oh yeah, the eggs have hatched! It did, though. It wasn''t a bird. It was a snake. Yeah. I thought it was strange. The shell was soft. I asked someone who knows a lot about snakes, and he said that some snakes in this world lay their eggs in a bird''s nest and let the bird keep them warm. Of course, the birds eat the eggs, so there are only snakes'' eggs in the nest. Then, as soon as they hatch, they eat the birds they''ve been keeping warm for their first meal. Too smart. It bit me as soon as it hatched. I avoided it. Since then I catch rats every day and feed them to the snakes. Pets are so cute. 71-Milkos complaints. I want to sleep. I really want to sleep. I''m hungry, seriously. Hmm????What am I doing? I''m looking for Major Patrick. They said I was hunting Patrick last night, so I looked, but there''s no way I could find him at night! I''ll stay awake, train with the shuriken, and hunt for Patrick again. Shurikens, a weapon I''ve never seen before, but they''re pretty good. You can''t hit them over long distances, but at 10 meters or so, they''re pretty powerful. Unlike knives, they''re small and light. No, no, no, no, no, no, no. We gotta find Major. We can''t find her in the daytime! Look for footprints in the woods? Don''t be absurd! How did the trees fall????I don''t know! Huh!???I fell asleep while walking. Hang in there!???Mirko!???You should still be able to search!???You could search the military grounds! Calm down!???You''re talking funny! Take a deep breath! Phew. I''m calm. That''s what I keep telling myself, but there''s no way they''ll find me. In the end, none of us got our prize. I heard later that they were up in the trees at night. During the day, they were hiding in the ground. Who would look for them in the ground? 72-Death? ''That''s not good enough. Patrick muttered to himself as he reflected on the recent field trip. ''The tree tops at night are good for hiding and attacking. It''s a problem if you don''t notice it. In the day, I just dove into the beast''s den and blocked the entrance from the inside. If you''d been paying attention, you''d have noticed the unnaturalness. The lack of concentration due to lack of sleep must have reduced his cognitive ability. In order to carry out the mission of the 8th Army, you have to hide from the enemy, and in some cases, run away. A single night''s sleep, in that condition, could be fatal. ''I guess we''ll just have to train for now and see how important it is. A voice called out to Patrick as he walked through the training center. ''Hey!???Pat!???Long time no see! ''Oh, it''s Wayne. I heard you''re being trained by the Commander. I''ve heard rumors! He was a subordinate of mine until a while ago, but he''s now an engaged man. ''No, if you say so, your men were complaining about it. They''re training till midnight in the woods!???What if there are orcs????You can''t fight them at night. This opinion is correct, because fighting in the forest at night is suicidal. But.., But, you know, there are times when our mission is to go through the forest at night and distract the enemy''s rear. If you can''t do it in training, do you think you can do it in actual combat?'' ''Well, yes, but... We''re training to find you, right????How am I supposed to find you? ''That''s not true, is it????You''re not moving.???I''m not! ''You can''t find me because I''m not moving!???I can''t find you without hearing your footsteps! ''What''s wrong with you? ''Do you know what they call you? ''Hmm????They call me Major? ''That''s because I''m right in front of you!???They call me the Reaper behind my back!???There''s a rumor going around that you''re about to be taken to the mortal world for training. ''What????They''re still too naive to think that they''re going to the world of death. Starting today, I''m going to show them the real hell. Wayne smirked at Patrick, ''Seriously? Wayne says, ''Really? 73-training ''I''m going to die...'' ''You idiot!???You can''t die if you can talk!???Just run! ''Let me sleep...'' ''If you sleep, I''ll hit you!???Come on, run! ''Oh, my legs feel like lead...'' ''It''s just my imagination!???Go on, run! ''I feel like I''ve been running all day...'' ''I''m fine!???It''s not my imagination!???Come on, run! ''Hey, it''s the 8th Army, right? ''Yeah, they''ve been making me run since yesterday morning. ''More than a whole day, right????It''s hell. ''But Major Snakes is running with us, so it''s hard to complain. ''I''m glad I''m not in the 8th Army. ''You''re right!???The training there is really bad! ''The second team looks like heaven! ''Today''s training is with the 8th Army!???I''m sure you''ve all seen it, but they''re really into the training there!???Our two armies should learn from them!???Major Patrick, please!???I''ve been summoned by His Majesty! ''Yes, Lieutenant General Simon! As the Lieutenant General walks away, he is met by the disapproving eyes of the soldiers of the second army, but he does not notice. Among them, of course, is Wayne. Eight hours later ''Putt-o!???Please let me rest! Wayne shouts on behalf of the two troops who are being forced to run all the time. But the answer was, ''No! 74-To Canaanese territory Patrick is riding in a carriage. His destination is Canaan territory. He''s going to see DeCourse. Now that he''s a viscount, Patrick has to run the estate. I''ve decided to keep half of the former Rigsbys on the payroll. Mostly those who worked in the annex. Most of those who worked in the main building ran away. Afraid of reprisals from Patrick. Well, they''d been beating Patrick up with their old a**h*les, so they''d run. The government hired almost all of them. Except for one guy. That man, who was in the position of assistant, had been collecting money illegally at the behest of the Rigsbys and fled as soon as the lord changed to Patrick, but was captured by the people and is now in jail. As for the territorial army, we have lost a large number of men in the last rebellion, and although we are recruiting additional men, we still do not have enough. Above all, we are short of generals, colonels and lieutenants. We are trying to recruit retired members of the national army who can move. Canaan Territory, Territorial Capital Tonil. The Canaan territory, located in the southern part of the country, is full of green farmland. The city of Tonil is full of people, and the wagons that carry the crops are running around, full of vitality. In the center of this area is the house of the Kanaan family. The carriage stops in front of the gate of the house, which is surrounded by a wall about two meters high. A slender, middle-aged gatekeeper calls out to the guardian. He answers, the gatekeeper nods, and the gate opens. Patrick opens the small window of the carriage and calls out to the gatekeeper. ''Hello, Charlie. Long time no see. ''Sir Patrick????Oh!???It is indeed Master Patrick!???I''ve heard from the Master that you''ve become quite a man!'' The blond man with blue eyes looks a little pleased as he speaks to Patrick. ''Yes, thank you. You can practice with me tomorrow like before. ''It''s been a long time, yes, sir! Patrick''s face was kind as he looked at the familiar face. 75-chief maid and butler Patrick was invited to the villa and was shown into the reception room, where he drank tea made by the head maid, who was also a familiar face. ''I''m glad to see you''re doing well, Erinda. Patrick called out to the old blonde woman. It was Erinda, the head maid. ''You''ve grown into a fine young man, Patrick. ''Well, it just happened, but I''ll do the best I can. ''Your husband was very happy to hear that. While we were talking, there was a knock at the door, Erinda opened the door, and Paul, the Canaan steward, entered the room. Erinda leaves the room in his place. ''Mr. Patrick, it''s been a long time. A slender old man with gray hair bows his head. In a black suit, he is a true butler. ''Mr. Paul, long time no see. You look good. You look good. ''No, no, I''ve lost a lot of strength. Lately, I''ve been losing more and more in my training with Master Decourse. His blue eyes narrowed as he spoke. No, no, no, at your age, you must be a monster to be able to train with him and win. I thought, ''You''re saying that again????I heard you got a new two-handed sword. You''re still full of energy, aren''t you????Brother DeCourse said that he''d have to be in really good shape to beat Paul. ''Mr. DeCourse is also working hard, so if you''re not careful, you''ll be beaten. He smiled. ''Oh, I''m so nostalgic that I''ve been talking with him. The masters are waiting for you in the dining room. ''All right, let''s go. Since I knew the Kanaan family and the layout of the house, I couldn''t get lost, but I followed Paul as he walked. Paul stopped in front of a door and knocked, ''I have Viscount Snakes for you, sir. He calls inside, ''Send him in, please. Let him in.'' A voice said from inside. As they exchange words, Patrick thinks to himself, (Viscount? Please let me through.) He was biting back a laugh. 76-at a restaurant The door is opened and Patrick enters the dining room. ''Welcome, Patrick!???No, Viscount Snakes! ''Uncle Trolla, please don''t call me Patrick, as usual. Is the Kingsguard on leave?'' ''No, DeCourse said it would be better to call me Viscount, I''m on leave this month. ''No, it''s the Viscount,'' said Trolla, his uncle, and Decourse, his eldest son, ''No, he''s a viscount and a major, I thought it would be better to call him that. Well, if Patrick wants us to call him that, it''s probably not a good idea for an official occasion, but for an informal one, let''s keep it the way it is. Decourse said. ''Patrick, it''s been a while, let''s hear about your exploits in person. '' said DeCourse''s brother, Brose. This is Brose, five years younger than DeCourse, a muscular macho man like the Kanan family. He has brown hair and is a little shorter than Decourse. He is the man who now leads the Canaanese army. ''Brother Brose, long time no see!???It''s been a while since I''ve seen you. To Patrick, Brose was also the one he should call his older brother. They had trained together with Decourse. ''Brother Pat!???Tell me about the war! '' said Arlen, the third son, one year younger than Aisha. Although he was younger, he was taller than Patrick. ''Arlen looks good. Okay, let''s hear it.'' And so Patrick sat in his chair and the men''s war stories continued until suppertime. 77-harvest Patrick, who had spent two pleasant days in the Canaan territory, was enduring physical pain on the carriage ride home. ''But those two are too energetic, aren''t they? He remembered two of the four men who had trained him, who had been particularly hard on him. I had a good match with Uncle Trolla, and I was able to beat Brother DeCourse once, but I was completely outmatched by Charlie, the gatekeeper, and Paul, the butler. The two were the speedy type. They were both speedy types, and when Patrick moved, he moved like a god. Charlie''s spear-handling was nothing short of brilliant, and Paul wielded his greatsword with ease. ''I knew it, but I''m not fast enough. I''ll have to work on that when I get back. But there''s a lot to be gained. The purpose of this visit was to secure human resources. We need to fill the ranks of the army and the servants in the mansion. The butler and maidservant have been found. Paul''s nephew, a middle-aged man named Santino, 35 years old, who used to work for the Canaan family, has agreed to come to the Snakes'' house. The head maid was going to be Leena, a maid that Patrick was familiar with, who had accompanied his mother to the Rigsby household. It was also agreed that several relatives of the Canaanites would be transferred from the Canaanite army to the Snakes'' army. I was thinking that I can''t be too proud of the Canaanns, I felt a little light-hearted, knowing that the Canaanns were a little more cheerful in their management of the territory. 78-work When Patrick returned to King''s Landing, he received training requests from the 1st and 3rd armies, and was called the Grim Reaper by the 1st and 3rd armies, as well as the 8th and 2nd armies who had originally called him the Grim Reaper. A month later, Patrick received a written order. ''You''re on a mission!???We''re leaving the next morning on the second combat deployment!???All hands, prepare! The soldiers salute Patrick''s order, and hastily begin preparations. The second combat deployment is the equipment for the extermination of the bandits. These include disguised carriages and leather armor in the style of adventurers. Incidentally, the first battle deployment is the equipment for the rear distraction in the war in its original form. The third deployment is for demons. Orders 1,Destroy the bandits that appear on the northern road. 2,Reconnaissance of territorial management on the road. 3. Report any other irregularities. That''s all. 79-northward By a written order from General Castrol Andretti, the 8th Army left the next day. To the north. Only the platoon under Patrick''s direct command took a different course. Because he thought that bandits on the street were of a lower rank than the current 8th Army and would be easy prey. That''s how confident I am in my training. And before we left, ''Listen up!???I won''t allow any of you to die!???Everyone come back alive!???If even one of you dies, we''ll double your training!???Remember the training we''ve done so far!???After all we''ve been through, there''s no way we can lose! If one of us is in danger, follow up with everyone!???Okay? I told them. The soldiers turned pale when they heard the number was doubled. Patrick and the others were a little behind the 8th Army, just barely within visual range on the plain, and were checking the 8th Army''s movements. ''Oh, there they are, the bandits. ''Disguising yourself as a merchant troop is still effective. ''Bandits are so stupid. ''Oh, the battle has begun. ''But aren''t the bandits too weak????It''s almost over, isn''t it? ''Didn''t they think that all the scattered merchants would be attacked by their own people? ''There''s a reasonable distance between them, and if it''s another merchant force, they''ll ignore the attacked one and run away. ''Ah, it''s over. ''It took less than ten minutes. ''Good job! The poor bandits had been annihilated, except for a few prisoners. 80-a piece of silver Patrick left the rest of his squad to follow the 8th Army for surveillance and follow-up, and only Patrick''s squad left the road. The purpose was to inspect the villages and towns along the road. This time, we disguised ourselves as adventurers and traveled by horse. We went through several villages. When we arrived at a town, we were charged a silver coin to enter the town. It''s called an entrance tax. The amount is left up to the territory, but one silver coin is too high. The cheapest you could get was three copper coins, and the most expensive was ten copper coins. ''Are you sure this is the place? ''Yes, I believe it was the domain of Major General Newgarden. ''That Pig Major General? There''s a lack of activity in the town. There are few wagons. This is because there were not many wagons entering the town in the first place, but I wonder if the reason is just the entry tax or something else. At any rate, we decided on an inn for tonight and listened in the inn''s dining room. Since there are not many people staying at the inn, I can hear the voices very well. This inn is a mid-range inn, so it would normally be crowded with merchants. ''Merchants like us can get by with paying silver coins, but individual vendors won''t make any money if they pay silver coins. ''That''s true, so things will be scarce and prices will rise, and we''ll make a lot of money, but overall, there won''t be much. The cost of accommodation has also gone up by about four copper coins since we last came. ''This is going to get more and more expensive, isn''t it? While listening to the conversation of the merchants, we looked at the meal that had been brought to us. Two pieces of black bread and vegetable soup. Sauteed sheep''s meat. It''s not very salty. Patrick felt that he needed to investigate whether it was only this town or other towns as well. 81-a piece of silver again The next day, early in the morning, they rode their horses to the other towns in Newgarden territory. ''Here too? ''Why are they raising the prices so much?'' ''Either to raise money or to reduce the number of people coming and going, I guess.'' ''Reduce the flow of people in and out? ''It''s a way to reduce the number of people coming in and out so as not to spread any rumors about the territory. ''Rumors? ''Maybe there''s something we just don''t know about. Well, it could be that the pig is just collecting money. I stayed at a cheap inn that day. I didn''t see any adventurers, who would normally be staying there, and only merchants stood out. Speaking of which, ''Well, I haven''t seen any adventurers in town, have I? Patrick realized that now. ''Indeed!???Normally, I''d definitely see them!???That''s strange! What in the world is going on in Newgarden? 82-dungeon Patrick decided to head for the capital of Newgarden territory. ''Two silver pieces!???Give them to me now!???If you don''t have them, leave! These were the words he was told upon entering the city. ''It''s not lively, but there are few people, aren''t there? This was my impression upon entering the city. The sun was still high in the sky, and it would have been normal for the city to be overflowing with people. Patrick hadn''t registered as an adventurer, so he asked Mirko to go to the adventurer''s guild. Most commoner soldiers have worked at the Adventurer''s Guild before joining the army. For various reasons, such as to eat or to learn how to use weapons. And when Mirko returned, a report came from his mouth. ''It seems that the dungeon has overflowed. Dungeons. This may not be necessary to explain to the reader, but I will. In this world, there is magic power. Magic is found in all kinds of things. In living things, in minerals. And the air! When magic power accumulates in natural caves, it becomes a very comfortable place for demons to live. In such places, demons arise or breed and multiply. It is the job of soldiers and adventurers to kill and exterminate demons when they are in reasonable numbers. Apparently, they were too stingy with their money and neglected the extermination. Sending soldiers costs money. Sending adventurers to hunt requires a reward. That money is a necessary expense. If you''re stingy and don''t spend it, the demons will multiply and by the time you realize it, it''ll be too late. It seems that the territorial army and adventurers dispatched in a panic were met with heavy blowback, causing many injuries and deaths. It seems that they did not tell the adventurer''s guild in the territory and did not report it to the country. When merchants come, adventurers come to protect them. They''ll go to the guild. The chance of information leaking increases. That''s why they kept the people from coming. There''s no way you can hide it. Mirko had the guild''s receptionist hold two silver coins and ask her. I gave the two silver coins to Mirko on the spot and asked him the rest of the story. The dungeon is still full of demons, and the remaining soldiers and adventurers are doing their best to prevent them from entering the city. ''Let''s go back to King''s Landing!???Mirko, bring the 8th army here, I''ll report to His Majesty and be back soon! The two of us on Mirko''s side and the two on Patrick''s side left the city in a hurry. 83-a military charge by the armed forces Patrick returned to King''s Landing after two days of riding, and immediately reported to Lieutenant General Simon. Lieutenant General Simon to General Andretti. General Andretti reported it to His Majesty, The next day, preparations were made in a panic, and early in the morning of the following day, the Second Army left King''s Landing for Newgarden with full equipment. Major General Newgarden, the second in charge of military affairs, was detained on suspicion of concealing information. Five days later, the second army arrives at Newgarden and joins the eighth army that has already entered the city. Lieutenant General Simon and Patrick detained and interrogated the head of the Adventurer''s Guild to get a full picture of the situation. They dispatch 100 men to Newgarden House and take it into custody. The commander of the territorial army had already fled, and his second-in-command was desperately trying to take charge. The adventurers retreated to the rear as the national army joined forces to carry out the dungeon eradication mission. Goblins, Orcs, Ogres, Grey Wolves, Cyclops, and a wide variety of demons overflowed from the entrance of the dungeon. The small goblins were nearly destroyed by the archers'' simultaneous fire, and there were over 500 goblins. The spearmen charged the orcs. The cavalry used their speed to take out the ogres. The Eighth Army took on the Wolves. And the best of the best took on the Cyclops. 84-Red Death Since there was no king class, the national army was able to defeat the demons somewhat smoothly. Of course, they''re not unharmed. There were many wounded and dead. But the hardest battleground is the soldiers fighting the Cyclops. One Cyclops would have been fine, but there were five of them. They were aiming for the eyes with arrows, but Cyclops are not stupid. They know that their eyes will be targeted, so they constantly cover their eyes with one hand and run around with their big bodies. If he is hit, he will be seriously injured. Wayne, now the ace of the second army, leads his men against the Cyclops. ''Well, Wayne''s a monster now, isn''t he? He''s not a man who can fight a Cyclops. Wayne alone is holding off one Cyclops while his subordinates command him to hold off the other. I can''t even see his spear move. The Cyclops is wounded and bleeding. The other good men are also pushing the Cyclops with several men. ???????????????????????????????????? A certain Cyclops was fighting an invisible enemy. There''s nothing there. And yet the wounds multiply. The Cyclops thinks. What am I fighting? He flails his arms in the dark, but they only cut through the air. There''s nothing under my feet. And yet, the wounds keep increasing. (You''re moving too much.) Patrick was inwardly terrified. If the Cyclops'' arm hit him, Patrick''s body would die instantly. If he swung his arm in the dark, he would be seriously injured. He dodged everything by the skin of his teeth, but there was nothing he could do but dodge. If he were to be caught, his arm would not be broken. He is repeatedly dodging and slashing, falling back and rushing in. He switched from the machete to the sword, and aimed at the back of the joint, focusing on the cutting power. Even the back of the knee is at the position of Patrick''s head, so there are only the back of the knee and the Achilles tendon to aim at. After several slashes, he finally succeeded in severing the tendon behind the knee of the right leg. With his knees down, he was finally able to aim at his side. The intestines of the Cyclops pop out from the slashed side. Patrick grabs the intestines and pulls them out at high speed. As if to prevent this, the Cyclops presses down on his side with both hands. Finally, his eyes are open! Patrick aims his arrow-shaped shuriken at the eye! With a thud, the shuriken pierces his eye. Cyclops barks and moves his hand to pull the shuriken out of his eye. Patrick pulls at his gut again. He bleeds from his eyes and his side. Patrick''s blood spurts all over him. When the intestines are severed, the food inside overflows and a foul odor wafts out. The Cyclops rolls around on the ground in pain. Finally, he succeeds in slashing at its neck. Blood spurts out like a fountain, turning the area into a sea of blood. ''That''s the Grim Reaper. Someone muttered. ''The Red Reaper! Someone shouted. Wayne had finished killing the Cyclops, and the best men had killed two of them, leaving only one left. The Cyclops that Wayne''s men had been holding back. Patrick throws a shuriken as soon as the Cyclops'' hand leaves his eye. The shuriken sticks in one shot. Wayne and the rest of the best men start running towards Cyclops. Patrick looks around. It looks like the end is in sight. There''s a thud, the sound of a large object falling. 85-afterwards Exhausted, Patrick sits on the Cyclops and looks around. Corpses of demons abound, soldiers weeping over the corpses of soldiers in various places. The wounded moaning. It''s all Pig Major General''s fault. If he had spent his money properly, none of this would have happened. Goblins and other useless monsters were burned. Orcs were turned into meat. Wolves were stripped of their fur and burned. Cyclopses were burned except for their eyeballs and liver, which could be used as medicine. If left untreated, they could cause disease. After the cleanup, the national army headed home. With the dead and wounded in their wagons, the army heads for the capital. With joy and sorrow on board. Patrick joined the 8th Army. There were wounded but no dead. I was just happy about that. The Earls of Newgarden had all their property confiscated and demolished. They were downgraded to commoners and sent to King''s Landing. They weren''t put to death because they hadn''t betrayed the crown. The territorial commander who escaped was later arrested and sent to the mines. Newgarden is now under the direct control of the royal family, and will soon become the domain of another noble family. 86-audience After returning to King''s Landing, the 2nd and 8th Armies were given two days'' leave. Patrick, however, was summoned by the King. The place was the audience hall. Patrick kneels and bows his head. The King enters and sits on his throne. ''Viscount Patrick von Snakes, raise your head. Prime Minister Bendrick, standing aside, says. ''Yes! Patrick responds shortly and looks up. ''If you hadn''t reported this matter, there''s a good chance it would have become a big problem. You did well to notice and report it. Therefore, you will be rewarded. Prime Minister, take the inventory. The Prime Minister nodded at the King''s words and read out a sheet of paper. ''One, Viscount Patrick von Snakes, is hereby created a Count. One, the entire remainder of the former Viscount Harter''s domain is to be made the Earldom of Snakes. Count Patrick von Snakes shall be made a lieutenant colonel. That is all. Patrick said, Patrick replies, ''Thank you for your happiness, and I will continue to devote my strength to the service of His Majesty the King and his people. He replied. The king nodded, ''See you later, Patrick. This is my reward to you. Take it.'' He signals to the Prime Minister, who brings a small wooden box in front of Patrick. It''s a wooden box a little bigger than his palm. ''Haha. He takes it. ''Hmm. Cheer up!???Oh, yes, Patrick.'' ''Ha! ''You haven''t applied for a family crest yet, have you????I''ve decided and applied for one for you! The king grinned and left the audience hall. Patrick.., Oh, I''ve done it. He was in a cold sweat inside. After leaving the audience hall, Patrick sat on a bench in the courtyard of the royal castle and opened the lid of a wooden box. ''What''s this? There was a bracelet in the shape of a snake. 87-young girl Patrick picked up the bracelet and took a closer look. ''I see, it opens here and attaches to your arm, let''s try it on. With a clunk, the bracelet was placed on Patrick''s left wrist. The gap between the two quickly disappeared and the bracelet was fastened perfectly to his arm. Patrick wondered, ''How do I get this off? The part that had just opened was gone. ''Well, that''s okay. I''m fine wearing what you gave me. Except for the military, he was an almost carefree thinker. Patrick stood up from the bench to walk back to the military barracks, looking at the bracelet. With a thump, something bumped into him. ''Cack! There''s a high-pitched squeal, and the girl falls on her ass. ''Oh, I''m sorry, sir. I was looking over my shoulder. Are you hurt?'' Patrick takes the girl''s hand and helps her to stand up. She was about twelve years old. She has a thin body, short blond hair. She has blue eyes. The clothes she wears are a little different from the rest of the world, but they give off a sense of luxury. ''No, no, I''m the one who''s looking away. I apologize. I''m relieved to see you''re not hurt. ''Yes, I''m fine. ''I''ll leave you to it then. Patrick bows and leaves. The girl who was left behind looked at Patrick''s back, ''Hmph. The girl who was left behind saw Patrick''s back and smiled. ???????????????????????????????????? The door to the king''s private chambers slams open. ''Father! The girl who came in called out to the king in a cheerful voice. ''Sona, I''ve always told you to knock when you enter. The king gently scolds the girl for calling him father. ''Yes, I''m sorry. But!???Please listen to me!???Today, when I was taking a walk in the courtyard, I was finally able to talk to him! ''That person? ''Oh my god!???I told you before!???I told you I found a nice gentleman at the ceremony! The king remembered. ''Oh, you said something about that. He said he didn''t know who it was because there were so many nobles and soldiers at the ceremony, but there shouldn''t have been many from outside today. You might know who it is. What does the man look like? The king asked the girl, ''Well, I''d say he''s about 16 years old.???Judging by his clothes, he''s the head of a military noble family. She has a black head of hair and dark eyes...'' As soon as he said that, a man appeared in the king''s mind. ''He had a snake bracelet on his left arm! I''m sure of it. It was Patrick. And... 88-new home When Patrick returned to the barracks, he had a visitor in his room. There is a janitor in the barracks. A janitor, as the name implies, is a person who manages. Their main job is to feed, clean and maintain discipline. They are mainly the wives and children of soldiers who have died in the war. Occasionally, some soldiers bring civilians into the barracks, so they do spot checks. Today''s inspection was of Patrick''s room. No advance notice, of course. Actually, Patrick just found out about it. And when the janitor entered the room, he saw something, ''Geeyaaaaaaaa????????????''! He shouted! The thing he was looking at. A snake. ''Yes!???I''m sorry. Patrick has been sitting on the floor for about an hour now, being lectured. No pets allowed in the barracks. And the last thing he said was, ''Get out of here now! Patrick has lost his place to sleep. ''Ahhhh, what should I do? A man with a large backpack on his back and a large snake wrapped around his neck walks through King''s Landing. Well, he stands out and stands out. I tried to stay at an inn, but they all refused me. The reason, as they say, is the snake around his neck. How about the snake in the neck? Have you ever heard of the anaconda snake? A snake over eight meters long. A snake as big as that. Anacondas are not venomous, but the snake, which clings to Patrick''s neck and entire body, is bluish green with a triangular head. Triangle-headed snakes are usually vipers. In this world of close proximity to nature, it is natural to grow up being told to stay away from triangle-headed snakes. That means you can''t get a place to stay. Patrick decided to go to a real estate agent. There were no properties available for immediate occupancy. That day, Patrick camped out in the training grounds. Later, he arrived at the house he had been introduced to and purchased. ''So this is it. There was a mansion in front of him. ''It''s huge. Patrick thinks back to the order he gave to the real estate agent. A mansion with a big room that he could move into as soon as possible. The price is up to 100 gold coins! Patrick had been earning a fair amount of money from his prize. At any rate, we opened the gate with the key given to us and entered the grounds. It''s a rundown place, but the garden is big. No, it''s too big. When I reached the entrance of the mansion and unlocked the door, I noticed the size of the hall and the luxurious staircase in front. ''Why is this place worth 100 gold coins? Patrick wonders, but then he sees something moving in black beyond his vision. In fact, this property was the residence of the Viscount Harter family in the royal capital. The house had been demolished in the rebellion, and the property had been sold to the royal family, but even the royal family would waste money managing a house they didn''t use. It was immediately sold to a real estate agent in the capital. The real estate agent hired adventurers to clean the mansion and cut the grass, but there was a problem. Somehow, rats had taken up residence in the mansion. Rats? You would think that you could just get rid of them. But they''re not just any rats. It''s a demon rat. A demon called a Gigar rat. They are between 50 centimeters and a meter long, and are hated by adventurers because they are fertile, brash, and intelligent. Their flesh stinks and their fur is brittle, making them useless and stronger than goblins. They attack by using their speed to their advantage. About 200 of them. And if you fail to kill even a few of them, they will multiply in the blink of an eye. There was no way the house could be sold if it was infested with rats. The real estate agent wanted to get rid of it as soon as possible. Patrick was Patrick for buying the house without looking at it. But.., ''Pichan, you can eat. Pichan is the name of a snake. He has no sense of naming. I would like to question for an hour what part of the snake is called Pichan. When the snake was called Pee-chan, it immediately jumped on the Gigarat in front of it as if it understood human language. 89-Peachans dining situation A few hours later, Pichan was lying in the entrance hall with a swollen stomach. Patrick asked the adventurer to clean and cut the grass. For the time being, the cleaning of the house was finished. The adventurer was exhausted from cleaning up the rat droppings. There was no furniture at all, so he slept on a blanket that day. The next day, he bought only bedding. There was no need for a chest of drawers, as his belongings would only fit in a backpack. From that day on, Patrick was free from Pichan''s hunt for food. After all, the food lives in the house. Pichan goes around to each room and eats mice. He gets bigger and bigger. The quantity of food increases. Two months later, the rats disappeared from the house. It seems they were exterminated. He thought he would have to go hunting for food again, but people told him that the snake would be fine without eating for several months. Patrick came up with the idea of taking Pichan to the forest once a month and letting her hoard her food. Take Pichan to the forest, ''Go ahead. He put her on the ground and she disappeared into the grass without a sound. A few minutes later, I hear something screaming. When she returned, her stomach was swollen like a barrel. Patrick lifted her up, ''Too heavy! and returned to the house. 90-alcoholic beverage Let''s talk about the Snakes'' territory. The former Rigsby territory is a rich territory by nature, not a territory that would normally have debts. This is due to the overuse of pigs. Three generations before Patrick, the head of Rigsby started loan-sharking. The money was used to make ale and wine, a business that began two generations earlier. The first generation of the family noticed a decline in the harvest due to the continuous cultivation of wheat, and developed a method of intercropping beans. Beans, The beans were similar to soybeans on Earth. Originally, the Rigsbys seemed to have been a capable family. Their territory was blessed with water, vast wheat fields and vineyards. The wheat paid as a tax was not converted into gold, but remained as wheat and was paid to the king as a tax. The rest of the wheat is turned into ale. Grapes, of course, are made into wine. Wheat as food, ale, and wine are the main industries of the former Rigsby lands. Liquor is very profitable. If you make it, you can sell it. That''s why the old Rigsby family had so much money that they were even called the loan sharks of the kingdom. But the pigs'' spending had wiped out most of their reserves. However, because the Westin family disappeared, the debt also disappeared. In addition, the jewels that the pigs had collected had been given directly to the Snakes, so they had plenty of money. Patrick was not a heavy drinker, but he did enjoy it. Due to his memories of his previous life, he was quite dissatisfied with ale. In a previous life, Patrick had been a whiskey drinker. So he called a craftsman and had him build a distiller. He distilled the ale to make something like whiskey. It was a hit! It made three times as much money as cheap ale. He got carried away and made brandy from wine. This time, with the help of the winemaker and the elves, I used time magic (a rare magic) to age the wine for three years at a time. Since the demand for wine was high, we couldn''t make enough, but if we sold it to the nobility, we could make a fortune. Of course, we sent it to the royal family as a tribute. Now, the former Viscount Harter''s territory was not suitable for farming. The reason for this is the vast lake and the surrounding marshlands. The former Viscount Harter''s main industry was fishing. However, in a world without aquaculture technology, the consequences of consuming too much fish are obvious. The catch would fall year by year, and the money would run out, leading to debt. Patrick found some grass in the swampy area when he went on his inspection. Quite a lot of it. To the villagers, ''Aren''t you going to eat this? I asked him, He replied, ''It looks like wheat, but it can''t be made into bread. So we feed it to chickens and pigs. So we feed it to chickens and pigs. Yes, rice! Patrick immediately recommended the cultivation of rice and declared that the Count''s family would buy all the rice they produced. Of course, it was for sake. Because of the lack of rice polishing technology, the sake was not as clear as the sake of the earth, but was slightly brown. Also, mirin (sweet cooking rice wine) and soy sauce made from soybeans. The new seasonings and the new sake were popular in the capital. The Snakes'' domain became the second most prosperous domain after King''s Landing. But that was a few years later. 91-want a maid The Snakes are an upstart family. There is only one head. Connections are important to a noble family. Marriages and sons-in-law can lead to kinship, which can lead to factions and disputes. Patrick no longer has any relatives. Because he killed them. So he''s only related to his mother''s family, the Kanans. Patrick is happy to be free of ties, but he has a problem. He doesn''t have any connections to hire anyone. He can''t hire someone who is a distant relative of someone else, and he can''t hire a classmate because he hasn''t attended the academy where the children of noble families attend. Patrick, who bought a mansion in the capital and is living with one person and one animal, has an ongoing problem with cleaning the mansion. The only rooms he uses are the entrance hall and the room where he sleeps, but he can''t clean the toilets, shower rooms, corridors, do the laundry, or buy food. I''ve hired a man through the Canaanns, but he''s working on the estate. ''I wish I had a maid. Patrick mutters. The best friend he has in the army is Wayne, but Wayne has a new son-in-law. To Lieutenant General Simon. To Lieutenant General Simon, ''I''d like to hire a maid, do you know any good places? I asked him. ''Maids are usually the fourth and fifth daughters of noblemen of our faction,'' he replied, ''There are agencies, but they only have people who lack knowledge and education to work in noblemen''s houses. He replied. This was the first time I knew that a maid needed knowledge and education. As I walked through the barracks, I saw my Uncle Trolla, the Baron Canaan, walking by. ''Uncle! I called out to him. ''Oh!???Patrick!???I''ve never seen you in the barracks before. I''m usually stuck in the castle, so I don''t have much time for the barracks!???Gah-hah! Laughing wildly at my uncle, ''Do you have any maids????In fact, I bought a house, but I can''t be bothered to clean it. I''ll ask him about it. ''Hmm, you bought a house????Where is it? ''It''s the old Viscount Harter residence. ''It''s too big for one person to live in, but it''s appropriate for a Countess. How many people do you want?'' ''For now, it''s just me and my pet, so one is enough. I said, He said, ''Hmm, I''ll check with my acquaintances. I bowed my head and said, ''Thank you, When I bowed to him, he said, ''A Count doesn''t bow easily!???You should be a little more respectable. He left with a laugh. 92-maid ~keyer ?????£¤,??¡¥?????????¨¦?¡ê?¦Ì??????????,1?oo????£¤3??¡ì????¡ä1????????????. ??1??????¨¦????a???????????a?????¡ì,?????¡§??¡§??????. ''??????????????-'' ??¡§¨¨¡§??????¡§, ''??????????????????????????????¨¦??????????????,???????oo?¡ì?'' ??¡§¨¨¡§??????????. ???????oo?¡ì???? ??a?????¡§¨¨?¡¥???¨¦?????. ???????£¤3??¡ì,????????¡ê?oo??¡ì,?????????????????¡§??????. ?¡ã?????????¡ê??????????¡ã???3?? ???,??£¤?o¡¤????????a????????¡ì,?????3??a????????¡¥??¡§?????????. ????1¡ä30?-3??¡ì,????????¡§?????????????????¡è????? ??¡ê???????? ???,??????????????¡ã?????¡§??a???,¨¨?¡¤????¡è¡À???,?????????????????¡ê??|¨¨??¨¨??¨¦¡§??¡ê???¡ê???¨¦¡ê?? ???¡ì????????|??????????? ??¡§???. ¨¦????¡§??¡ì,?¦Ì|¨¦??????????????????????¡è???????????????,?????????¨¨?¡À????1?????¡ã??????a??¡ê????????????. ??o???¨¦?¡é????????|????????¡ã????????a??¡ê??????????????a?????¡§????????a???. ???¨¨??,??o???¨¦?¡é???????????£¤?¡è???¡ì,????????¡ã????????a??¡ê????????¡ê??|,?????¡ê?????¡ê?????? ???????????????. ?????¡è??????????????¡§??¡§???,???¨¨???????¡ì????????|??????????????¡§?????????. ???¨¦?¡é¨¦???????|,??¡ä????????????¨¨|???|,¨¨?¡ã???????????|?????????????????|?????????,?¡è¡ì????¡è??? ?????-?????? 93-The Kings Worries The king was troubled. About his beloved daughter. She''s only 12. She''s almost 13. A nobleman could be betrothed at that age. Nobles usually start getting engaged around age 12, but royalty is later than that. This is because marriage to royalty changes the balance of power among the nobility. If only one faction has many marriages, the other factions will be dissatisfied. A balance is necessary. Besides, there is a certain order. The Dauphin''s betrothal has been decided. But it''s not good if the third princess gets engaged first when the second prince, the third prince, the first princess and the second princess haven''t. The King has three wives. The crown prince and the third princess are children of the regular family, the second prince and the second princess are children of the second wife, who is a side wife, and the rest are children of the third wife. If only the children of the regular family were engaged, the family of the side family would be annoyed. But if he likes it, I want him to marry the way he wants. I have few complaints about Patrick. He''s loyal to the crown and his behavior is excellent. I hear his lands are quite prosperous with the new wine he''s selling. Oh, that drink is good! Brandy, I think it''s called. I like to drink it with ice and sip it. Whiskey is also very good. It''s better to drink it with water and gulp it down. Oh, I''m not thinking straight. Patrick''s not gonna waste his money, and that estate will be safe. I hear the former Harter territory is growing new crops. The only thing I''m worried about is the harsh military service. But that''s the same for all warrior noble families. If you are a court noble (a noble family that does not have a territory, but lives in the royal capital and works in the royal castle), you rarely go to war, but court nobles do not like to go to war because there are many pigs. I also don''t want to give my daughter to a pig, even if it kills me. I explained about Patrick politely, but.., ''Oh, you poor thing. I''ll heal him! I''ll heal him!'' or something like that. I really don''t know what to do. I guess I''ll just take this opportunity to talk to the other girls about their engagements. 94-three years Family crest A coat of arms that represents a family. Royal families use an eagle as a motif. Samurai and noble families use swords and spears. And a strong animal. There are also crests that represent specialties of a territory. The most common is the ear of wheat. The old Rigsby family also had a family crest based on the image of an ear of wheat. However, it is taboo to use a demon as a family crest even if it is strong. No matter how strong they were, they could not have a dragon as their family crest. This is a rule of the kingdom, and there are many families in other countries that use dragons as their family crest. In other countries, there are many families that use dragons as their crests. For the royal family, demons are objects to be defeated, so they cannot use objects to be defeated as their crests. Patrick forgot to apply for this family crest. So what did he do when he was in office? Only documents to be submitted to the royal family need to be stamped with the family crest. Other documents only require a signature. The documents submitted to the royal family are usually tax-related. Patrick has not paid any taxes yet. He was exempt from taxes for the first year. He uses the profits from the first year to plan the future management of his domain. The first year''s profit will be used to plan the future management of the territory. The first year''s profit will be exempted because it is expected to cost a lot of money, but from next year, it will have to be paid. Well, the tax will not be a problem because of the profit from alcohol. Now, I have received a seal from the government office with the family crest decided by the king. There were two snakes entwined in the dagger. ''Well, they''re Snakes, aren''t they? The plural was clear. This mark is actually a magical tool and quite expensive. The mark is stamped by the magic power of the person. It is like an indelible ink. This is to prevent counterfeiting. With other inks, if water or oil is dripped on it, it will blot, but the magic ink will not. At the same time, the royal family sent me a dagger with the crests of the royal family and the Snakes family. It''s a sign of nobility. Recently, Patrick has been spending half of his time in the 8th Army and the rest in his estate. This is the working system of most military officers who are the head of their estates. Now that he is a Count, Patrick is quite busy. He looks over the documents for approval and signs them. If he can''t, he puts a "no" sign. He also inspects the territory, checks the maturity of the whiskey and brandy in the brewery, and brews a new sake, locally named Inesh (named after a plum wine). ). In the former Harter territory, the cultivation of sweet potatoes is also newly recommended. Sweet potatoes. He''s going to make sweet potato shochu too. When I return to King''s Landing, I''m sent to train the 8th Army, my own training, and occasionally the 1st and 3rd Armies. The other day, even the Knights of the Kingsguard were baptized by Patrick''s training. My Uncle Trolla called me the Grim Reaper, and I felt a little depressed. Oh yeah, the 8th Army''s famous running has been upgraded. We used to run in our uniforms, but now we run in our first gear, our war gear. Patrick believes that when the Non-Aggression Pact expires, the Empire will declare war immediately. That''s what we''re training for. Wearing armor and weapons makes running heavy and difficult. Well, the accusing eyes and voices of my men were a little annoying, but I ignored them. When I served him whiskey, he changed his attitude, but I''ll leave it at that. Then, a woman who often came to Patrick''s mansion in King''s Landing appeared. Well, when the king told me, I was like, Seriouslya????? I said to the king, and hurriedly got down on my knees and apologized. Patrick, 18 years old, been in the army for three years. He was more surprised than the Count or the Lieutenant Colonel. Patrick is engaged. I don''t have to tell you who he''s engaged to, but if you''re a reader, you''ll know. 95-A blind date? Let''s go back in time a bit. An hour after Patrick got down on his knees and said to the King, ''Seriously? and got down on his knees. In a room of the royal castle, Patrick and a woman are drinking tea. ''Nice to meet you, I''m Patrick von Snakes. ''My name is Sonalis Mental. He didn''t even introduce himself, ''So, why me????I''m not the most handsome man in the world, and I don''t come from a good family. On the contrary, I come from a family that participated in the rebellion. He''s a brutal man who killed his parents and brothers. And to top it all off, he doesn''t even have a presence. Patrick asked honestly. ''I first saw you at the ceremony after the last rebellion, Patrick. He was eating alone at a table at the end of the room. It was very conspicuous to me that he was alone, even though there was such a large crowd at the ceremony. Here, Patrick thinks. At that time, I was not in combat, so I was not so invisible. But he must have been more invisible than usual. After all, I''m not good at socializing, so I tried to avoid being found as much as possible. And yet, you found me? ''Until then, you looked lonely, but after Canaan and the others from the Kingsguard approached you, you smiled like a boy...'' I''m sure he was smiling. The Canaan family is the only home Patrick can trust. ''Also, the other day in the courtyard, I bumped into you on purpose and you were the first to apologize for your actions. It was to a little girl who was dressed in clothes not recognizable as a princess. When you took my hand, my heart raced and I felt like I was going to collapse! She smiled. As for Patrick, he was definitely looking at the bracelet, so he was definitely not looking away, he was just being honest. I guess love is blind. Patrick said, ''I''m sure you''ve heard of me, Your Majesty, but I''m afraid I have a rather twisted personality. Are you okay with that? I asked. And he said, ''I don''t find it interesting to be like other people. I trust my own intuition! I trust my instincts! Seeing the look in his eyes, Patrick thought it was okay. If she didn''t like him on the way, he could just call off the engagement. ''Well, I look forward to working with you. Patrick bowed his head, ''Yes!???I''m an eccentric princess, but I look forward to working with you! And he bowed. Hmm????A freak? 96-Marquis of Dixon Now that his engagement has been confirmed, Patrick is faced with a problem. His lands are running smoothly, but the problem is the royal capital. More specifically, the mansion. At present, there are only Patrick, a maid, and a snake in the mansion in King''s Landing. That''s only possible because there are no guests. A nobleman''s mansion doesn''t even have a gatekeeper. As an aristocrat, this is not good. Patrick ponders, but can''t come up with a solution. The Canaanns have already provided him with a lot of manpower, and it''s time for them to go. I don''t have any other contacts, Patrick. Now I remember one thing! ''I''ll ask the Marquis of Dixon. I hope he remembers our previous agreement. I''ll send a maid to the Marquis of Dixon''s mansion in King''s Landing. Bring her a letter. A few days later, a letter arrives from the Marquess of Dixon. ''Yes. You remembered me.'' Patrick''s voice broke out as he read the letter. The letter asked him to come to the house. It seems that the Marquis of Dixon himself is currently staying in King''s Landing. As a prelude, Patrick sent his maid to the Marquis Dixon''s residence that afternoon. Patrick walks alone without a companion. That''s not very aristocratic. By the way, lately Patrick has been making an effort to be recognized by people. It''s inconvenient to be unrecognizable in a normal life. When you stand in front of a store and pick up an item, the clerk will be surprised if the item is floating. So I decided to show off my presence by basically pushing my motivation to the forefront. Not to f*ck or to kill, but to be motivated. Then, although it was vague, I was recognized. On the other hand, I''m also training to erase my presence. I am now able to do so much better than before. When I turn it off, I am never recognized. Back to the story. I tell the gatekeeper what I want and he lets me in. I was greeted at the door by Mr. Kevin. ''It''s been a long time, Count. Kevin looked at Patrick with sparkling eyes. ''I''m glad to see you''re doing well. He replied and led me to the parlor. The head of the family himself was already waiting for us. ''It''s been a long time. I apologize for the inconvenience this time. Patrick bowed his head. ''No, no, no, I promised. And it''s not a bad deal for us either. The Marquis of Dixon says as he offers the sofa. ''Excuse me, sir. Patrick sits down on the sofa. ''There are a lot of people who work at the house. It''s not easy to introduce their sons and relatives to their employers. There''s a limit to how many servants we can take. So how many can you hire? Many noblemen ask for a job. If it''s an unrelated person, I will immediately refuse, but if it''s a relative of a servant, even an important one, it''s hard to refuse. I introduce them as servants of the barons and viscounts of my faction, but even so, there are only a few of them and I cannot mediate all of them. In addition, Lieutenant General Simon does not know about this situation because he does not care about his family. ''At any rate, butlers, maids, gatekeepers, cooks, carriage attendants, attendants, guards of the mansions in the capital, these are probably the ones. At any rate, we only have one maid at the moment. Patrick speaks honestly. ''Then there would be two butlers and assistants, about five maids, and a gatekeeper...'' The Marquis is mumbling and thinking. ''We''ll need at least 20 for now. He comes to a conclusion. Patrick is surprised that he needs that many, but he doesn''t show it. ''Are you particular about race? ''No, I''m not particular. ''Hmm, then we can manage. Good. Now I can pay you back!???No, it''s more than a debt, it''s a pleasure for my family to be further connected to you! The Marquis smiled. That day, Patrick was invited to dinner and got to know the Marquis, Kevin, and his two wives, eldest son, second son, and eldest daughter, whom he had never met before. Hearing that the reason we were all in the capital this time was to attend the wedding of the Dauphin, we stood up hurriedly, expressed our congratulations, promised to send a gift of congratulations at a later date, and left the residence. Here is an explanation of marriage in the Kingdom. The number of wives is limited to five. This is a special exception. The standard is three. That''s why the king has three wives. What is a special exception? It is when no male heir is born. If you marry three wives and you can''t have a boy, you can apply for a special exception and if approved, you will be allowed two more wives. You who thought you could just divorce and get a new one! Don''t underestimate the relationship between the nobles. Divorce is an act of hostility. Nobles don''t divorce easily. What should I give her? Patrick went home thinking to himself. 97-congratulatory gift Okay, we''ve got people. Now for the goods. For now, we need a carriage. Patrick used to rent carriages from the army when he needed them. I''ll order one immediately. Speaking of carriages, we also need horses. And if you have horses, you need stables. The money is flying in. Since it was a former viscount''s residence, it had stables, but since he was a debtor viscount, he didn''t have the money to fix the old stables, and they were pretty shabby. They tore it down and built a new one. Next, the mansion was rebuilt. There was no problem with the house, but there was one complaint. ''I want to soak in a big bath. A memory from a previous life told him that he was being selfish here. In this world, there was no such thing as a bath tub. Commoners just wiped themselves with wet towels. The aristocracy and the military only showered. Even showers were like bathrooms with a tub with a hole in the ceiling and hot water falling from it. It was a magical device that automatically turned cold water into hot water when it was filled with water, and could be turned on and off by operating a cock, but Patrick was not satisfied. He calls a magician to the house. A so-called dwarf. They are skilled in making things. ''So, make a big stone tub like this here, with hot water in it for soaking, with hot water falling from the top over here, and a place to wash yourself over here! The dwarf man responded to Patrick''s explanation, ''Soak in hot water????I hadn''t thought of that. I hadn''t thought of that.'' He came up with something. ''Do you have a patent on this? He asked, ''Patent????Is there such a thing? I ask him back. This world has a so-called God. I''ve never met one. And there''s a god of knowledge. And commercial guilds. Apparently, the sale of alcohol is also done through commercial guilds, and they take a margin. Well, it can''t be helped. However, there is no problem if the inventor sells his creations directly to the guild. If you pray to the god of knowledge at the temple and pay the appropriate amount of gold coins, he will grant you a patent. The patent system is the same as on Earth. Hearing this good news, Patrick immediately went to the church. He applied for a patent on how to make liquor, distillers and stuff, a bath, and even chess. He took 20 gold coins. But now I have another profitable product. Chess quickly became popular in King''s Landing. Originally, reversi, playing cards, and hand pumps for wells existed in this world. But there were no board games of warlike combat. They hired woodworkers to make them. I made fine stone ones for the aristocracy. And of course, they gave them to kings. And I sent one to the Marquess of Dixon as a congratulatory gift. With instructions on how to play. 98-Earl of Snakes The Earldom of Snakes is booming. Originally, there was a great depression due to the rebellion, but since Patrick became the lord, there has been a V-shaped recovery. It is mainly liquor and new crops such as rice and sweet potatoes. New liquors made from them. Wooden chess, etc. And where the economy is good, people gather. Merchants set up store, people come to work in the stores, and when there are more people, carpenters come to build houses. Where there is wine, there are dwarves. Dwarves make equipment for the Snakes'' army. Yes, the Snakes'' army, the survivors of the old Rigsby army, the survivors of Viscount Harter''s army, newly recruited recruits, and soldiers transferred from the Canaanese army. Five hundred in all. Patrick trained them! The same as the 8th Army! A year later, the Snakes'' army was the best of the local lords'' armies. Green uniform, left breast pocket embroidered with a snake. Of course, the leather armor was also branded with a snake design, and they were feared as the Viper Army. Patrick built several temple schools in his territory. He wanted to improve the illiteracy rate in this world. It''s good for the people of the land to be rich. But with prosperity comes bad people. People who want to make money by cheating people. Many of them cheat people who can''t do math by giving them wrong change. So I taught him how to read, write, and do simple math. It''s free, and lunch is included. I made it so that the farmers, who were not wealthy, would be willing to go to the school if they could get one meal. It''s not much of a meal. Bread and soup. Still, it''s a condition poor farmers would jump at. Fewer workers, but better than letting their children starve. The temple business was a total loss for Patrick, but he was looking ahead to the next few years. 99-Pamira Corporation My name is Pamira. I''m a wolf beastman. I''m currently a maid in the house of the Earl of Snakes. I worked in the mess hall of the army barracks before I was picked up here. That place is the worst. The smell. Smells like sweat! Soldiers would come in after training without wiping off their sweat. Also, there are too many people trying to make eyes at me! I''m old and a little behind the times, but it doesn''t mean I don''t like anyone! I mean, there was a good guy at the last place I worked! The last place I worked was Baron Curly''s mansion. I was a maid there. I was on good terms with the werewolf who guarded the gate there and we were talking about getting married. But the house was destroyed by the lord''s rebellion and all the servants were fired. Her lover is unemployed and now she works as an adventurer to earn some money. I have no use for a man with no money. We broke up immediately! Well, enough about the past. I''m talking about the future. Today, the current master, Count Snakes, will be receiving new servants. Twenty of them! I''ll get the best man out of them! I can''t wait to see your reactions when I open the door. I shat myself. I didn''t think they''d be here!???What''s with the snakes!???It''s big, too big!???And they''re poisonous! I''m used to it now, but I hope someone can survive that baptism! Well, here we are. 15 men out of 20, huh????Oh, good wolf!???He''s quite macho. Men are muscle!???Just let your mind go where it wants to go! Muscle! Now, let''s open the door! Only two of us didn''t shit our pants. The muscle wolf peed, too. Well, of course he did. They''re gonna shit their pants. You''re lucky you didn''t defecate! Will the defecating gentleman ever recover? I think the dwarf stable hand and the elf steward are crazy! Can''t we just talk pee and get along? 100-another dimension A space with a noble atmosphere. There was a man there. No, it would be impolite to call him one. We should call him a pillar. There''s a crystal-like object, and he looks into it and smiles. There, ''What are you looking at? A woman''s voice. ''No, you transferred your soul from the Alpha world to the Beta world a while ago.???About eighteen years ago, I believe. '' ''Oh, I believe you said you made a mistake in processing your memories? ''Yes, that''s it. That child, by chance, recovered her memories. It''s really funny that he''s called the Grim Reaper now. No, when I messed up my memory, I thought I failed, but I''m glad it came back. He is contributing to the development of our culture by making alcohol. ''I believe the last time we had souls was in Reversi and playing cards????Before that, it was a hand pump. Alpha''s cultural development has been wonderful. Beta, on the other hand, has been very slow. ''That''s what the soul transfer is for. Beta, on the other hand, prohibits weapons of mass destruction. It also prohibits the use of annihilation magic, which is effective against a wide range of people... But humans wage war in every world. I wonder if it''s a mistake in the Creator''s settings...'' ''If you say that and God the Creator hears you, he''ll tear your arms off. ''Oh, that''s scary. Well, going back to the story, I sent the soul to Beta, but since it''s interesting, I''ve lowered the blessing a bit. Well, I just raised its abilities a bit and added some value to the accessories it has. ''Don''t overdo it, okay? You''ll lose your balance. ''Don''t worry. It''s just a little. ''That''s fine then. God of the Underworld. 101-the arrival of servants Patrick welcomed his new servants. There was a bit of a problem in the entrance hall, but the problem was solved in our large bathroom, except for two of them. I had brought a change of clothes with me. The butler was an elf. He was a handsome young man, about 190 cm tall, with a head of blue hair and green eyes. He has a long head of hair that he wears all back and tied up at the back of his neck. He is an elf, so he is probably older than he looks. His name is Astraia. Too bad it''s not Sebastian. There are a few dwarves and beastmen as well, so I guess this will do as a nobleman''s house. By the way, to Astria, ''You''re a demon hunter, aren''t you? I was told. What is a demon hunter? When I asked her, she said it''s a human race that can use demons. They are called demon tamer or tamer. Elves, dwarves, and beastmen do not have tamers. Only human beings can be tamers. It seems that other races don''t keep pets. However, keeping a pet is different from being a tamer. A tamer is a person who has a connection with a demon through magic and can communicate with it. Yeah, I think I''ve got it figured out. But I haven''t seen any other tamer. I heard they''re very rare. They usually use mammalian demons, and I''ve never heard of a reptilian demon being used. I''m glad it''s a little rare. I also took a look at the ability of the guards of the mansion. They weren''t up to the task, so I sent them to the Snakes'' Army for training. I sent some of the Snakes'' army there instead. They came to King''s Landing to replace the guards, and they were happy to come to the city, but they still shat themselves at the door. The guards will be back in a few months, so until then, we''ll just give them a good time. We also bought four horses. One for the carriage and one for the guards to ride. The carriage is complete. However, the ride is not very comfortable. It has a spring suspension, but it is just like a truck bed. We decided that we needed a coil spring suspension, so we prayed to the god of knowledge at the church and got two gold coins. I immediately ordered one from the blacksmith! The ride is now much more comfortable. Also, that bracelet you got from His Majesty, it seems to be a magic tool. I could see the scenery even though it was pitch black. Is it weird to say I could see? If you''re referring to my previous life, thermography? The temperature thing!???Something like that. Did you know that????Every tree and stone has a different temperature so you can see the landscape clearly. You won''t be afraid of the woods at night with this. Thank you for the gift, Your Majesty. What????Don''t you want to talk about it? What? Okay, I''ll explain! Yeah, I was on a mission. 102-Special Mission 1 One day, Patrick is summoned to a private room by His Majesty. There''s another man in there with silver hair and brown eyes. ''I don''t think you''ve met Patrick, this is Kyle from Intelligence. Kyle, you know Patrick, right?'' ''Yes, I''m sure he''s no stranger to the nobility of the kingdom. Nice to meet you, Earl Snakes. My name is Kyle Keselowski.'' The man known as Kyle bows to Patrick. About the same height as Patrick. About 25 years old? He is of medium height, the most common appearance in this world. ''Nice to meet you, I''m Patrick von Snakes. Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you.'' He says his name. If he has a family name, he must be a nobleman. ''The Keselowski barons have been intelligence officers for generations. They are a court noble family with no estates, and their main job is to investigate corruption in the court nobility. Court nobles are close to the power of the kingdom. Officially, they''re tax officials. I see. They''re like Japan''s public security. ''All right, Your Majesty. So, what''s the story? ''Well, Kyle''s investigation has revealed that there''s a high possibility that a certain noble family is cheating. But we have no proof. Kyle, explain.'' ''Yes, Your Majesty. Earl Snakes...'' ''Oh, please, Patrick and I are newer and younger than you.'' ''All right, then. Then I''ll call you Kyle. So, Sir Patrick, do you know where the Ministry of Agriculture is in the Kingdom? The Ministry of Agriculture is the department that studies the size of the farmland in the kingdom, the types and quantities of crops harvested, and coordinates imports and exports so that there is no shortage of certain crops. It is an important department for the kingdom''s food supply. ''Yes, food is important. I nodded. ''It seems that the head of the department is unfairly under-reporting the harvest of the local territories, and is taking part of the difference as a bribe. So he''s in league with the local lords. ''It seems that they are also giving money to the tax collector and covering it up. The court nobles receive a fixed amount of money from the state, so we know their approximate income, but even though they don''t have a second job, they''ve been spending a lot of money lately, which is obviously strange, so we''ve been investigating. So you''re not selling alcohol like me. ''But you have no proof? I ask, ''Yes, sir. Even if we raided the mansion, we wouldn''t necessarily find evidence in the house, nor would we be able to follow him in and out of the house, nor would we be able to find his mistress, so we consulted His Majesty. Here, His Majesty said, ''And!???Patrick. Why don''t you take advantage of your abilities and do some research????Couldn''t you sneak into the house?'' I see.???That makes sense. So you want me to sneak out and search the house. Let''s do it. 103-Special Mission 2 The next evening, after hearing the details from Kyle, Patrick started to move. He headed for a certain nobleman''s house in King''s Landing. He set up a stakeout a short distance from the gate of the mansion. There had been no one in or out since the sun went down. Patrick prepared himself and walked out. ''Silent.'' Patrick mutters. It''s not magic. Patrick can''t do magic. He''s talking to himself. We''re going into hiding mode!???he says. On the other hand, when he gets motivated, he mumbles something about being active. He climbs up the wall of the house, lands in the garden, and rushes to the house. He looks in through the window. Of course, the windows are unlit. But they were all locked. While he was wondering what to do, he heard a voice at the gate. ''Hey, old lady, another massage????Thanks for all your hard work. I''ll go and ask her about it, so wait for me. The man at the gate called out to the old woman and headed for the door. Chance. Patrick stands by the door. The gatekeeper opens the door and goes inside. Patrick, who had stuck close behind the gatekeeper, followed him in. The gatekeeper, who had gone to the back of the house, soon came out. He opens the door and calls the old woman in. ''The Master is in his usual room. He said I could go alone as usual. Then I''ll go back to work.'' With that, the gatekeeper heads back toward the gate. Patrick was a little pleased that he could follow the old woman to the master of the house. It would save him the trouble of looking for her. But he didn''t expect the torturous experience he was about to have. 104-Special Mission 3 Patrick walking behind the old woman. The old woman knocks on the big door. ''Come on in. A voice called from inside. I opened the door and saw a man of about 50 years old jumping from inside and hugging the old woman. What? Patrick thought. ''Oh, I''ve been waiting for you, Rachel! Is Rachel the name of this old woman? ''Boy, we had an agreement when we got inside, didn''t we????We can''t let anyone see us. Come on, let''s go inside. With that, the old woman, still in my arms, enters the room. Before the door closes, Patrick rushes in. There, he sees a shocking sight. ''Rachel!???Aah!???Rachel! A good old man is devouring the lips of an old woman. What the hella????? What kind of joke is this? Patrick wanted to pat himself on the back for not saying it out loud. After that, Patrick was on the verge of KO after being shown the endless love affair between the old man and the old woman. He felt his black hair turn white for a moment. Patrick feels a slight desire to kill the old woman as she puts her arm around him and spoils him, but he struggles to suppress it. ''Rachel, when you go back, please bring back the papers too. Hide them in the usual place.'' ''Yes, yes, little man. I''ll leave you to your old lady. But you haven''t changed since you were a child. You haven''t changed a bit as a spoiled brat.'' ''Because Rachel is my first love! ''I was 15 when you were born, 50 years later. The first time I slept with you, you were thirteen and I was twenty-eight. You''ve loved me for a long time, and I''m happy.'' ''It was our first time together. I was so happy.'' What does that mean????You had a hand in your maidservant and you''ve been keeping it that way? What does it matter? I''m more interested in the papers you''re bringing back. We should follow the old woman. Patrick decided what to do next. 105-Special Mission 4 He walks behind the old woman and leaves the house. The old woman''s lamp illuminates the path, and Patrick watches her back as she walks slowly, desperately trying to put the nightmarish scene from earlier out of his mind. Eventually, they arrive at a house. The old woman produces a key, opens the door, and enters the house. Patrick follows. The old woman puts the papers from her pocket into the pot at the back of the kitchen. She then ate a simple meal, went to bed, put out her candles, and went to sleep snoring loudly. Patrick was surprised to see the candles out and the house in total darkness. He could see the inside of the house even though there was not a single light. Patrick, who had a memory of a previous life, had an idea of what this vision was. (Temperature sensor????No, thermography?) I''m seeing things that I used to see on TV. (Is this a bracelet????It''s a magic tool!) Actually, it was just a bracelet, but it must be the work of some god. Patrick easily approached the cauldron and picked up the documents. (I knew it was a ledger, this is good evidence. Mission accomplished.) The next day, Patrick contacts Kyle and hands him the documents. ''Sir Patrick!???Thank you for your help. That''s enough to build a case! ''I''m a little mentally tired, so I''m going home. The address of the old woman who hid the documents is written down on this piece of paper, if you want to use it. I handed another piece of paper to Kyle, and Patrick left feeling dizzy and unsteady on his feet, Kyle wondered if it was that hard for him, ''Thank you very much for your ministry. He bowed his head deeply. Patrick still hadn''t gotten the nightmare out of his head. 106-at the invitation of I''m on my way to the royal castle today. I''ve been summoned. I''ll greet His Majesty first. ''Your Majesty, good day to you... and what can I do for you? ''Patrick, I take it everything went well with Kyle. ''Yes, sir, and Mr. Kyle is pleased that we have a case now. ''Well, Kyle and the others are on the move now. We''ll find out soon enough. And the reason I called you here today is because of my daughter, Sona. Sona is a nickname for Thornalis. ''What is it, Your Highness? ''Well, he complained that we haven''t seen each other since we got engaged. If you have time after this, would you go and see him? ''Yes, I will. I''m also busy with a lot of things, so should we set a date from now on? ''Well, I''m busy with military duties, managing the estate, and this time I''ve made you work until midnight. But you should also keep Sona in a good mood. She''s too hard on me when she''s in a bad mood. ''Yes, sir. Then I''ll be on my way. ''Well, thank you for your help this time, Patrick. ''Haha! And so, we waited for His Highness Thornalis in the courtyard of the royal castle. Soon after, Thornaris appeared with his maidservant. ''Sorry to keep you waiting, Patrick-sama! Thorinaris appeared cheerfully, and today he was dressed like a naval officer. Do we have a navy in this country? ''No, no, Mr. Thorinaris. I''m sorry I don''t get to see you more often. ''No, you''re busy with your work, aren''t you? ''Yes, I''m sorry I don''t have time to see you as I''m busy with military duties and traveling back and forth between the territories. ''Your work is important. What kind of place is the estate? This is how the conversation went. Then, things started to get strange when they started talking about their hobbies. Patrick does not have any hobbies. So I told him that I take care of my pet. It was Pichan. This caught his attention. ''Do you have a snake????I want to see it! Normally, people are afraid of snakes, but she seemed interested. ''They''re pretty big, aren''t they????Are you okay? ''How big is it? Thorinaris asked with a cute little tilt of his head. ''About ten meters, I''d say. It seems to have grown again. ''Oh my!???There''s a snake that big!???I''d love to see one! And so it came to pass that His Highness Thornaris came to the house of Snakes. 107-welcome Now, if that''s the case, there will be a great commotion in the royal capital, House Snake! Because Her Royal Highness is coming! Although she''s a bride, she hasn''t been announced yet and is still in the informal stage. The news of the third princess''s visit caused an uproar from the butler, maids, stable hands and guards. The carpets were washed, the furniture was bought, flowers were planted in the drab garden, a pavilion was built, and in the ten days or so before the princess''s arrival, some semblance of nobility was created. And then, on the day... Well, I was surprised. Ten knights of the Kingsguard, three carriages with the royal coat of arms, and fifty elite soldiers from the First Army appeared in front of the Snakes'' mansion like a procession of feudal lords. A crowd of onlookers surrounded them. The Snakes hadn''t expected that many people to show up. Only twenty-one servants would be enougha?????. The servants lined up to welcome the princess. Patrick and the butler wait at the gate. The carriage door opens to reveal Thorinaris. ''Welcome to my home. Your Highness. Patrick greets him. ''I''ve come without reservation, Sir Patrick. Thorinaris looks pleased. You walk through the garden to the front door. What you see when you open the door is.., Pichan. Thorinaris was all right, as I had heard beforehand, but... Screams echoed through the Snakes'' house. The maids and some of the soldiers were quickly ushered into the bathroom of the Snakes'' house. The soldiers who couldn''t see the front door immediately thought they were lucky. They may or may not have thought they were lucky. Patrick told the Knights of the Kingsguard, who were scared to enter the house, and the First Army, who immediately refrained from going inside, ''I think I''ll advise them to re-train. Patrick muttered a devilish word, and the faces of the soldiers who heard it turned pale as soon as they saw it. Meanwhile, His Royal Highness Thorinaris was in a very good mood, patting the snake''s head and lifting its tail. Patrick thought that His Highness was quite a promising young man. 108-measurement Now, I moved from the entrance to the dining room to have tea and conversation with Thorinaris. For some reason, Pichan has also moved to the dining room and is moving back and forth between Patrick and Sonali. Last time, when they talked about their hobbies, Patrick said that he was taking care of Pichan, while Sonalith said that her hobby was sewing. So, in the course of this conversation, ''I''d like to make some clothes for Master Patrick. He said. ''Clothes? ''Yes!???I''d like to make everyday clothes, but I''d also like to make military uniforms, ceremonial uniforms, and armor for marching. I understand everyday clothes and military uniforms. I understand ceremonial wear. ''For marching? What''s that? ''Yes!???There''s a military march every four years, right????Next year, I think. I want you to wear the armor I made for it! Military march It is a festival where the first three armies of the capital march through the capital and exterminate all the demons around the capital. The meat of the exterminated demons is sold at a discounted price at food stalls, and usable items such as furs are distributed to orphanages and women who lost their husbands in the war. Patrick has yet to participate, but perhaps next year the 8th Army will join in. It''s true that during the march, the so-called high-ranking military personnel march in armor, which is different from what they normally do. ''It''s true that I don''t have any armor yet, but are you sure????Isn''t it hard?'' ''No, thank you!???I want to make a handmade armor for Master Patrick!???I''ll design it myself, of course! I felt a little uneasy at the slightly snorting Thorinaris, but I couldn''t say no, ''Then, I look forward to working with you. I had no choice but to reply. A year later, I regretted that I should have refused at that time, but at that time, I had no idea that such an armor would be made. ''First of all, we need clothes for your brother''s wedding!???It''s in a month''s time, so if we make it now, it will be ready in time!???Please leave it to me! It''s true that I can''t not attend the wedding of the Dauphin, and the other party is a marquise whom I know well. I''ve already sent her a congratulatory gift since she''s been so good to me. ''Um, can you make it in time? Normally, it would take six months for a nobleman''s ceremonial clothes to be custom-made. ''I''m very good at sewing! Well, she seemed happy, so I agreed. She took my measurements on the spot, and by the time I was released, it was already dusk. I think they smelled something when they took my measurements. Patrick gave the Thornalis some drinks and chess as souvenirs, saw them off, and left them alone on the sofa in the house, ''I''m so tired! A sigh escaped from him. But more than that, the faces of the servants showed signs of fatigue. They were busy serving drinks and snacks to the Kingsguard and the national army, and sorting out the onlookers. ''Thank you all for your hard work today. I''ll give the chef a bottle of whiskey later, so you can have a drink after dinner. If you can''t drink, I''ll get you some grape water. I''ll get you some grape water if you can''t drink.'' He thanked the servants. 109-crown princes wedding A month later, the royal capital was in a festive mood. The wedding of Prince William and Crown Princess Elizabeth was held in a grand manner in the church, and a wedding party was being held in the royal castle. The two main actors dancing in the center of the room, Prince William''s long, silver hair fluttering, and the tall, slender Prince William''s green eyes staring at her, is Queen Elizabeth, her long, golden, fluffy hair swinging. She stares back with her green eyes. After the two main actors finished dancing, the nobles began to greet each other. Patrick is in an active mode. He was standing in line to greet the two stars of the day. The order of greeting was from the highest to the lowest, so Patrick, the Count, was the first to arrive. The Viscount behind him, The Viscount behind him is saying things like, ''You''re a newcomer,'' and ''You''re a former moneylender from a failing family,'' but Patrick doesn''t care. But Patrick doesn''t mind. He sees swearing as a kind of tax on the winner. When his turn comes, he greets the two main characters, the King and Queen next to him, and the Marquis and Marquise of Dixon. The Dauphin and the Queen had never met before, but they responded with smiles. When the greetings were over and I was sipping my wine, ''Sir Patrick, it''s been a long time. Patrick, it''s been a while. ''Oh, Mr. Kyle. How have you been? ''Yes, we''ve got all the main suspects in custody. Well, I''m glad we were able to resolve this before the wedding. Thanks to you, Sir Patrick. ''No, no, I was just helping out a little. I''m sure it was only because of Kyle''s research. They praised each other. ''By the way, aren''t you going to greet him? ''We''re a barony, so it''ll be a while. You''re a viscount now, aren''t you????There are many visons and barons. I''ll go slowly. He laughed. Indeed, there are four dukes, eight marquesses, and twenty earls in the kingdom, including Patrick''s Snakes, but the number changes from viscount to baron. I believe there are 123 viscount families and 258 baron families. It is no wonder Patrick is envied. Moreover, a young man of 18 is the first generation. In addition, there are more than 1,000 associate barons and knights. As is to be expected, there are no knights below the rank of baron. The nobility is also limited to the head of the family, his wife, and the next generation that inherits the family. So I guess Kyle is the next generation. Kyle says he''ll be leaving soon. And then, ''Earl Snakes! There''s a familiar voice calling out. ''Brother Decourse!???Long time no see. Where''s your uncle? ''Your father is in charge of the guards. I would have gone to greet him instead, but the line is still too long.'' He smiled. ''Are you going to stay here for a while? I asked, He replied, ''Yes, I will be here for about ten days. Would you like to have dinner with me????Do you want to come to my house? He said, ''No, I''ll invite you to my house. I''ll serve whiskey and brandy! ''Oh!???That''s a new drink that''s all the rage now!???I''ve had whiskey in the Canaan territory, and it''s good!???I haven''t had brandy yet, so I''d love to! We parted with a promise. ''Good day to you, Master Patrick. '' said the voice of a woman in fluttering clothes. ''This is His Royal Highness Thorinaris. Good day to you. Actually, I''m meeting her because she gave me my ceremonial clothes yesterday, but since I''m surrounded by people and the engagement hasn''t been announced yet, this is the way I''m dealing with her. ''It looks good on you. He whispered to me, ''Thank you very much. I replied in a whisper. It is based on black with green stripes in some places, and the Snakes'' family crest on the left breast pocket. The cloak on his back, which reaches almost to his hips, also bears the family crest. Cloak. There are rules about this one too. For kings, it''s long enough to drag on the floor. A duke''s at ankle length. Marquesses, behind the knees. Counts, as above. A viscount''s at the waist, a baron below the shoulder blades. This is also only for the head of the family. (Royalty wear cloaks of the same length as dukes, even if they are not kings. It seems to be an arrangement of the black of the 8th Army and the green of the Snakes'' Army. ''I''ll see you later. And Thorinaris is leaving. Hmm????See you later? 110-announcement Now, when the barons had finished their speeches and everyone had caught their breath. ''Gentlemen, I thank you for gathering here today for my son. My son and his wife are happy to see so many people celebrating. Everyone listened to His Majesty''s words. ''And now, I would like to take this opportunity to make a new announcement. At these words, the crowd begins to stir. ''What is it????A war?'' ''You wouldn''t say something like that at a celebration. They speculate. ''Thorinaris, come here. ''Yes, Father.'' His Royal Highness Thorinaris stands beside the King as His Majesty calls him. ''''Following the recent marriage of the Dauphin, I announce the engagement of this Thornaris! ''''''Oh!'''''' While the hall was in an uproar, ''''What????Seriously????Now? said Patrick in his mind. ''The other party is here today. (Again, being a prude.) Patrick thinks. ''Count Patrick von Snakes!???Patrick, come here.'' ''What! Yara, ''Oh! Yara,''Why? and ''Whya?????''. It''s no wonder there are so many negative voices. I''ve been called, so I have to go. ''Ha! He shouts briefly and begins to walk. Patrick stands beside His Highness the Sonaris. Looking down on the hall from one level above, you can see the faces of the people. Many of the faces look as if they are chewing on a bitter bug, but I see a smiling DeCourse. And Wayne, who had come as the second in command next to General Simon, was also smiling. I hadn''t seen Wayne''s face in a long time, but it was a little annoying to see how handsome he was. ''Patrick, say hello to the others. I was prompted, ''My name is Patrick von Snakes. I''m engaged to be married to His Royal Highness Thornalis.'' I''ve become engaged to His Highness, the Prince of Thornless,'' he says simply, and bows. ''You, too, Sona, say hello. ''My name is Thornaris. I am delighted to be engaged to the man of my dreams. This is also a simple greeting. It was a simple greeting as well, but he did not forget to show that he had chosen her. Decourse clapped his hands. Everyone clapped in response. Well, I suppose many of them are clapping reluctantly. I looked at His Majesty and saw that he was smiling. It was as if the prank had succeeded. I looked at Thorinaris and he was smiling and happy. He must have known, so he said, ''Later. ''Since Thornaris is only thirteen, we''ll have the wedding on his fifteenth birthday. A little over a year from now.'' The wedding date was set. The jealous eyes that followed were brushed aside, and the wedding party was over. On the carriage ride home, they pondered their future plans. ''Now, how are we going to move? We need to find out who the enemy will be. A newcomer engaged to the royal family. It''s not hard to imagine that there''s a pretty good chance that there will be a family that will drag us down. 111-How long have you been on your side? Patrick will be on the move the next day. He sends out invitations to all the houses he can trust. The Canernes, the Dixons, the Simons with Wayne, and the Royals. The name is.., A party to celebrate our engagement. I''ve gotten the royal family''s approval through Thornaris. I''ve included a note in the invitations asking for introductions to any families we know who might be interested in celebrating. A friend of a friend is a friend of a friend. We want to identify houses that we can see as our allies to some extent. At any rate, there were seven families that had been destroyed by Patrick''s involvement. I''m sure those relatives hold a grudge. Some of the unrelated families may not like newcomers. We set the date for two months later. I received a reply to my invitation. It said that all the Canaanites would be there. My uncle''s wife''s family would also be there. The Canaanns are a family unrelated to any faction. They are a staunch warrior family and hold the position of baron only by force. That''s why they gave his sister to the Rigsbys in a bad harvest. The Dixons agreed. Dixon''s faction joined in. The Simons agreed. Wayne''s family, the Kimble''s, and the faction families joined in. Let me explain something. There''s a reason the Simons don''t give their wives to the crown or get a son-in-law from the crown when they only have daughters. Simon''s wife is the king''s sister. It''s not good for the other nobles to have two successive royal wives. The royal family includes His Majesty, his wife, her family, her faction, and the Dauphin and his wife. The second and third wives do not seem to be participating. Roughly counting, a quarter of the kingdom''s nobles are participating. That''s more than I had expected. Will we be able to fit all of them into the venue, the Snakes'' mansion? It''s a former viscount''s residence, so it''s not a huge space. ''What should I do? I''ll write a reply anyway. I''ll write back with a note saying that quasi-barons and knights are not allowed due to the size of the venue. 112-Souvenir attack on our friends Patrick is busy preparing. When he returns to his estate, he brings brandy, whiskey, and Inesh as souvenirs to the capital. When he went to the estate, the news of the engagement had already spread, and the servants congratulated him and asked him to bring his highness to the estate. He ordered a large quantity of stone chess pieces from the craftsmen of his domain and brought them back the following month. Since I was worried about the number of people in the party, I also brought some servants from my estate to the capital. And on the day of the party. The Snakes'' mansion in King''s Landing was overflowing with people. The garden was guarded by guards and soldiers. The garden was crowded with guards, soldiers, other noblemen''s guards and servants. The Snakes'' servants, distributing drinks and snacks, moved about as if they were sewing thread. Meanwhile, inside the mansion, the largest hall was set up as a standing-room-only dining room, with tables and chairs reserved for the royal family at the top. The other nobles were served a standing-room-only meal and Snakes'' Sake. Patrick and Thornaris are congratulated one after another. We promised to give priority to the noblemen who had gathered to bring alcohol to their lands, as if they were our allies, so that they would see the benefits of associating with the Snakes. In the dining room, which was used as the second venue, we placed a large number of chess pieces to deepen the friendship between the nobles, which was also well received. Even His Majesty the King and the Dauphin participated in the chess game, and the nobles who played against each other were apparently wondering whether they should win or not. Since we warned them about Pichan before entering the house, only a few of them leaked. However, the people who leaked the information loved the large bath at the Snakes'' house so much that they asked me to build one at their house. At the chess hall, a boy and a girl were seen playing chess together, but Patrick did not hear about it. However, their parents seemed to have heard about it. At the end of the party, Patrick handed them brandy, whiskey, Inesh, and chess souvenirs, and sent them off with his best wishes for the future. When the royal family returned, he told the queen, ''Are you sure you want Sona to make you armor????Are you insane? I was a little worried, ''The costume for the wedding was also made by His Highness Sonali. The color scheme was a bit eccentric, but I think it was quite well done. I asked him, When I asked him about it, he replied, ''Well, we only had one month to make it. I decided on the idea in a day, so it''s still decent. He said that the armor would be a hobby, and that it would be scary, so you''d better be prepared for that. And then he left. Running for a hobby? 113-the thoughts of a nobleman What the hell is this demon? This was my first impression when I entered the house. The house wasn''t big, and I liked it, but the snake monster I saw inside made me instinctively associate it with death. What kind of pet is that? Count Patrick Von Snakes. Until a little over two years ago, he was just the third son of a baronet. It''s not uncommon for him to join the royal army. My son joined the royal army. He''s risen through the ranks and is now a lieutenant colonel. A lieutenant colonel in two years is a terrifyingly fast rise. Even his son, a captain, has risen so fast. They say he''s the king''s favorite and that he''s a parricide, but the man in front of me is just an ordinary guy you''d find anywhere. He''s a little thin on the ground. I''ve heard that the territory is booming with the sale of new liquors and the development of new games. Indeed, the whiskey I drank at the party was good. It''s good that you can adjust the strength of the drink yourself. If you want to get drunk slowly, you can enjoy a lighter one. The idea of mixing liquor with water is new! They also sell new seasonings, which were used in today''s dishes. It''s a taste I''ve never had before, but it''s not bad. No, it''s delicious. The Rigsby family was indeed a dying breed, but it was also one of the oldest in the kingdom. The house was lost through the mismanagement of its last head, but the blood remains. The Snakes. The blood of the brilliant Rigsby family. I''m sure His Majesty had that in mind when he made the engagement. The ability to bring such a brilliant man into the royal family with just a daughter is just what the royal family is capable of. I want to praise my son for becoming friends with that man. Well, my son has been groomed by the Simons. I''m sure this is a good move for the Kimball family. But that snake... 114-between-the-scenes man The party is over, and life is back to normal, Patrick. Well, maybe not normal. During Patrick''s stay in King''s Landing, he has visitors on his days off from military duties. The first visitor is Thornaris. They ask about Patrick''s fighting style and use it as a reference for designing their armor. The second most frequent visitor is someone from House Canaan. The second most frequent visitor is someone from the Canaan family: Trolla, Aisha, and once even Decourse. The third is the Dixons. Mostly Kevin. Apparently, he wants to join the national army, but he''s too old to do so, so he''s asking Patrick about training and doing voluntary training. He''ll be returning to the territory soon. Other families who came to the party also came to discuss trade. For baths, I introduced them to a craftsman. A number of houses have written to us about alcohol, and we have decided to distribute it in quantities determined by their rank. As a result, the Snakes'' domain became an even more important place in terms of logistics. The number of merchants coming from other territories increased, and the number of inns and entertainment districts increased. This has made it more expensive to maintain security, but it''s not a problem since the tax revenue has increased. Speaking of problems, suspicious people began to appear around the residences in the capital. They are probably the spies of some house. Some are spying on us, others are climbing over the walls. These were quickly subdued by the guards. According to the spies, who revealed everything under Patrick''s direct interrogation, they were after a new way to make alcohol. In this world, there is no obligation to disclose the production method even if it is patented, so only Patrick and the artisans in his domain know about it. The artisans have been paid well to keep their mouths shut, so it seems that no one has leaked the information yet. However, it seems that quite a few spies have been released in the territory as well. ''I''ll wipe them out the next time I return. Seeing Patrick''s smirking face, Astria''s cold sweat may or may not have fallen from her face. 115-1 in the aristocracy Patrick makes his move when he returns to the estate. Breweries, distilleries, storage facilities. All of them are guarded by territorial troops, but in the shadows a short distance away, there are men, men who are just curious to see what''s going on. If they were outside the grounds, it wouldn''t be a problem, but since they were well beyond the walls, there was a problem. I approached him from behind and punched him in the side as hard as I could. I kicked him in the stomach as he crouched in agony, then turned him onto his back and kneed him in the face. This is usually enough to demoralize him and send him into a straightjacket. He is handed over to the local army and stuffed into a prison cell, where he is dealt with again by the next interloper. On the day he returned to King''s Landing, there were 137 spies in the prison. All of them had been interrogated by Patrick, of course. The faces of the interrogated spies are a bit gaunt. Perhaps they hadn''t eaten enough, or perhaps they were simply frightened of Patrick. Patrick heads for King''s Landing with the spies crammed into a wagon escorted by his army. A short distance before King''s Landing, Patrick stopped the group, tied them up one by one with ropes, and then lassoed them together. Patrick leads the way on horseback, flanked by his army of spies. When they arrived at the gates of the capital, the gatekeeper in charge of security for the day saluted Patrick. ''Commander Patrick, who are these men? He asks, ''They''re rats from my territory, I was hoping their owners would take them in. He replied with a cold smile. Seeing his face, the soldier almost sank to his knees, but managed to hold on. ''Reaper''s smile, scary! He said in a whisper, ''I hear you, Captain Jayjay of the Third Army. I''m looking forward to the next training! Patrick said to me. ''Heeey!???Please, forgive me!???Please! Captain Jayjay apologized on his knees, ''Come on. Patrick walks away from the gate. ''I think I might be dead. I mean, do you even remember my name? Captain Jayjay looks resigned, his face pale and sighing. The group walked down the main street. Slowly, just to make an example. The commoners are looking on, wondering what''s going on. One of them, probably a spy, sees the faces of his comrades, turns bloodthirsty, and runs off somewhere. The group headed for the nobleman''s quarter, where the residences of the nobility lined the streets. 116-In the aristocratic district 2 A group of people walking through the aristocratic district stop in front of a house. The gatekeeper of the house, ''What do you want with my house????If you have no business here, get the hell out! If you have no business here, get the hell out! ''I am Count Patrick von Snakes. I am Count Patrick von Snakes. A servant of Baron Stein''s has been injured in the Snakes'' territory and I have brought him here. I''d like to hand him over to my lord. I''d like to hand him over to my lord,'' he said, smirking as he thrust a man in front of the gatekeeper. Of course, he is still wrapped in a rope. When the gatekeeper sees the man''s face, his face turns pale. He seems to know him. In fact, he may have even known his mission. ''I don''t know this kind of man, but I''m going to check with the Baron, so wait a while. For the time being, he seemed to have decided that he couldn''t handle the matter on his own. If I hadn''t fallen when I was running toward the villa, I would have passed. He was in too much of a hurry. The gatekeeper came back, ''The Baron says he doesn''t know either. Leave as soon as possible. Get out of here.'' he said. Well, that''s to be expected. He''d never admit it. ''Well, then I''ll sell it to the mines. Sorry for the interruption. So says Patrick, heading for the next house. The man who had been told he didn''t know looked at the gatekeeper with a grudge, but he was good enough not to be upset. At any rate, at the next house, an idiot was standing in front of the gate, ''It''s me, please help me. I don''t want to go to the mine. I don''t want to go to the mine.'' It was very noisy. Of course, I was told that he was a stranger and ignored him. Well, this guy was a fool who threw up just because he got a needle between his nails. We couldn''t visit all the houses that day, it took three days, but we were surprised to find one house that accepted the interloper. That house invited Patrick inside, and the owner himself apologized formally and promised to pay the interloper''s ransom. Patrick liked the owner of the house and asked him if he would be willing to get to know him better since he did not need the ransom. Patrick liked the head of the family and asked if he could be his friend. Count Abbott of the North, also known as the Iron Fox of the North. 117-Three in the aristocracy. Later, Patrick invited the Earl of Abbot to the mansion. Of course, I will never forget Pichan''s explanation at the door. Count Abbott was a thin, silver-haired man of about 50 years old and about 170cm tall. The wrinkles on his face are either a sign of strength of will or the result of hard work. Count Abbott is neither a friend nor a foe of the Snakes, but this time, he seems to have infiltrated the Snakes'' territory as part of his observation, and of course, he is investigating the territory''s trade in alcohol. It just so happened that Patrick was the one who captured him. ''How dare you capture him yourself? I ask back, my green eyes widening. It didn''t seem to occur to Abbott. The Abbot family was focused on the management of the estate, so although he had heard about Patrick''s success from his subordinates, he hadn''t really felt it. He was also very interested in the fact that his own subordinate had blabbed about the Abbott family. There was no way that a subordinate who had served him for so many years would simply tell him about himself. He uses people he trusts. But Patrick''s interrogation, well, torture, if you will. I heard what he said, ''I''m gonna throw up...'' He was a little taken aback. He apologized again and gave me ten daggers made of high quality iron from his territory as a souvenir. There are many mines in the north, but the iron from Abbot''s territory is especially known for its high quality, and the blacksmiths who work there are also famous for their high quality. Patrick gratefully accepted the gift, and we talked about the future. ''So, let''s trade iron from Abbot''s territory and liquor from Snakes'' territory as the main trade, and let the others circulate to some extent. They agreed. ''Then, we will exchange information in the future. ''My pleasure! The two men shook hands, The two men shook hands, and Patrick presented them with an assortment of liquor and a chess game as a souvenir. 118-Count Abbott I couldn''t believe my ears when I heard from the gatekeeper that one of my trusted men had been captured. I''ve hired him for 30 years. He''s never failed me before. I couldn''t believe he''d not only been captured but had told him about our home. But it was undoubtedly one of my men who was brought into the house. He must have been exhausted both physically and mentally, because as soon as he saw my face, ''I''m sorry, sir. I messed up...'' He immediately fainted. A doctor was immediately sent for, and he was put to bed to meet the Earl of Snakes. I had heard rumors about him from my subordinates, and I had seen his face at the wedding party of the Dauphin. He was a young man who looked like he belonged anywhere. His black hair and eyes were unusual, but other than that, he was a perfectly normal young man. But I''ve never heard of a lieutenant colonel two years after joining the national army. Probably the first in the history of the army. His Majesty''s favorite. I suppose that''s true. But that''s based on performance. There''s something about her that he likes. The Westin rebellion. You''ve done a great deal of good in that case. And the loyalty of a man who would take care of his own parents with his own hands. His ability to restore his domain so quickly. I had no trouble finding a reason to have him investigated. Naturally I had it investigated. My family is known as the foxes. We''ve survived the kingdom with great cunning. We''ve always done our research, and we''ve always prided ourselves on our ability to use the information we''ve gathered. But this is the result. I apologized and was invited to the mansion later, where I was stunned in the entrance hall. I was told in advance. ''There''s a big snake in the house, so don''t be surprised. But it was too big. But that thing was far too big. And it''s not just any snake. A gigant tree viper. It''s a poisonous, vicious snake monster. You''d keep that in your house? I questioned my sanity. But it was rubbing against Count Snakes like it was spoiling him and wagging its tail when he stroked its head. I was impressed that this was the skill of the demon wizard I had heard so much about. We were able to conclude negotiations on equal terms. Since there are many dwarves in our territory, we need to drink. The dwarves would be happy to have the new brew I''ve heard so much about and I''m sure they''ll make a good one. I drank some of the wine they gave me, and it was quite good. The Inesh is especially good when served warm. I''m sure it will come in handy in the cold north. We got off to a bad start, but it turned out well. The souvenir chess is also of high quality. We only had mass-produced wooden ones in our territory. I hope they don''t know I spilled a drop. 119-troops A certain place, a certain house. Dozens of men there. ''I can''t allow that man to take a wife from the royal family! ''That''s right!???My family''s grudge was ruined by a young man like him! ''He''s the reason I was downgraded to sergeant! Complaints about Patrick were being shouted everywhere. ''So!???What do we do????Are we just going to let him get away with it? ''I can''t let that happen! ''I can''t stand it if we don''t drive him to ruin! ''What about rampaging through his territory? ''How many people can you provide????How much money do you need to hire people????Do you have any?'' ''We don''t have any, our property was confiscated. ''What about property????My family''s in ruins! ''You''re lucky your family is still alive. My brother and his wife, my nephews, they''re all going to be executed.'' ''My family, too. ''We don''t have the money, so we can''t have many people. But a little harassment won''t convince you, will it?'' ''Of course not!???I want his head! ''There''s too many men in the territory, we''ll have to go to King''s Landing. Can you do it? ''Do you want to hire a few good men????Can''t we manage a couple? ''Should we sneak them into the mansion????Or do we target them during military operations? ''That depends on the skills of the people we hire. ''Just give me what you can. I''ll hire the best. Let them do the assassinations, and then we''ll harass them individually as much as we can. It''s the only way. That''s all we can do now. ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? Patrick sold all the spies he captured to the mines, except those who could survive the first round of interrogations. They were debt slaves. In this country, criminal slaves and debt slaves are allowed. Criminal slaves are forced to work for the duration of their sentence. Debt slaves are subject to normal labor until they pay back their debts through work. Crimes committed in the territory shall be judged by the lord. You could have been a criminal slave for the crime of trespassing, but there was no harm done to the people, nor was any property stolen. Since they were only trespassing on the property, Patrick set a price for each spouse he captured and sold them as debt slaves. Later, when they were freed after paying their debts, he would use them as billboards to spread the word about the danger of the Snakes. Apart from that, those who survived the round of interrogation were given a choice. ''Are you willing to work for us? And... The Snakes are an upstart family. The Rigsby''s had men and knights to do some spying. Well, they didn''t seem to be able to afford it at the end. I think I mentioned before that a knight-errant is a person who is recognized by the nobility, but how can a person who is recognized by the nobility become a knight-errant? The reason is that the recognized nobles pay an annual knight tax of 10 gold coins to the royal family. Five gold coins are given to the knight-errant out of the tax. The knight-errant who is appointed will be called a knight of the 00 family. Just by appointing a knight, a nobleman loses money. Patrick doesn''t have a knight of his own yet. He has no intelligence-gathering unit. After enduring Patrick''s first round of interrogation, the 29 of us accepted Patrick''s offer. Or perhaps they were too afraid to refuse. 120-invasion of the north Northern Army This army is deployed to stop the invasion of the tribes living in the northern mountainous area. A small number of them attack several times a month, and each time they are driven off. That hasn''t happened for two months now. Have they finally given up? That''s when someone thought. A watchman at the fort''s observation post spots a group of them stirring. The soldiers panicked and rang the bell provided. ''Enemy attack!???Enemy attack! while shouting. Clang, clang, clang! The soldiers in the fort begin to move at the sound of the bell. The archers position themselves on the walls of the fort, the cavalry in their armor, the infantry with spears in their hands, and gather in front of the gate. Major General Fischer, who had climbed to the top of the observation platform, was surprised to see the number of the enemy. The numbers were so different from before. ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ''Commander Snakes. You are summoned by His Majesty.'' Patrick was summoned by Lieutenant General Simon. He was summoned by His Majesty the General, the generals from the first to the third army, the Prime Minister, and the bureaucrats from the Foreign Ministry. ''You''re all here. We will now begin the meeting. The agenda is how to respond to the great invasion of the northern tribes! ''What is the status of the Northern Army? ''According to the message, the number of the enemy is about 10,000. Two thousand from the north and two thousand from the noble families in the north. It seems they are defending the fort with 4,000 in total. ''We''ll need reinforcements. Which army do you want this time? ''I''m thinking three and eight, what do you think? ''I can take three! Patrick, too, ''I can go with the eighth! ''All right, Prime Minister. Arrange for food and other supplies. ''Yes, sir! ''Foreign Minister!???What are the other countries doing? ''Yes, the Kingdom of Plum has no problem with us due to our friendship treaty. The Empire is under a non-aggression pact, so there will be no invasion of our country, but there is a possibility that it will be broken, so we cannot move the Western Army. According to the information from the spies who have infiltrated the Empire, a large amount of food is being exported from the Empire. They''re probably giving aid to the North. ''They''re probably importing iron in return. ''Probably. ''Alright, just to be on the lookout for the west, send five hundred from the south to the west, and another five hundred to guard King''s Landing, which is getting thin. The Third and Eighth Armies will meet the Northern Army''s reinforcements with all their might!???That''s it! Hurry up! All rise, '''''''''' Gyoi! The next day, the 3rd and 8th armies left the capital. 121-at the northern fort When the third and eighth armies arrived at the northern fort with large amounts of food, spears and arrows, the fort was surrounded by mountain tribesmen. ''Commander Snakes! Lieutenant General Ganash, the commander of the 3rd Army, called out to Patrick. ''Yes, Lieutenant General. ''We''ll head straight for the fort, kick the tribesmen out, and enter the fort. What about you and the other eight?'' Patrick pondered for a few seconds, then answered. ''I''ll leave part of the 8th''s transport unit with the 3rd. The rest will go around to their rear and we''ll split up here. I''ll take the transport unit!???When we launch a surprise attack, we''ll emit black smoke, so use that as a signal! ''Yes, sir. Good luck.'' ''Eight troops!???The wagon train will move with the third army!???Horse Guards, Horse Guards, move around to their rear!???Get ready! At Patrick''s command, food and other supplies are packed from the wagons into individual backpacks. ''All right, we''re going around, 8th Army depart! ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? The three armies attacked the tribesmen at the back gate of the fort from behind. The tribesmen seemed to be thinking only of encircling the fort, and could not respond properly to the surprise attack from behind. The three armies entered the fort without much damage. The northern troops are excited to supply food and armor. ''Where is Major General Fischer? Lieutenant General Ganash asked, ''He''s on the observation platform above the main gate! '' replied a nearby soldier. Lieutenant General Ganash went up to the observation platform, ''Major General Fischer, what''s your status? '' he asked. ''Oh!???Lieutenant General Ganash. Thank you for the reinforcements. There''s no major damage at this time due to the siege, but there have been some injuries from the enemy''s archers. However, there have been some injuries from the enemy''s archers. There are too many of them for us to take them out. ''I see. I''m glad you didn''t go out of your way. The number of soldiers is important. We came with three armies and eight armies, but it was all three armies and the eighth army''s convoy that entered the fort. The rest of the eight troops are moving separately to go around the enemy''s rear. ''The newly established 8th Army? I''ve only heard rumors about them since I''ve been here for a while, but how good are they?'' ''Their training is tremendous. Not just the 3rd Army, even the Kingsguard screams. You can count on them. ''So much soa????? Then, are you sure you want to stay in the city for a while longer? ''Yeah, we''ll stay here until there''s movement. We''ll wait for Commander Snakes. 122-surprise attack Run. A horse. A dragon. With eight armies on their backs. The northern part is mountainous. The trees in the mountains are mostly conifers. It''s a region covered with snow in winter. Dressed in black military uniforms, the 8th Army managed to move along the foot of the mountains where horses could run. The soldiers, numbering about two hundred, are silent. They just followed behind Patrick. After half a day of riding, nightfall was approaching. ''All right, we''ll camp here for the night. Set up the tent!???Don''t make a fire!'' Patrick gave the order when they found a small stream. Patrick left his men and climbed a nearby tree. ''The fort''s that way, so I''m guessing it''s around there.???I wonder if we can see the fire when the sun goes down a bit? He muttered and climbed down the tree. ''Each team, watch in the same order as in the drill. We''ll leave before dawn.'' Later, the 8th Army was attacked by a few goblins and forest wolves, but they were repelled without damage. After the sun went down, Patrick climbed the tree again to get a better look at the enemy''s position. When the sky turned white, the 8th Army had finished their preparations for the sortie. ''Then let''s go. We should be in contact with the enemy this afternoon. Everyone, we''re going slow, so be prepared.'' Then he signaled with his foot to the side of the running dragon. When the dragon begins to run, everyone follows him. As he runs, he takes a bite of dried meat and drinks water from his canteen. Don''t eat too much before a battle. When the sun was slightly tilted from above, we could see a fort-like structure ahead of us. We have finally completed our detour. The enemy is just ahead. ''All hands, make no noise. Move forward quietly. '' Slowly, slowly advance the Eighth Army. There''s almost no sound of running dragons'' footsteps. Horses can''t help but make hoofbeats. Patrick estimates we''re about a kilometer from the enemy. ''All troops, charge! Patrick ordered in a quiet but firm voice. ''Attack! A voice rises from the enemy side. We''re about two hundred meters from the enemy. They''ve just spotted us. Patrick calls out to a muscular man on horseback, six feet tall. ''Captain Wylie!???Archers on horseback, ready your bows! '' he orders. The man called Wylie turns his short green head to Patrick, his green eyes bowing, ''Ha!???Horsemen, draw your bows!??????Get ready. ...... Release! At the command of Captain Wylie, the captain of the Horse Guards, about a hundred arrows flew from the archers on horseback. ''Captain Van Pelt!???The dragonriders charge with spears! Patrick orders. A slender man, slightly taller than Patrick, with long red hair, widens his brown eyes and calls out, ''Yes, sir!???I''m not sure what to do.???I''m not sure what to do. Since we are not expecting a forest battle this time, I have brought a spear. But it''s a short spear. ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? The enemy, on the other hand, was impatient. He had only been looking at the fort. They had received a report the other day that enemy reinforcements had entered the fort. Hundreds of their men were out of action. But they had no idea that the enemy would come from behind. These people were despised as mountain tribes and lived in villages here and there in the mountains. Life in the mountains in winter was harsh, and there were many years when they could not live on the fruits of the mountains alone. Whenever this happens, we try to reach the plains, but we have never been able to do so because each village is always attacked by surprise, only to be turned away. This time, we communicated with each village and attacked them all together. We thought we would be able to take them easily because of our superiority in numbers, but we never imagined that attacking a fort would be so difficult. We had never even fought a proper group battle before. There was no way he could have known. ''Enemy attack from the rear! This voice sent the whole army into a frenzy. They scream at the slightest arrow. It wasn''t supposed to be like this. The empire sold us food at a reasonable price, but the amount was only enough for a month if we distributed it throughout the mountainous region. If we didn''t take the kingdom''s territory, we would inevitably starve. It was an invasion that could not be stopped. 123-What is your parents? ''Black smoke for a signal! Patrick instructed, and Mirko lit the coal he had stuffed in his backpack. As it burned, a large amount of black smoke rose. Patrick had given the signal ahead of time to avoid being spotted by the enemy. The eight armies defeated the tribesmen one after another. The enemy soldiers were not skilled and only wielded spears. The eight troops of the dragon troops had an overwhelming advantage. The eight horse troops attacked a wide area with their bows and arrows. They stabbed the backs of the fleeing enemies one after another. ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? Meanwhile, the fort to the north, ''We''ve got black smoke! The fort''s sentry shouts. ''Yes!???Fire arrows at the enemy in front of the main gate!???When their numbers are down, we''ll leave at once! The inside of the fort begins to move in a flurry. Meanwhile, a trumpet sounded from the enemy side. It''s not just a trumpet. It is a trumpet of a magic tool, so it is quite loud. ''The enemy is retreating! ''Certainly!???All right!???Open the gate and charge! As soon as the main gate was opened, the Kingdom''s cavalry started running at once. Kick the tribesmen to the center of the enemy. The 3rd, 7th, and northern noble families push forward as if they were releasing their anger. The cavalry run at the front, followed by the infantry. ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? The representatives of the mountain tribes were impatient. Their attempt to surround the fortress, which they had been unable to attack, backfired. Because they had used so many men to surround the fort, the number of men in the command post had dwindled. Those soldiers, too, were attacked from the rear and are now being devoted to the defense of the fort. And now we''re being assaulted by cavalry from the fort. ''Yes, call back the soldiers surrounding us! The bugle call sounds, but it takes some time for them to return to the command post. The enemy cavalry will reach the headquarters before the soldiers can return. ''What are we going to do????If we don''t do something, we''ll lose! ''Should we retreat and regroup? ''We''re still outnumbered, aren''t we? ''We can win if we regroup and try again! ''No, can we retreat? ''Either way, there''s nothing we can do about it! ''Yes!???Retreat!???Give the signal! The bugle call sounded again. There was no time for the command staff to clear out, and each of them was busy preparing to flee. But.., ''Ugh! ''Gof! and one by one, one by one, they began to fall. ''What''s going on????Are they the enemy?'' ''I don''t know, sir!???I don''t know, but there are no arrows flying, and the wounds are only cuts! ''Anyway, let''s get out of here! ''We can''t let them get away. Especially you pompous bastards. A voice came from right beside me. ''Who the hell are you? The man took a step back in surprise, ''You started the war, didn''t you????Then I think it''s your responsibility to finish it. If you don''t, your soldiers will be wiped out.???Are you sure you want to lose your men for nothing?'' The man with the sword said, ''Shut up!???They will all die of hunger if we don''t!???Do you understand that????You don''t understand how it feels to have no food, to see your family and friends thin out, one by one, starving to death!???Every time you go to the plains to look for food, you are turned away! ''Wouldn''t you be more resigned if everyone had no food????I think it would be harder for you if your parents and siblings had a sumptuous meal and you were left without food and beaten and kicked by not only your parents and siblings but even your servants. While brandishing a sword, ''You can''t have parents like that!???A parent can endure starvation for the sake of his children! ''Your parents are decent. My parents were such scum that they would lend their children of less than ten to acquaintances for a mere ten pieces of silver. But coming here to loot is unacceptable. Why don''t you come to negotiate? Why don''t you ask them to share their food with us and give us their labor? He swung the sword down and raised it up, ''''That would separate father and son, wouldn''t it? ''''Wouldn''t it be better for us to live apart than to die together? He took a step further, ''If we''re separated, we can''t be sure they''re still alive! ''There are ways to do that. Well, okay. It''s too late for that. I''m not going to kill you because you''re valuable.'' At the same time, Patrick''s right fist slams into his side after he dodges a downed sword, and the man falls to the ground. 124-recollection Patrick reminisced about the past as he talked to his enemy. In this life, when he was Rigsby, right after his mother''s death, the persecution of Patrick had become more brutal. Before that, he had been sarcastic and beaten in the shadows, but now they would come all the way to the annex to find him, bring him to the main building, beat him, and drag him to the dining hall. The only thing available is a glass of water placed directly on the floor. You are shown your parents and siblings eating. When I reach out to drink some water, a servant kicks the glass of water. The water spills. I can''t even drink it. So Patrick learned to stay out of sight as much as possible. That was for two years. If it hadn''t been for the servants who worked in the annex, who fed him and tended to his wounds, he would surely have died. In his previous life, when he was a child, his father was not there, only his mother. It is doubtful that he even had a father. His mother was a gambler and in debt. He lent a girl he met at a pachinko parlor to Patrick, then a schoolboy named Jin, for two days and one night for 100,000 yen. He told her she could do whatever she wanted. That''s when the boy Jin started getting dirty. He loses his virginity to a woman he''s never met before. He''s often told by his parents to go and steal that product. When he is found by a shopkeeper, he is beaten up in front of the shopkeeper and turned in to the police, but he manages to avoid it. A child who spends his childhood like that will never grow up properly. The boy, who was not even allowed to attend high school, lived a life full of part-time jobs, but his mother took the money from him. As a result, he began to steal repeatedly in order to eat. While living like this, he catches the eye of a gangster and becomes a member. He beats and kicks street hoodlums to bring them under his control, collects kickbacks from brothels, and shoots and kills leaders of rival gangs as bullets. In the meantime, several years passed, and Jin became a senior member of the organization. He was told by the boss to smuggle weapons, and went to Russia alone. There, he falls in love with the daughter of a local mafioso, but is shot and killed by a local mobster who was targeting her. ''I didn''t have a very good life, did I? Patrick muttered to himself after capturing the enemy. 125-interrogation at the fort Patrick appears at the fort, holding the man''s ankle and dragging his head. Already there are no tribesmen around the fort, and the Royal Guards have begun repairing it. They''re preparing for what''s next. In the interrogation room, Patrick''s interrogation begins, and after the second round of fingernails are removed, the man''s spirit is broken and he begins to ramble on. This man, the chief of the largest tribe, was the main culprit in this war. It seems that he was told to leave for the kingdom because the empire would provide him with food. They suggested that food would be cheaper as long as the fighting continued. ''In other words, it''s a strategy to reduce the strength of the kingdom as much as possible. The Empire is also cunning. ''But even if we questioned the Empire, they wouldn''t admit it. The Lieutenant General and the Major General who were present were shocked by Patrick''s interrogation, but they remained conscious. The guards in the room, at the beginning, had gotten nauseous and left the room. ''What do we do now?'' Patrick asked, and Lieutenant General Ganash said, ''I''m afraid we''ll have to report to His Majesty and ask for his decision. He replied. ''Yes, sir. I''ll send a message from the Seventh Army. Can I ask the 3rd and 8th troops to wait here at the fort????I''d like to give the Seventh Army some rest. '' Major General Fischer bows his blond head. ''Then let''s have the messenger run from the third army. Lieutenant Colonel Snakes, the Eighth Army, take care of the perimeter.'' Lieutenant General Ganash decides. ''Understood, sir. I''ll take care of this.'' After Patrick leaves the interrogation room, ''Hey? Fischer.'' ''Yes, sir...'' ''Can you stand?'' ''I can''t. I''m too weak...'' ''Me too. Is there anyone who won''t throw up?'' ''I don''t think so, honestly, I''m afraid of the Commander...'' ''I think I finally understand why His Majesty is demanding it. ''Does His Majesty know about the interrogation? ''He may have heard about it, but he didn''t see it. I can''t show you that. ''Well...'' He looked at the unconscious man who had been freed from Patrick, ''It''s a shame this guy got caught by the Reaper. ''The Red Reaper, that''s exactly what he was. His whole body was red with blood, and only his black eyes were raised, causing some of the Seventh Army to collapse in fear. ''Try taking his training, you''ll all fall down. ''Even the third army? ''Not just the 3rd, the 1st and 2nd have collapsed. Even the Kingsguard! ''I don''t want to take it. ''Are you ready to move? ''''I can''t yet...'''' ''''Is anyone coming?'''' The two voices came together. 126-The messenger is busy. Three horses run. Three armies of soldiers on their backs. The goal is the royal castle in the capital. ''This is the messenger!???Please open the gate! The gatekeepers quickly confirm their affiliation and open the gates to the approaching cavalry. The soldiers of the three armies immediately report to General Andretti. General Andretti hears the report, ''Thank you!???I''ll ask His Majesty, so rest up! and runs off. ????????????????????????????????? ''I see, well done to the 3rd, 8th, and 7th armies. They had the Empire''s backing after all. They have dirty ways. What should we do now? What do you think, Prime Minister? The king asks. ''Huh!???If we leave the north as it is, we are certain to be attacked from the west and the north at the same time. It would be better to incorporate the north into our country and prepare for an attack on the empire from the north as well. Our country has an abundance of food, so it would not be a problem to take in the mountain tribes. ''What do you think Andretti? ''I think it''s a good idea to control the mountainous areas. If we can keep the tribesmen as soldiers, they will be a threat to the Empire. ''All right, then!???Overrun the mountainous region. But keep the damage to the residents to a minimum. Don''t let them interfere with your subsequent rule. Send additional food and use it to pacify them!???Good! ''''Yes, sir!'''' ''''So, Patrick''s still a hell of a guy. ''''From the reports I''ve read, he''s something of a monster. No, I beg your pardon. He was married to Her Royal Highness, wasn''t he?'''' ''Good, good, don''t worry about it. His abilities will certainly be like that in the field. He doesn''t seem to be suited for single combat, though.'' ''The enemy can''t find him. There''s no better soldier for the field. ''What do you think, Prime Minister Bendrick? ''I don''t know much about his skills, but I understand he''s quite capable, even with his recent revelations of wrongdoing. ''Isn''t that right????I''m glad I was able to marry her off to a good man, but I wonder what I should do with the other four. Do you know anyone who would be a good match?'' ''Your Majesty, are you asking us that????Wouldn''t that upset the balance? ''Do we have to give them to nobles who are rebellious against the royal family????Why should we give them our sons and daughters when all they want is to find fault with the royal family? ''A civil war here would be just what the Empire wants. ''I know. But what I don''t like, I don''t like. Well, I''ll think it over. Hurry up with the first thing. ''''Yes, sir! The 3rd Army Commander is heading north again with the 2nd Army''s transport unit. Pack food, weapons and medicine. 127-Battle or surrender? The messenger has returned to the north fort. With a large supply of food. ''A letter of command from His Majesty. Your Majesty''s orders are to subdue the mountainous region and bring it into the Kingdom.'' The Lieutenant General read and declared the order and showed it to the Major General and Patrick. ''So, how do we move????The Seventh Army will stay at the fort for now, rest and provide logistical support? Patrick asks. ''Mm, that''s right. Let''s take the three less exhausted armies and bring food to the villages in the mountainous areas and negotiate. What about the eighth army? ''Then, we''ll drop the rebellious villages. We''ll take care of the villages that didn''t respond to the three armies'' negotiations. We''ll move with them first.'' ''Are you sure????It''s dirty work, right?'' ''Our mission is rear distraction, assassination. ''No, but... Will the soldiers accept it? ''Soldiers are tasked with carrying out the orders of their superiors.'' ''That''s true, but...'' ''Well, if it comes to it, I can do it on my own. ''That''s a problem, but...'' ''It''s war, you know.???The other side has invaded us. If we''d lost, they''d have done the same to us. It''s not a problem. ????????????????????? The Royal Army''s control of the mountainous region proceeded quietly. When they were shown food and told that they would be freed from hunger if they were annexed to the kingdom, many of the villages fell easily. They were that hungry. However, there were many villages that resisted. The three armies left the resisting villages untouched. Of course, those villages that challenged them head-on were mercilessly cut down by those with weapons. ???????????????????????? Those settlements that refused but did not engage in battle were considering their future plans. ''Can''t we just take their food?'' ''How about we take their cargo to the other settlements that are dominated by the kingdom? ''Would that work? ''The reason for the earth is here. Let''s stake them out in the best places to attack, such as narrow roads and cliffs! The men are discussing it. ''Chief????What''s wrong with you? One man became suspicious of the chief''s silence and turned his head toward the chief. What he saw was the headless body of the man who had been the chief a few minutes ago. It was a corpse without its head. ''Ouch! Aaaaah! '' screamed the men, Patrick thinks to himself. ''Hey!???Let''s run for now! The man said, ''Ugh. ''Agh! At the same time as he moaned, two heads fell with a thud. ''Hey, it''s over! As if in response to Patrick''s voice, the door of the house opens. ''Well done, Commander. What do you want me to do with the heads? Mirko asks, looking at the three heads on the floor. ''I think I''ll put them in a prominent place in the village. After frightening them, let''s surround them with eight troops and resume negotiations. ''Yes, sir. And I''m going to expose them? I''m afraid they''ll find me. ''What are you training to hide for????If you''re spotted, run over here. If you can''t escape from these people, we''ll re-train you when we get back! ''No, you can''t come back if you can''t escape. ''Just go! ''Yes, sir. Mirko wraps three heads in a cloth and leaves the house. He leaves the village with Mirko who has returned. The next day, Patrick surrounds the village with the 8th Army. ''You have one hour from now to choose between surrender and engagement! If you surrender, I''ll let you off with just the heads of the three men from yesterday, but if you engage, you''d better prepare yourself! Under Patrick''s direction, Private First Class Dave, famous for his loud voice, shouted. An hour later, the men of the village appear with what looks like a white flag. 128-rumors of a black-clad unit It''s been a month since we began our campaign of conquest in the mountains. We''ve annexed almost the entire region. All that remains is a certain settlement on the border of the Empire. The chief of the village and Lieutenant General Ganash, the commander of the three armies, are in the middle of a discussion. ''If we surrender to the Kingdom, we will die if the Empire attacks us. ''We''ll station our forces here to protect you from the Empire. Of course, we''ll need your people to help us. The kingdom will hire you as soldiers. You can buy food with your wages. Not a bad deal, right????I''ll advise His Majesty to treat you not so badly. ''Do you trust him? ''You''ll have to trust me, but think about it. Even if this village refuses, the others have already fallen, right????We''ll just set up base there. It doesn''t matter to us if it''s this village or another.'' ''And if I refuse? ''Three of us will leave, but the Eighth, or as you know it, the Black Cloaks????That''s all that''s coming.'' ''That brutal unit! ''That captain is merciless, you know????I''m sure you''ve heard the stories. Lieutenant General Ganash grinned, the depths of his blue eyes glowing. ''I heard that they''re going to cut off the head of the chief and expose it to the public, forcing him to surrender. .... And if they don''t surrender, they''ll show no mercy in battle. ''I don''t know about that. But if you surrender, you''ll live. ''Do you really think I''ll be so easily defeated? ''Perhaps by the time you realize it, your head will have left your body!???Now, choose! ''You''re a fool!???I refuse!???Go home! ''Well, I''m afraid I''ll have to leave. See you later!???Oh, we won''t see each other again, will we? Then we''ll meet again in the afterlife! ?????????????????? The chief looks on in disgust as the three armies leave the village and calls out to the men of the village, ''War!???Get your weapons ready! Get your weapons ready! But.., Before the men could reply, blood spurted from their throats and they collapsed. ''Yes, it''s over. They were already there, weren''t they? So, what about those men????Die now????Or surrender?'' The men, unable to comprehend the situation, were stunned speechless. ''I''ll ask you again. Die now or surrender????Or do you want to surrender????Answer me now!'' Patrick''s voice, ''Oh, I surrender!???I don''t want to die! ''Oh, me neither! ''I''m going to go tell the others to surrender!???I don''t know who you are, but wait a minute!???I''m gonna go talk some sense into them!???Please don''t kill me again! ''Fine. You''ll know if I run, won''t you? ''Yes, of course. Watching the man''s back as he ran, ''It looks like I''m finally going home. Patrick muttered to himself. 129-butlers sigh The control of the mountainous region was finally complete. The defiled 8th Army decided to return to the royal capital as soon as possible, leaving the 3rd and 7th armies in their wake. At a town on the way, the 8th Army held a party to relax and consolation, and Patrick ended up spending 5 gold coins. I mean.., ''What''s five gold coins for 300 people drinking? Patrick regretted saying he was buying the drinks. A banquet costing five million yen in Japanese yen would be a complaint. Well, it seems that he had a lot of heartache from killing someone, so I hope he''s healed even a little. I returned safely to the capital and reported to His Majesty. ''Commander Snakes, thank you for your hard work. The 8th Army will allow you five days'' leave. Rest well.'' The King said, ''Thank you for your consideration. and to all the men of the Eight after the audience, ''Five days'' leave!???Get some rest! and disband them. So, Patrick returned to the mansion in King''s Landing, ''What are these guys? He asks the butler. There are three men tied up with ropes at the entrance. ''These are the men who broke into the house last night. They''re quite good, the guard was injured, we were in danger...'' ''How badly is the soldier hurt????Will the potion be enough to heal him????Are the servants safe?'' ''Yes, sir. The potions healed most of them and we are unharmed. As soon as we sneaked into the villa, the master''s servants captured them.'' ''Hmm????Pichan? Patrick said, looking at Pichan. Pichan snaked her way across the floor and came to Patrick. He pats Pichan''s head, ''Did Pichan catch you? The image somehow flows into my mind. The image of Pichan knocking down one of the intruders with her tail, then wrapping around them and breaking all their bones. ''Yeah, yeah, that''s great, Pichan. Let''s go to the forest for all-you-can-eat tomorrow morning! Patrick''s words put Pichan in a good mood, wagging his tail. ''So, did you interrogate him? I asked Astria, ''I did, but he didn''t spit anything out. ''That''s because you''re not doing it right. Come with me. I''ll teach you. The butler''s face turned pale. ''Oh, you want me to do that? ''If you keep relying on my interrogation, you''ll be in trouble when I''m not around. ''Oh, yes, that''s true, but can I do it????I mean, can you do it? ''You''ll get used to it, you''ll get used to it! I''m not going to get used to it, but I can''t say it out loud. The master''s order is a matter to be carried out. ''Huh...'' A small sigh was heard. 130-guidance for interrogation Astria turns away and sticks a needle in the intruder''s finger. ''Hey!???Because you turned away, it''s stuck in a place that''s not between your nails!???Look properly!???Shake and turn it after you''ve stuck it in!???That''ll amplify the pain!???No, no, no!???Like this. Like this. Patrick shows me a sample. ''Okay????When you''re removing a nail, you start here with a pincers like this...'' ''When you break a bone, be careful not to break through the skin...'' ''It''s important to look like you haven''t done enough! ''The key is to not bleed so that the potion can heal...'' Patrick''s explanation and demonstration continued, and Astria was made to do the same. During this time, the screams of the three intruders are heard. Patrick is unconcerned, but to Astria''s ears, the screams ring loud and clear. ''As a final threat to anyone who doesn''t fall after two rounds, I''m going to stick this needle with a hole in it into a vein, well, a blood vessel!???I''ll stick it in here and bleed you out. And then this container will catch the blood, and by the time it''s full, you''ll be dead. Countdown to life. This is gonna work!???No one''s ever fallen from this! After Patrick''s thankless lecture, Astria collapsed on the couch, her energy exhausted. Then the gatekeeper came in, ''My lord, Count Abbot''s messenger is here. He tells Patrick. ??????????????????????????????????????? There''s a knock at the door, ''Come in. '' Patrick tells him. The Earl of Abbot''s messenger is brought in. A sharp-eyed man, about 50 years old, slightly shorter than Patrick. Short brown hair, brown eyes. ''Hey, Conan, right????It''s been a while. Patrick called out to him. ''Long time no see. I did not wish to see you again, but I have come as a messenger by order of the Count. The man called Conan replied. Yes, he is the interloper of the Abbotts who was questioned by Patrick about the incident. ''Well, don''t say that. You''ve been through the ringer, and I recognize your guts. So????What do you want? ''The Count has something urgent to tell you. He can come to me or to Abbott''s residence, which do you prefer? ''I''m in the middle of questioning the interloper who snuck in last night. Tell him I''d like him to come over if he can.'' Conan felt nauseous at the mention of an interrogator, ''Yes, sir. Then I will return immediately and tell him. If you''ll excuse me. He hurriedly left. 131-to refrain from Less than an hour later, Count Abbott arrived at the house. ''You''ve just returned from an expedition, and some interloper has broken in? Patrick was asked, Patrick replied, ''Yes, my Pee-chan, the snake by the door, she caught it. He replied, ''It may have something to do with that, but according to the information that our intelligence department has obtained, there are people who want to kill Count Snakes and His Highness Thornalis. Here are the details of the information we have. He handed him several sheets of paper. Patrick took them, ''I''ll take a look. He begins to read. ''Well, that''s a lot more detailed than what the spies told us!???That''s very helpful. It seems that the spies only knew their employer. But you''ve got some nerve fighting with me. I''ll show you something. ''So the intruder is related to this? ''Yes, they were planning to attack me when I came home tired. Count Abbott, this is just a suggestion, but would you like to take a stab at getting back at me????Of course I''ll return the favor.'' ''Bite you for what, exactly? ''Well, you know...'' Count Abbott looked dumbfounded, ''How could you come up with something like that again? But can you do it? I asked. ''Well, I think I can manage it. We may need a little permission, but we''ll do it as soon as we get it. ''Well, it doesn''t seem to be a loss to us, so we can bite the bullet.???It''ll ruin your reputation again. ''It''s too late for that. A young man from an upstart family is finished if he''s licked. Strike while the iron''s hot!???That''s what I say. Don''t worry, we''ll take care of the dirty work. Would you like to see the interrogation? Patrick asked, ''No, thanks...'' 132-cry out for The next day, early in the morning, Patrick got into the carriage with Pichan and headed for the nearby forest. ''Come on, go on. After sending Pichan off, he climbs up on a nearby tree and looks around. After about two hours, Pichan came back after eating all he could. She was twice as fat as usual. ''We''ll have to look into getting a new carriage, we won''t be able to ride in it soon. Patrick decides to order a bigger carriage. When he returned to the villa, he was greeted by a kneeling Astria, ''I can''t do it!???Please let someone else do it!???I beg you!???I beg you!???I''ll do anything!???I couldn''t sleep last night with that voice in my ears!???I can still hear it now! She cried and begged me. I''m sure it''s just my imagination, but... ''It''s no use, go get Ein. Patrick gives me a name. The spies he''d hired, the men he''d put in charge of the twenty-nine. He was only twenty years old, but he was the one with the most guts, so he appointed him. How did he show his guts? He was the only man to survive two rounds of Patrick''s interrogation and have his blood drained. Respected by the others. ''My lord, I was told you wanted to see me? A slender man with red hair appeared, not much taller than Patrick. His thin, piercing blue eyes were striking. ''Ah, Ein, you''re here. I''m assigning you to interrogate him. Since you''re a spies and an experienced interrogator, you know how to do it and you''ll be perfect. Astrid''s been whining. I''ll add a gold coin to your pay! She seemed a bit confused, ''It''s an order from the lord, I accept... but may I take one more with me? He didn''t want to take one. ''No problem, I''ll let you choose. ''Thank you, sir. I''ll leave you to it. ''Oh, and call back all the spies. I''ve got work to do.'' ''It''ll take a few days, if that''s all right. ''Will five days be enough? ''I''ll see what I can do. ''Okay, then. 133-The two of us are on our way. That afternoon, Patrick went with Count Abbott to the royal castle. ???????????????????????????????????? ''Your Majesty, the Earl of Snakes and the Earl of Abbot request to see you. What would you like to do?'' The King said to the Prime Minister, ''Another odd pairing. Did Patrick have a problem with Abbott? ''No, I have not heard of any such thing, and in the first place, there is no connection between the two families, is there????Their territories are far apart in the north and west, and they probably only passed through each other during the earlier conflict with the tribes.'''' ''That''s fine. Let them through. ''Yes, sir! ???????????????????????????????????? ''Your Majesty, good day to you.'' ''Thank you for seeing me.'' ''Oh, so????What''s wrong with you two????Did you get in trouble?'' ''No, no, we''re not in trouble. Count Abbott, give the documents to His Majesty.'' ''Yes, Your Majesty, please look here. Count Abbott hands the document to Prime Minister Bendrick. The Prime Minister hands the document to His Majesty. The King begins to read the document, ''Which one? Hmm... what the hella?????'' ''Your Majesty, what''s wrong with your voice? The Prime Minister hurriedly asked. ''You should read this too! He handed the document to the Prime Minister and looked at the two of them, ''Is this truea?????? I asked. ''Yes, it''s information obtained by my people. It concerns Count Snakes, so I''ve come to consult him first. Hearing Abbott''s words, ''That''s the first thing I don''t understand. Why did you go to Patrick instead of coming to me right away????You''ve only known him for a short time, right?'' To the king''s question, Patrick said, ''I''ve formed an alliance with the Abbotts to exchange information. Patrick interjected from the side. ''An alliance? ''Yes, Your Majesty. We''ve formed an alliance of equals with the Snakes to exchange information. Earl Abbott. ''Mmm, I don''t know what''s going on, but that''s okay. We''re not here about that, we''re here about them. Patrick!???What are you going to do? The king asked, ''Your Majesty, targeting not only me but also His Royal Highness Thornalice is a sign of disloyalty to you. Two days ago, I interrogated a bandit who broke into my house and he told me he was hired by Viscount Hunter-Reay. I believe the Hunterleys are a branch of the Newgarden family? ''Mm!???You forgot to thank me for not taking his life! The king said, clenching his fists. ''Well, that grudge seems to be directed at me, but it''s outrageous to involve His Highness Thornaris in it because he''s my fianc??e. Well, it seems that Count Bush is the one who suggested the kidnapping. According to what I heard, he had often said that he wanted to take His Highness Thornalis as his wife? The king looked as if he was biting down on a bitter bug, ''Hmm!???We''re too far apart in age, and when I asked Sona about it, she refused in a second, so I turned her down, but she''s not one to give up. Even if you''re engaged to me, you still won''t give up! ''''The Count of Bush is definitely rebelling against Your Majesty, so I think I''ll leave it to Your Majesty, what do you want to do?'''' ''What are you going to do about the other houses? ''As long as you give me permission, I will destroy them. Patrick''s mouth twisted into a grin. ''Prime Minister!???The houses on that list are all anti-royalist, right?'' The Prime Minister was asked with a dumbfounded expression, ''Yes, it would seem so. What a stupid thing to say. He said. ''Go and get the Attorney General and Baron Keselowski! The king ordered his bodyguards who were standing aside. The guards leave the room in a hurry. 134-imperial order The Attorney General was hurriedly brought into the room. He was about 60 years old, with a slender body, gray hair, and blue eyes. Baron Keselowski arrived a little later. He is the father of Kyle Keselowski, who is acquainted with Patrick. He looks a lot like Kyle. No, it''s the other way around. Kyle looks like his father. ''Attorney General Gibbs, read this for a second! At the king''s unusual tone, the Attorney General began to read the document with a serious expression. ''This is it! ...My God! What a stupid thing to do...'' He hands the document to Baron Keselowski. Baron Keselowski rushes to read it. ''What a fool... if this is true...'' The two men look up. They look at the king, ''Your Majesty, if this is true, it''s treason, but we have no proof. We don''t even know if this letter is genuine. The Attorney General says. Baron Keselowski, I''m sorry we couldn''t find it, but our investigation department only investigated the court nobility.???From now on, we will include the nobles of the estate in our investigation! I''ll include the nobles of your lands in the investigation! ''We''ll gather the evidence now, but once we have it, as Secretary, I have nothing to say, do I? The king''s eyes were serious, ''Of course, sir. The Attorney General replies. ''Keselowski, I''ll send more men to investigate the anti-royalists. ''Yes, sir! ''Good!???Now, here''s what we''re going to do. Patrick, and Count Abbott, I have an imperial order!???Gather evidence against the traitors with the Royal Investigations Department!???Baron Keselowski!???Find the evidence with the two of you!???Prime Minister Bendrick!???Order the Kingsguard to escort Thornalice with the Royalist noble guards only!???And Attorney General Gibbs!???Let''s not have this investigation break any laws.???Good. ''''''''''God willing???????????????'''''''''' ''Also, Patrick. Go see Sona. He''s in a bad mood.'' Sighs the king. ''Yes, sir. Patrick smiles bitterly. 135-Abbotts Residue Patrick and the others leaving the room. ''Oh, Count Abbott, stay a little while. Abbott pauses as the king says. ''Your Majesty, is there anything more? Abbott asks, ''How are you connected to Patrick????There''s no connection, is there?'' ''Oh, you mean that. Well, it''s my fault, but I''ll tell you.'' ''Yeah, I''m curious. He''s not very good at socializing, is he? ''That''s true. Basically, he''s a good person, but there''s something about him I don''t understand. Now, about our family blunder, that was...'' Abbott explained, ''I don''t know, it was a bad time, or something. The King smiled bitterly, ''You could say it was a bad time, but on the other hand, it was a good thing that we were able to form an alliance, so you could say it was good timing. Well, it was a disaster for my men. ''He seems to be unrelenting against his own enemies, but he''s still young. Support him well. I''ll keep your achievements in mind, and I promise to appreciate them when this matter is resolved. ''Your Majesty, this Abbot may be derided as an iron fox, but his loyalty to the royal family is as strong as ever. And our alliance with the Snakes will go forward without harm to the crown. My son will inherit my loyalty to the crown and my alliance with House Snakes, so rest assured. Abbott declares, kneeling down. ''Hmm. The fact that you have been able to investigate and report independently without getting involved with other families is worthy of our trust. I''ll be counting on you. ''Yes, sir! ''Your son, Ryan, right? Have you taken him to see Patrick?'' ''No, not yet. I''ve been looking for the right moment, and this might be it.'' Maybe. Oh, by the way, it''s not my place to interfere, but I don''t approve of your relationship with our eldest daughter, Crozier.???I don''t know what to say, but I don''t approve of you marrying my eldest daughter, Crozier. ''My son is fine with mea?????'' ''I hear you''re quite good. He''ll make a good lord if he inherits your experience. Thank you. I''ll tell my son after this matter is settled. I don''t want him to be too hasty and hasty. ''Hmm. I''m counting on you. ''Thank you. 136-military uniform Patrick meets with Thorinaris. At first they were talking normally, but now they are like mannequins. It seems that Thorinaris is struggling with the design of his armor and has made a military uniform before. Military uniforms are usually provided by the military. However, some noblemen and officers have their uniforms made to order. But some aristocrats and officers had their uniforms made to order because the quality of the cloth was not good or the design did not suit them. Therefore, the military decided that they could wear them as long as they kept the essentials. The rule is that the design must be similar to that of the issued items. The color must be the same as that of the unit. The position of the collar and armband. And so on. Patrick had never been particular about his clothes, and had always worn what he had been issued. That didn''t sit well with Thorinaris. So, he made a few things before the armor. Is this something that can be made in a few minutes? The fabric is fine, but the collar is a little high and cannot be closed in the front. This seems to be the specification. There is silverwork on each part. The design is of Pichan''s head. The hem is so long that it looks like a long coat. The outside is the black color of the 8th Army, but the lining is bright red. There is a green embroidery of Pichan. To be honest, there are a lot of things to poke fun at. But.., ''It''s perfect for Patrick-sama, the Red God of Death. Patrick couldn''t say no to the boisterous Thorinaris, ''Thank you, sir. I''ll wear it from now on and do my duty. He replied. The military uniform he was wearing was being held by Thorinaris, so he decided to give it to him. 137-start gathering information Five days after the day I called for the spies, a large number of people gathered in the hall of the Snakes'' mansion. Aside from the butlers and servants, there were 29 spies hired by the Snakes family in the royal capital, officially called the Dark Serpent Squad. In addition, the first battalion of 100 men from the Snakes'' army was lined up. ''Listen up!???I have an imperial order from His Majesty!???It has been confirmed that there is a house that would foolishly target my house!???They''ve even plotted to kidnap my fianc??e, His Highness Thornaris. I will not allow this!???The Dark Serpent Squad will scout and gather information on this foolish house. This is a joint operation between the Count Abbot''s intelligence division and the royal investigation team. The Viper Squad is to guard the house and escort the Dark Serpent Squad. All right!???I want hard evidence!???We need proof if we''re going to make them regret their actions against our family. We will destroy them!???This is a necessary step for our country, our house and our people! We will show them how terrible the Snakes are! With Patrick''s declaration, each of them began to move. Some are hiding in King''s Landing. Some run to the lands of certain nobles. At the Snakes'' mansion, guards in green military uniforms keep a watchful eye, determined not to miss anything suspicious. And Patrick is on the move. There is no one more skilled than Patrick in the search for the house. 138-sneak thief It''s been a few days since the Royals, Abbotts, and Snakes have been on the move, gathering information and evidence. A nobleman''s house. A group of men gathered there, their faces as if they had bitten off more than they could chew. ''What is the assassin who infiltrated the House of Snakes doing! ''I saw that kid walking around the royal castle today.???Get him killed! ''Wait a minute, maybe he hasn''t moved yet. I was told to pay him in advance in a lump sum, but I cut the price to an advance and a success fee. Why did you cut the pricea?????? ''Because I don''t have any money!???How much can you give me????I have 20 gold coins left. ''''Ugh.'''' ''''You don''t have any, do you????I don''t have any either . So I can''t rush you to hurry up.'''' They''ve already been captured, but they haven''t received any information. ''Oh well. The assassin is said to be quite skilled. The kid''s got some skill, but he''s not good at one-on-one combat. Three against one is a sure thing.'' ''More importantly, Thorinaris!???Wouldn''t it be more fun to kidnap that little girl and kill her in front of the kid????Why don''t you change your request to have the assassin kidnap her?'' ''No, no, no, no, Thorinaris insists that Count Bush make him a slave. The men argue about whatever they want. The man listening to them in the corner of the room. It''s Patrick. Patrick was desperately trying to control his temper. Don''t worry about me. I''m used to being wronged. But to not only drag Thorinaris into this, but to kill him and turn him into a slave, he felt the urge to kill him right now. A few minutes later, the men leave the room. Patrick begins to move slowly. He walks right behind the men. When they arrive at the master''s office, the men say, ''''I swear on this blood seal! ''''I swear it! ''''Bring the Snakes to justice! ''''Hammer! Patrick at this sight , (What kind of trifecta is this?) Patrick''s anger turned to disgust at the sight. The man puts the blood seal in his desk drawer and locks it. After the men leave, Patrick pulls the desk drawer. It''s locked tightly, so there''s no way he can open it. Patrick pulls a piece of wire out of his pocket. (I hope my sneak thief technique hasn''t rusted.) With this in mind, he bends the end of the wire slightly and inserts it into the keyhole. It took me an hour to scratch the keyhole with a clattering, clanking sound. I heard a click. (Finally. My arm has gotten dull. It used to take me less than five minutes.) With that in mind, I pulled out the drawer and checked the blood seal. There were all the names on the list, and they were carefully stamped with a blood thumbprint. This is proof that no one can escape. (I''ll report it to His Majesty. Now, what shall I do?) 139-In the event of a disturbance 1 A few days later, in a room in the royal castle. The king, the vizier, the attorney general, the head of the investigation department, General Andretti, Count Abbott, and Patrick were gathered there. ''Well, now we have all the evidence. The King said, ''The blood warrant has worked. There''s no excuse for this. The Prime Minister said. ''Indeed, this is solid evidence. The Attorney General declares. ''Your Majesty, how do we proceed? The chief investigator asks. ''Go to Bush''s faction with one army and the Survey Department!???Abbott gets half of the second team. Patrick''s got eight. The Kingsguard will remain with the Thornalis escort. Time to move, tomorrow at dawn. Capture him at once. You can kill me if I don''t!???Seize not only the lord but his family as well. The soldier from the noble family in question will be removed from the mission and monitored by the remaining two armies. After that, Count Abbott and Patrick discussed which house they would take charge of. We''ll start with the mansions in King''s Landing. After that, it was decided to head for the territory. At night, after King''s Landing had fallen asleep, the army began to move slowly and quietly. As the sun rose, the streets of King''s Landing were filled with noise. In one house, the Royal Army broke through the gate and overwhelmed the house. In one house, a battle began in the garden of the house. And in the bedroom of one of the houses, the head of the family is found dead. Strangely enough, the body was wrapped in rope and the neck and torso were found separated on the bed. This is the man who said he would kill Thornalis in front of Patrick, and I''m sure he had nothing to do with those words. In the bedroom, there was also a dead body of the man''s family with many bones broken and skin pierced... The room was said to be a pool of blood. Surrounded by the royal army, some of the heads of the family came out of the house with their hands raised in desperation, while others fled in a haphazard manner. Those who were caught, some protested their innocence, some shouted that it was a mistake, and some made excuses that they were being set up by whomever. When the aristocrats'' district becomes quiet, countless carriages of the national army run out from the royal capital. Their destinations are the territories of the nobles on the list. 140-During the Disturbance 2 Among the wagons driving out of King''s Landing, of course, are the wagons of the 8th Army. Among them, of course, is Patrick. This time, he is riding a horse and focusing on speed. Patrick''s long military uniform, which looked like a coat, fluttered in the air as he rode his horse in silence. The black-clad troops followed. The 8th Army arrives at the estate of a certain nobleman. They temporarily capture the town''s gatekeeper, who is trying to stop the 8th Army from entering, and run to the lord''s mansion to raid it. The owner of the mansion, surrounded by the 8th Army.., ''What''s going on???? Do you know that this is the residence of the Baron of Pagenaud? '' he shouted. ''By order of His Majesty the King!??? The Barons of Pagenaud are under suspicion of rebelling against the Crown!??? They should be brought in peacefully! I heard Patrick''s voice, ''Mmmm, that''s it!??? All of you! ???You''re the ones who cheated on His Majesty''s orders!??? Cut him down! Patrick grinned as he thought to himself, ''What kind of tale is this of a ruffian? ''Eight troops!??? I want this done in five minutes! '' he called out. At that moment, black figures jumped over the walls one after another, capturing everyone in the Pagenaud house. Except for one. ''Hey, Patrick! ???You can''t just downgrade me to sergeant, you''re trying to destroy my family!??? I won''t allow it! ???I challenge you to a duel! A man who was once demoted for killing trolls and still holds a grudge. Scott Pagenaud, son of this house. It seems the hatred he had for the Colonel had somehow been replaced with hatred for Patrick. Patrick, ''Are you stupid????It wasn''t me who demoted you, it was Colonel Leadon!??? And it was your mistake!'' ''That wasn''t my fault!??? It''s my fault that my troops are weak!???It''s because of the weakness of your troops that it turned out like that! ???If there were more of you, it would have been a perfect plan! ''When your family knew about the plan to kidnap His Highness and didn''t report it to the king, you''re rebelling! ''Since it wasn''t my plan, it''s not my fault! ''How can you use that excuse? ''Shut up! ???Let''s duel! ''Why should I duel with an idiot when I can just capture them all and complete the mission!??? Are you rotten inside your head? ''Bother, bother, bother!??? If I defeat you, you can take care of the rest! ''Who is it? ???''''Count Bush''s family, the army is on its way, and so is Hunter Ray''s. Of course, it can''t be the powerless Newgarden, can it?'' ''Hmph! ???He''s more noble than that!??? But you don''t need to tell me. I''ll kill you myself! ''Very well, then. I''ll make you tell me who''s going to take care of it all later.'' ''Let''s do it! Patrick flicked the spear with his machete and sliced the man''s right wrist as Scott came running at him with his spear at the ready. ''So weak!'' The words leaked out of Patrick''s mouth involuntarily. ''I was wondering what kind of cowardly move I would use if I was strong, but how dare you say duel with that arm! ''Aaahhhh! He shouted, yakuza-kicking Scott in the back of the head as he held his right wrist, knocking him to the ground, ''Hey, put a shoe in his mouth, stop the bleeding at the wrist, and wrap him up in a mat! It''s too loud.'' It was over in a huff. 141-During the Disturbance 3 After that, Patrick and the 8th Army went to the other noble houses. Few of the noble families were caught quietly, and the ones that didn''t give up fought the 8th Army. Since there were only a few soldiers in the house, the 8th Army was able to subdue them without causing even a single casualty. However, there were some territories that had their own soldiers waiting for them outside the town. ''The 8th Army is targeting the noble leader and his family. The others should be disabled. Leave the movement to the captains. Move! Patrick''s voice rang out, and the troops began to move. After a volley of archers, the horsemen charge! I''ve borrowed a long spear this time. This time, I borrowed a long spear. Some of the troops deployed to the left and right, trying to surround the territorial army. The surrounded territorial troops desperately resisted, but there was a clear difference in strength between the national army, the eight troops who had endured Patrick''s training, and the country troops. They easily entered the town, and when they arrived at the house of the head of the family, they broke down the gate and entered the premises. Of course, there were guards and territorial soldiers, but the 8th Army reached the gate of the house easily. In the garden of the mansion are the remains of soldiers skewered with spears. The servants who kicked down the door of the mansion and were captured by the rushing 8th Army. Some of them resisted, but their resistance was futile. The head of the noble family was captured in his office. ''I never thought I''d be captured by the Grim Reaper. I guess I''m going to the other side...'' The lord''s weak words leaked out. And before returning to King''s Landing, the 8th Army''s carriages were full of captured nobles. The nobles are screaming that they''re cramped, that they''re thirsty, and that they need to be untied. Well, they''re annoying and annoying. I had no choice but to stop the carriage on the way, unload the nobles from the carriage, and begin interrogating Scott Pagenaud in front of everyone. Since he didn''t have anything from his right wrist down, he stuck a needle between the fingernails of his left hand, and when he moved it around, Scott cried out. The nobles were shocked. When he peeled off the second nail, Scott confessed easily, but Patrick was shocked at what he said. The surrounding aristocrats were bloodied by Patrick''s interrogation. The women and children cried, fainted, and shat themselves. As a result, the aristocrats quieted down, but Patrick''s feelings were impatient. He hurriedly pushed the nobles into the carriage, increased the speed of the carriage, and the 8th Army ran towards the capital. ''Just in time! The words leaked out of Patrick''s mouth. 142-During the Disturbance 4 It''s been a while since Patrick and his army left King''s Landing. There was a dispute between the two armies and the soldiers of the rebel noble''s relatives who were isolated in the royal castle. ''Why do we have to be watched in this place! ''That''s right!???We''re soldiers too! ''Bother!???It''s an order from above!???We only do what we''re told! And then.., ''What''s all the fuss about? '' said a man with long silver hair and blue eyes, walking with his chest out. ''Your Highness, Henry!???What brings you to a place like this? It was Henry Mental, the second prince. To the kneeling soldier, ''No, there''s something different about the castle today. I was just taking a walk and looking around. ''It certainly looks different today, but I haven''t heard anything about it, so I don''t know. ''Yeah, yeah, I guess so. Then I have an order for you. Release the quarantined soldiers! The soldier was told, ''Your Highness, I can''t do that. The order came from General Andretti, so only the General and the Marshal can overrule it.'' ''Hmm. If you had listened to the order, you might have lived longer. With that, Henry thrust his sword into the back of the kneeling soldier. The other soldiers in the second army who were watching were in an uproar, ''Alright!???From this day forward, I, Henry Mental, will be the master of this castle!???From now on, I will kill my father the king and my brothers!???Those who obey me will be treated well. You quarantined soldiers, your families and relatives are being held captive by the Royal Guard right now.???For rebelling against the crown. At best you''re slaves, at worst you''ll be executed. What will you do? Henry said, ''I''m loyal to you, Your Highness! ''Me too! One by one, the soldiers in quarantine raise their voices. The effect spreads to the soldiers of the second army. But the soldiers don''t have the authority to restrain the prince. Only the king has that power. Several men from the two armies run away from the scene. One to General Andretti, one to the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, and one to the King. 143-During the disturbance, 5~Henrys plot~ Henry had been waiting for this chance. The Royal Army has left King''s Landing, and the three armies are in the northern mountains. General Andretti, Lieutenant General Simon, and Lieutenant General Ganache were gone. The 8th Army is only a small, hastily constructed force. As the son of a concubine, he was not appointed as the Dauphin because he was the second prince. I don''t think I''m as good as the crown prince. No, he is superior. His mother''s family, the Marquesses of Raven, want him to be king. Then you should take your chances. He learns of this move from the Kingsguard who always gives him an allowance. Determined not to miss this opportunity, he immediately sent a letter to the Marquesses of Raven in King''s Landing, and made arrangements to have them send soldiers from their territory. A few days later, the national army left the capital. Now all he had to do was get rid of his father, brother, and younger brother, and he would be king. The rest of the mess would be taken care of. The Marquesses of Raven, among the Royalist nobles, will cooperate and will not be defeated by the Dauphin''s faction. The Marquis of Raven''s army is one of the best in the kingdom in terms of quality and quantity. Once they have captured the anti-royalist troops and secured the capital and castle with their territorial troops, the returning national army will be helpless. No, once he becomes king, it is the king who can order the national army. Andretti and Simon may be troublesome, but they should be removed. Then we can consolidate our position and make peace with the Empire. If you can make peace with one mine, it''s a small price to pay. Now, where are my father, brother, and brother? That''s what I was thinking. 144-During the disturbance, 6~In the castle~ Patrick has decided to leave the slow wagon team and go ahead with the horse team. Scott is tied to the horse in a sling. They needed a witness. The gates of King''s Landing were closed as they sped towards the capital. ???????????????????????????????????? Meanwhile, all hell broke loose in King''s Landing. In the royal castle, there is a standoff between the Kings, Dauphin''s, and Third Prince''s guards versus the Second Prince''s guards and the rebels. Behind Trolla and the Dauphin''s Kingsguard are the King, the Dauphin and Sona, respectively, and against them the Second Prince''s Kingsguard, the Second Princess and the Second Queen. ''Henry, I never thought you''d be so stupid. I''ll let you off with imprisonment now, won''t I?'' ''You are a fool, father. This mental kingdom doesn''t need a foolish king who makes the crown prince his brother when I''m better than his brother there. From now on, this country will be a meritocracy. ''I''m proud that I didn''t give the position of crown prince to a son who causes such a commotion. ''What''s the fuss? You can''t even unite the nobles in the country, let alone nip a rebellion in the bud like the anti-royalists! ''In any group, there will always be opposing camps. It''s politics that must be managed in harmony with them. ''That''s because you don''t run a government that satisfies everyone!???If you lead in the right direction, no one will oppose you. ''Do you think the nobility will be moved by such niceties!???People move in a balance between their own interests, pretext, and justice. ''All you have to do is do the right thing. Eliminate the wicked and govern only with the righteous, and the country will be united. ''That will divide the country! ''We didn''t do it, and now we''re divided, aren''t we????There''s no point in talking to each other anymore. I will lead the country in the right direction, don''t worry. Just watch what happens to this country. ...... In the afterlife! All of you!???Come on! 145-During the disturbance, 7~ Killer~ At the same time, the Marquis of Raven''s troops were at the gates of King''s Landing. The 8th Army, ''We''ve returned to inform His Majesty of the completion of our mission. Let us through. But they won''t let us through. ''Why are the Marquis of Raven guarding the gate!???What about the Royal Army?'' Patrick asked, ''We only follow the orders of His Highness the Marquis of Raven and His Highness Henry. No one is to enter! (''His Highness,'' Patrick thought to himself, ''Eighth Army, move in. Patrick ordered quietly. The Eighth Army neutralized the Marquis of Raven''s army, which was standing guard at the gate. They entered through the gate one by one. Patrick also dove through the gate and told the 8th Army to.., ''Head for the castle!???Guard the king and his men!???I''ll go first. Mirko!???Head to House Sneaks and tell the Viper Squad to come to the castle!'' So says Patrick, riding off. The gatekeepers of the castle have been replaced by the Marquis of Raven''s troops, but they easily defeat them and enter the castle. What he saw there was a battle between half of the two armies and the anti-Royalist soldiers from the first two armies who were left out of the mission. It was hard to tell which was which, and their skills were very similar. So Patrick said, ''Quiet, you two!???Both of you, draw your swords!???If you have a problem with that, come at me!???If you''re going to fight me, you better be willing to die!???If you don''t, make way for me!???If you don''t, get out of my way! I''ll slash you if you don''t!'''' he said, unleashing his normally suppressed killing intent to the fullest. The national army, which had never felt Patrick''s deadly spirit before, trembled in fear, both friend and foe. It was, after all, the killing power of the god of death. Patrick''s hellish training had taken its toll on the national army. It became a space where instincts dreaded killing and the presence of death hung in the air. Kicking away the soldiers who were sitting on the spot, Patrick continued on his way. His goal is to reach His Majesty the King and his fianc??e, Sonalice. 146-8 in the event of a disturbance~ Nominated~ ''The Eighth Army will capture the Marquis'' army and any rebels who dare to disobey, and kill them if they dare!???I''ll take the blame!???Go! With that, Patrick moves deeper into the castle. Seeing fallen soldiers here and there, he asks those who are still breathing where the king is. On the way, he hears from a fallen soldier, ''The Commander of the Kingsguard of the Reapers is also an enemy, be careful Commander ......''. ''. Then you reach the audience hall. There, he sees the Commander of the Kingsguard of the Reapers about to swing his sword at Trolla, who has lost her left arm and is on her knees. Patrick runs up to him at high speed and hits the stoutly built Commander of the Kingsguard, blowing him away. ''Are you out of your mind????Reaper, Commander of the Kingsguard!???I''m not going to be able to do anything about it. Patrick says as he hands the potion to Trolla. You can see the King, the Dauphin, and Thornaris behind him. They don''t seem to be hurt. ''d*mn you, Snakes!???One more swing and you could have taken the life of that hateful Khanahn!???Because of him, I''ve been ridiculed as the Commander of the Kingsguard. I''m sure you''re not the only one who has a problem with this. You don''t have to worry about what people think of you. And if you''re fools, even more so! ''Bother!???What do you know about the Count????An aristocrat is a noble person who should be respected!???Commoners should just shut up and listen to what we say!???You mock me behind my back! ''If you want to be respected, you should act accordingly. If you want to be respected, act accordingly. ''Shut up!???His Highness, no, His Majesty promised to make me a duke and a general in the army. Then the fools will accept!???I''ll prove who''s really strong! ''If you want to prove your strength, you can do it against the Empire, but what''s the point of proving it by causing chaos in the country! Then the 8th Army and the Viper Squad appeared, ''The Marquis of Raven''s army and the mutinous soldiers have all been seized!???This is the only place left! Mirko reported. ''Good work!???You guys should see the end of the poor Knight Commander of the Kingsguard and the demented nobles behind him. Patrick grinned, ''You''re going to prove it, aren''t you????I don''t think I''d stand a chance in a fair fight, but one man is only so strong. An army fights as an organization. It''s the same with the Kingsguard. We all protect the crown. This country doesn''t need a foolish Commander of the Kingsguard who doesn''t understand that. whoever defeats this foolish man in the 8th army will be made a knight of my house. Is there anyone who says they are? A sudden proposal. Everyone''s expression was puzzled. A knight is the first step of nobility. It''s a chance for a soldier from a noble family to make a home for himself. But a knight commander of the Kingsguard is the best in the army. It''s not an easy opponent to beat. While everyone was dumbfounded by Patrick saying that in such a situation, the Commander of the Kingsguard said, ''You''re a fool!???I''m the Commander of the Kingsguard!???Did you think that a mere eight hastily made troops of the national army could defeat me! ''I think there''s a difference in growth potential between a commander who hasn''t had much training and a soldier in the 8th Army who''s undergoing rigorous training. Besides, you''re still young. Their physical strength is different. Besides, no one said it was one-on-one. Smirking again, Patrick said, ''Van Pelt, Wylie, you two take it, you''ll win.'' Patrick grinned again and said, ''Van Pelt, Wylie, you two can win. 147-During the disturbance, 9~ Cowardly?~ Wylie and Van Pelt are confused by the sudden order. They were dealing with the Commander of the Kingsguard. He''s probably one of the best in the kingdom. And he''s wearing full body metal armor. But an order is an order. ''Yes, sir. Van Pelt managed to squeeze out his voice. ''Van Pelt, how do we move? Wylie asks Van Pelt, keeping an eye on the Commander of the Kingsguard. ''We''ll have to work together to penetrate the armor. It''s a weak link, but I''ve known you a long time. It''s a little better. ''So that''s it. Then let''s go. ''Yes.'' They moved at the same time as the voice. Their spears were very fast, and their movements did not seem like a hastily made partnership. However, their opponent is the Commander of the Kingsguard. Taking advantage of the characteristics of the metal armor, they made the least possible moves to avoid it. In the event you''re not sure what you''re looking for, there are a few things you can do. ''Mirko, throw a shuriken at the eye of the Commander''s helmet in moderation. Patrick, who had somehow moved to Mirko''s side, ordered. ''What????Aren''t those two supposed to be in charge?'' ''The Commander''s guy, he''s strong as he says. If we don''t create some kind of opening, we won''t have much of a chance to attack. Go ahead! Patrick said, ''Yes, sir. I agree in a low voice. Swoosh!???The shuriken is released with a small sound, and flies right into the opening of the helmet, at the eye. ''Whoa! The knight captain, who was almost there, noticed and dodged. ''You coward!???I thought there were two of you! Patrick cursed, ''Cowardly????I''ll take that word straight back at you. The cowardly Henry and his wagging tail of a dog who rebelled while the army was away!???A cowardly commander who points his sword at the royal family in a surprise attack!???Well, cowardly commander is a good name!???I''ll have it written in the history of the kingdom that he''s a coward!???Ahahaha! Patrick starts laughing, and the Commander glares at him. There''s an opening. ''Shoo! Wylie thrusts out his spear in a low voice. The tip of the spear pierced the Commander''s left side. ''Ugh! The Commander stepped back, screaming in pain, but a follow-up spear came from Van Pelt. The spear pierced the gap in the armor on the Commander''s left elbow, and he fell back further. Then Mirko''s shuriken strikes. There''s a nice little popping sound, ''Aaagh! and the Commander takes his hand off his sword and uses his right hand to pull out the shuriken stuck in his eye. ''Opportunity! Wylie shouts, and rushes forward. Van Pelt follows. Two spears pierce the gap between the Commander''s right arm and his thigh. 148-Its 10~ Its going to break during the disturbanc... As the Knight Commander collapses, Wylie and Van Pelt twist their spears and push in, making it impossible for him to resist. ''You''ve got a chance, Henry!???Give up. Surrender now and we''ll let you live. '' said the king, ''Hey!???You two, charge! Henry turns around without replying and orders the rebels. ''But we can''t take on a man who can defeat a Knight Commander...'' The soldier replies, ''All you have to do is buy me time to escape!???Just go! The soldier replies, ''Whoa! But he lets out a gasp and Henry is blown away. ''Did you think you could escape? The voice came from where Henry had been standing a moment ago. It was Patrick. Henry rolls over, clutching his stomach. ''Whata????? Why did Henry just get blown up? The king muttered quietly, ''Master Patrick kicked Henry in the stomach with a thud. Thorinaris said. ''Did you see that????Did you see Patrick move?'' Prince William asks, ''Yes!???She''s my wife! ''Yes, she''s my wife! ''No, she''s still my fianc??e...'' The king mutters. ''Well, seize the rebels!???Don''t kill the crown princes. The rest can be killed if they stand in your way!'' Patrick orders the 8th army to approach Henry. ''So, Your Highness, Henry, since you ignored His Majesty''s words, does that mean you don''t intend to live? I looked down at Henry, who had finally stopped rolling around, and asked him in an even tone of voice. ''How dare you!???Who are you talking to, an earl like you!???Do you not intend to live????I haven''t lost yet!???I''m going to kill them all now! Henry, who had been stomped on in the stomach by Patrick during the conversation, screamed. ''What do you mean you haven''t lost yet? That''s what I''m talking about!???If I had Your Majesty''s permission, I could chop off your head right now. How dare you rebel with such a small force? You''re too stupid! Patrick said, ''Nonsense!???If you hadn''t come along, we would have been fine!???If you hadn''t come, we could have taken the castle and King''s Landing!???It''s my father''s fault for not making me the crown prince when I''m better than my brother!???I''m sure you''ll be happy to hear that. Henry says to Patrick. But Patrick''s forehead twitched. At that moment, the audience hall was overwhelmed by Patrick''s murderous energy. No one could speak, and Henry''s mother and sister collapsed on the spot. The rebel soldiers were shaking and shitting their pants. Even the 8th Army, who knew Patrick well, shivered a little. And Henry, the closest to him, fainted and puked. But then he kicked him in the stomach to wake him up, ''You told me twice to kill them all. "Beat it!" ''And that would include His Majesty, to whom I owe so much, and my wife, Saanaris, wouldn''t it???? "Beat it." And my brother-in-law by marriage, Prince William, and his wife, Queen Elizabeth. "Crikey." Better than Prince William????Better at what????What better????You''re a scumbag who''s only motivated by your own desires. "Grrrr." You know, I hate it when people come after me. "Grrr." I''d like to kill you right here and now, but I don''t have Your Majesty''s permission, so I''ll have to settle for this. "Pssst." Does it hurt????Of course it does. I''m trying to make it hurt more. "Gurgling." ???Are you ready to die? "Prick." ???You want me to kill you? "Mmm-hmm." Would it be easier if I died????'' The words were used calmly, but they were said while doing a certain task. There were many people who collapsed and many people who shat themselves when they saw this work. Since no one could speak, there was no one to stop them. Henry''s entire body is wounded, though he is not bleeding much. I''m not sure if the potion will heal him. Henry''s scream is the only sound in the room. "Crack!" The sound of something snapping from Henry''s body was drowned out by the voices, so no one could hear it. And with that sound, Henry''s heart was broken. By Patrick. 149-During the disturbance, 11~ Hot eyes~ ''Patrick, isn''t it about time????He''s still my brother, so why don''t you leave the rest to your father?'' Sonaris called out to Patrick. At that moment, Patrick suppressed his killing intent. ''Yes, of course. Shall we leave it at that? I''m sorry your highness had to see that. I apologize.'' Patrick bows his head. ''No, it was really cool!???And I was happy! Thorinaris''s nose gets a little ragged. ''Your Majesty and Your Lordships, I''m sorry I showed you a bad time. I''ll leave the rest to you. Patrick bows his head deeply and says, ''Well, that was a bit much, but you saved me. I thank you. The king nailed Patrick''s actions to the wall, but did not seem to question them. ''Thank you for helping me with my brother''s mess. I thank you as well. And I''m glad you called me brother-in-law.'' Prince William was still looking a little pale. ''Patrick, no, Earl of Snakes, thank God. Your Majesties are unharmed. I''m glad it was only a minor sacrifice, like my arm.'' Canaan says, looking at the arm missing from the elbow of his left arm. The potion will close the wound and restore the broken bone, but it will not repair the missing part. In other words, the arm will not grow back. It just closes the wound and stops the bleeding. ''Uncle, if only it had been sooner...'' Patrick says regretfully. ''It''s too late!???It''s an honorable wound. I''ll make Decourse proud! Canaan said, deliberately raising his voice. ''Well, Count Snakes, thank you for your help. A slender man with long silver hair spoke to him in a slightly frightened manner. ''Your Highness, I''m glad to see you''re all right. The third prince of McClane Mental. His complexion is quite pale. ''Okay, for now, lock up Henry, Filia and Sophia in Filia''s room!???Throw the other nobles in jail!???The rest of the nobles should be thrown in jail! The same goes for the other soldiers who were involved in the rebellion! At the king''s command, everyone began to move at once. Filia was the second queen. Sofia is the second princess. ''Patrick, I''m sorry, but we have a mission. The king said, ''You''re the Marquesses of Raven, aren''t you????How can I help you?'' Patrick asks, anticipating. ''Well, keep them alive and capture them if you can. If not, leave it to me.'' ''Yes, sir!???Now, if you''ll excuse me!???Your Highness, we''ll have time to meet when you return. Patrick bowed, then turned around, ''Eighth Army!???Eight legions and the Snakes'' army!???We''re going to take the Marquis of Raven into custody!???Follow me! He shouted and started walking. I could feel Thorinaris'' eyes on my back. 150-During the disturbance, 12~The castle after Patric... Patrick and his friends are on their way to the Royal Capital, the Marquesses of Raven. We rushed there, but the Marquesses of Raven were empty. Not even the servants were there. ''He escaped...'' Patrick muttered to Mirko, ''Should we go after him? Mirko asked. ''Of course!???We''ll be ready to go after him soon! ??????????????????????????????????????? Meanwhile, in the castle, ''Hey, Thorinaris. ''Yes, Brother William. ''Patrick, you''re a good man, if rather scary.'' ''Of course he is!???He''s the one I chose! A conversation between brother and sister, ''Father, isn''t that man too scary? ''This is the first time I''ve seen his cruelty, it''s terrible. But he has the composure to keep it under control with potions, and his loyalty to the royal family is solid. He''s not so skilled, but he has great leadership skills. He also has the ability to kill the presence of others without them noticing. More importantly, Sona is madly in love with him. He''s older than you in terms of age, but he''s going to be your brother-in-law, so get used to it. ''Will I get used to it????My first impression of him is that he''s a traumatic killer.'' ''That was a terrible thing...'' A conversation between father and son, ''Hurry up and get ready for a bath and a change of clothes! ''Today''s underwear was my favorite! ''Take care of yourself!???There''s no one to be afraid of anymore. ''Are you sure? ''What''s with the black hair, I didn''t feel like living! ''That dark-haired woman is the fianc??e of Sonaris. The conversation among the royal and noble ladies and maidservants, ''My nephew is amazing. That''s the Grim Reaper! ''You were still kind to me during training. If he was trained with that kind of killing power, there would be fugitives. Conversations between Trolla and his subordinates unfolded here and there. ''Well, we''ve got a lot of work to do!???We need to know what''s going on at the castle!???William, McClane, let''s go. Come on, Kingsguard! The king shouted and everyone started to move. ''I don''t care what you say, but this room stinks! Finally, Sona. 151-During the disturbance~ Marquis Raven1~ Patrick, the 8th Army and the Viper Squad have left King''s Landing for the Marquisate of Raven. Patrick and the Eighth Army are on their first combat deployment. With dragon troopers, horse troopers, and wagon troopers. The Viper Squad followed on horseback. It''s a day''s carriage ride east from King''s Landing to the Marquisate of Raven. On the way, we found the servants'' carriage. We captured them and searched the carriage, but found only maids and servants. They seemed to have abandoned the slow carriage and fled on horseback. ''Is this going to be a slugfest with the Raven Army? Patrick muttered, tapping the side of his left eye, and Mirko said, ''What''s a slugfest? Mirko asked. ''I mean a head-on collision. But I''m not going to go head-to-head with you, honestly.'' ''What are you going to do? ''I''ll figure it out on the move.'' ''I''ll figure it out as we go,'' came the easygoing reply. ''We''ll move at the speed of the carriage. ?????????????????????????????? The Marquis of Raven was running with his son, a small old man with gray hair on his back and a slender man about 5''9". The Marquis of Raven was running with his son when the men he had sent to the castle came back with a report of the failure of the rebellion, and immediately packed their belongings and left the house. ''I was so close to becoming the king''s grandfather! ''Father, this is not the time to be talking like that!???Even if you go back to your estate and fortify it with soldiers, you won''t last that long!???What are you going to do????I''ve always been against it. If we''re going to do this, we should''ve brought in the Anti-Royalists and planned a plan first!???That''s why we''re in such a hurry. ''Don''t say that now!???We''ll just have to contact our faction, get reinforcements and food, and see what happens!???There are many of my faction in the east. If you want, we can entice the other houses to consider independence in the east...'' ''Aren''t you forgetting the Eastern Army????They''re the ones who can defeat the wyverns. ''The Eastern Face Army is inexperienced in man-to-man combat. We can handle it! ''Well, my life is in danger if I don''t do something, so I''ll cooperate. ''Henry''s guy, he''s saying things like it''ll definitely work! ''You''re the one who went along with it, father. ''Bother! ??????????????????????????? Around noon the next day, the 8th Army set foot in the Marquisate of Raven. The gates of the Marquess''s capital are tightly closed, and there are many guards on the walls. The Eighth Army watches them from afar. ''Well, it''s like this...'' ''Commander, don''t be so casual, how do you want to move? Mirko asks in a slightly dumbfounded voice. ''Go get Wylie, Van Pelt, Hontas, and Elvis. It''s a meeting. '' I order Mirko. Hontas is the captain of the wagon team. He''s a chubby old man of 40 with blue hair and blue eyes. Elvis is the captain of the viper squad. He is a 30-year-old handsome man with long brown hair and blue eyes, about six feet tall. ''Well, what are you going to do? ''What are we going to do? It''s no different from a siege if they''re that cautious. ''I guess so. Shall we dig a hole? ''We don''t know how many days it''ll take, and if it collapses, it''ll be a disaster! ''Is there anyone from this city in the 8th army????The Viper Squad is basically from Snakes territory.'''' ''What????I don''t know. ''Go ask them. ''Commander, there was one... Hey! The young man who showed up was.., ''Private Jinny, sir!???He''s from a farming family in this town. I have parents and two older brothers living in the city. ''Good!???Private Ginny, tell me about the inner workings of the city and all that!'''' ''Yes, sir!???So, where should I start? ''Let''s start with the walls and buildings...'' Patrick and the others listen to Corporal Ginny''s description of the city. And, ''Can we get by with this? ''I mean, it''s not like we have any other options...'' ''Isn''t the Commander in danger? ''But if the others go with him, they''ll be exposed and we won''t be able to talk to them...'' ''Don''t worry about me. I can take care of myself. You guys go around so they don''t see you. Give the usual black smoke signal.'' ''Yes, sir. Good luck! ''Then let''s get to work! 152-During the disturbance~ Marquis Raven2~ Patrick walks alone along the wall, towards the farmland at the far end of the capital. Patrick would not be spotted by the Marquess of Raven''s soldiers. After about three hours of walking along the wall, he reaches the farmland outside the wall. The gates for the farmers to enter and exit are closed, but they will come out to harvest. I don''t know how much food there is in the city, but vegetables don''t last very long, so they will come to harvest. We''ll take our chances then. Two days of waiting. Finally. The farmers came out, guarded by the guards. The gate closes quickly, but Patrick''s goal is to get in. We''ll just have to blend in with the peasants. After three hours of harvesting, Patrick successfully enters the city, closely following the farmers and their guards as they return to the city. He walks through the city, checking the soldiers'' quarters and the Marquis of Raven''s residence. It occurred to him that he might be able to get in alone. But then I remembered the number of people I''d have to seize and the fact that I''d have to carry the captives. (If we could just kill them, we could, but we can''t.) Patrick walks to a certain gate, as he had planned before. ??????????????????????????? The gate is on the east side of the city. It''s a gate to the forest, built to carry firewood. In that forest, the Viper Squad and the 8th Army were hiding. The 8th Army had changed into camouflage clothing, making it difficult to be detected. The Viper Squad, with their originally green uniforms, were less conspicuous than the Eighth Army. The wagon troops are waiting a little farther away. Then they see black smoke behind the wall. ''All right, the Commander has arrived. Almost there, get ready!'' Captain Van Pelt orders his men. ''That was quicker than I expected. Didn''t the city have much in the way of food reserves?'' Elvis of the Viper Squad says. ''It was a quick siege. Captain Wylie replied in a whisper. Beyond the walls, we begin to hear a commotion. Then more smoke rises than before. ''Is that a fire, sir? ''Yes. It''s probably the commander. ''It''s about time. With a squeak, the service entrance next to the gate opened. ''All right!???We''re going in!'' Wylie shouts. ??????????????????????????? Patrick, who had safely secured the entry way, succeeded in letting the 8th Army in through the service entrance. ''All right, we''re heading for the Marquis of Raven''s mansion!???Kick the territorial troops out!???The target is the Marquis Raven''s family!???Let''s go! The territorial soldiers resisted with their spears, but the sparsely deployed territorial soldiers were no match for Patrick and his men, and they were cut down by the 8th Army. In the evening of the same day, they succeeded in surrounding the Marquis of Raven''s residence. ''Surrender immediately. Or we''ll come in! At the recommendation of the 8th Army, the Marquis of Raven, ''Nonsense!???We still have 500 men on our side!???There are more of them than you!???If you don''t want to die, get out of town right now!???I''ll let you off now! There are certainly more soldiers in the garden of the mansion. Five hundred is a bit low. ''Negotiations have broken down. How can you say that under these circumstances, so let''s go... Wylie, Van Pelt, Elvis, are you ready? ''''''Of course.'''''' Patrick paused to catch his breath, ''''Charge! '''' he ordered. The gate is broken down, and Patrick and his men enter. Fighting begins all around. And then.., a?|???a?¡éa?|???a?¡é ???Yuyake koyake no a?£¤a?£¤a?£¤a?£¤a?£¤a?£¤a?£¤a?£¤a?£¤a?£¤a?£¤a?£¤a?£¤a?£¤a?£¤a?£¤a?£¤a?£¤a?£¤a?£¤a?£¤a?£¤a?£¤ It''s a lousy song. But it''s a song that doesn''t exist in this world. The person singing it is Patrick. Walking behind him, singing, are countless corpses. The corpses of the Marquess of Raven''s army. It''s not just the light of the setting sun that makes Patrick''s figure appear red. Is it an overwhelming slaughter? He wears a moderate amount of killing energy, and only cuts down those who come at him even when he feels the energy. He will not deal with a cowardly soldier. His men will seize them. Wylie and Van Pelt on either side. Elvis guards the back. From the gate to the front door of the mansion, it is dyed like a red carpet, and the corpses that have become objects make this space seem like a different place. But this is reality. The song continues after kicking down the front door and entering the house. The yellow carpet inside the mansion is turning red. The servants were already fainting from the killing. ''Is it here? He kicked in the most luxurious door. ''Oh, shit! With the Marquis in dismay, ''Father, you might as well give up now. The Marquis''s son raises his hands to show that he has no intention of resisting. ''You can''t give up!???It''s a death sentence! ''But there''s nothing I can do about it! ''If we defeat them! ''You''re good enough to defeat that many people.???It''s impossible...'' ''Hmm, does your son understand the situation????If he doesn''t resist, I won''t cut him down. Keep quiet. And you, old geezer. An old man who helps rebellion without preparation!???Choose to die now or later! Shut up!???You''re just a kid with a big heart!???My grandson is finally in a position to take the throne, what''s wrong with supporting him!???If you''re the family of the King''s grandfather, you can become a duke!???There''s no nobleman who doesn''t dream of it! ''No, I''ve never dreamed of it. ''That''s why you''re a nobody!???You''re not a nobleman of long standing. ''No, father, I''m originally from the Rigsby family...'' ''Whose side are you on? ''The royal family, I suppose. ''Count Snakes, I''ll tell you anything you want to know, but please spare my life! ''Oh, you''re betraying me! ''I didn''t want to do it in the first place.'' ''Well, the Rigsbys are just old blood. Not anymore. Sure, it''s a bit of a flop, but it''s changed my life from being scared of something to not being scared of something. That''s good enough for me... so what? Patrick says the words with murderous intent. A red, blood-red, grim reaper''s fury. ''We were so close...'' The drooping Marquis Raven''s face was pale. Next to him, the Marquis''s son, yellow liquid dripping from his crotch. 153-end of the disturbance The next day, I leave the Raven territory to take the Ravens to King''s Landing. However, they run into an army of Ravenist nobles, whom House Raven had requested for support. ''Bad luck,'' said Patrick. are Patrick''s words. Was he talking to the 8th Army or to them? I advised them to surrender, but they didn''t listen. The Eighth Army and the Viper Corps ducked under the rain of archers and charged into the center of the enemy, and even though they must have been tired from the battle with the Raven Territorial Army, they didn''t seem to be struggling. An hour later, the battle was over. ''That was an easy victory,'' he said. ''They were weaker than the Raven territory army. ''If it was always like this, I wouldn''t be so tired! These were the thoughts of the soldiers of the 8th Army. Viscount Hippo''s army, which had been devastated, came to support them. The way back was a bit of a detour, and the Hippo family in the Hippo territory was raining blood, or not. However, the number of captured nobles increased. Finally, they reached the capital and went to the royal castle. ''Your Majesty, thank you for your patience. We''ve captured the Ravens and the Hippos who were trying to help the Ravens. ''Good work!???I''ll take care of the rest, but for now, please rest.'' ''Ha!???I''ll just show my face to His Highness Thornalith and leave for the day. I''m really tired. ''I''m sorry. Take care of him. ??????????????????????????????????????? ''Your Highness, I''m back. ''Sir Patrick! ''I''m really tired today, so I just came to see you. I''ll come back tomorrow.'' ''Is that so? I understand!???I''ll see you tomorrow. Thorinaris replied with a bit of regret, but with a smile on his face. ''Yes, bye! After Patrick had left, ''A tired face is good too... oh!???I want to kneel on his tired face and nuzzle his head!???Then, I want to be sleepily rubbed, and then I want to do this and that...'' ''Your Highness!???You''re leaking your heart out!???You need to cut back a bit.'' ''Oh, you heard me? Amelia, you shouldn''t eavesdrop, okay? Amelia is the name of my maidservant. She is probably one of the tallest women in the world. She has long blue hair that reaches down to her waist, and is quite beautiful. ''You''re joking that you heard me. Please don''t say it as if you were eavesdropping. I can hear you when you say it that loud! She looks at Thorinaris with blue eyes. ''But wasn''t it good????That languid expression!???It makes you want to push her over! ''I don''t think those are the words of Her Highness.'' ''It''s fine!???I''ll be a countess soon! ''You can''t even be a countess...'' 154-the aftermath of a disturbance The next day, on the terrace of the king''s castle, there was a happy-looking Sonalith in sparkling clothes and a slightly sleepy Patrick. After that, a storm of purges swept through the kingdom. First of all, the Bush family was taken away by the army because of Patrick and Sonalice. The Bush Counts were demolished, and all Bush males over the age of 10 were beheaded. All women and boys under 10 to be commoners. The Viscount Hunter-Reay family, taken by Abbott and his two armies, was also demolished, and the head of the family was condemned to death and the others to commoner status. The Newgardeners, who had been holed up in the house, were condemned to death. The Barons of Pagenaud, taken by Patrick and his men, have been destroyed, the head of the family condemned to death, and Scott left in Patrick''s custody. The others are commoners. All the other noble families on the list have been executed and their houses destroyed. Anti-royalists were thoroughly investigated, and even the slightest injustice was uncovered, and a fine would be a blessing, or at worst, the house would be shut down, or the nobleman would lose his title, and the seeds of rebellion would be nipped in the bud. Next, the Marquesses of Raven, who were the leaders of Henry''s faction, who rebelled, had their house destroyed. The head of the family was put to death. His son, who had told him the truth, was downgraded to commoner, but he escaped death. The rest of the family was reduced to commoners. Next was the Viscount Hippo family. Although he was not involved in the rebellion itself, the head of the family was sentenced to death for trying to help the rebels. The family was downgraded to baron. As for the soldiers who helped the rebellion, those who were forced to move in the noble''s army would be fined. Some of the soldiers who helped the rebellion in the royal army were condemned to death, while all the others were downgraded to private and fined. Those who were to be beheaded, such as the heads of noble families, were beheaded at the execution site in the royal capital. So, what about those who were marked for death? On another day, there was a public execution for a fee at the execution site in King''s Landing. Ten copper coins per person. For 10 coppers a person, about 1,000 yen, you could watch a nobleman being killed. The Abbott family was in charge of organizing the show. The publicity was good, and many commoners came to see the show. However, it is said that all those who came regretted leaving. The show was like a hell on earth, in which naked former heads of the noble families, their limbs broken and unable to move, were swallowed alive by a giant snake monster. On this day, Pichan earned the title of cannibal demon. The Snakes were recognized by the nobility of the kingdom and the inhabitants of the capital as a noble family that used cannibalistic monsters to eat and kill their enemies. And Scott, his left wrist was tied with a rope, and he was dragged by horse through the royal capital to a certain place, covered with abrasions on every part of his body. Let me explain the toilet situation in the royal capital. The noble quarter is equipped with a sewage system. There are no shower toilets, but water is constantly flowing from the river, so what you take out goes down the drain. What about the commoners'' quarter? It is a pumping station. Those who are out of work go to a certain place to throw away one to five copper coins by the bucketful. The place is called a manure dump. At best, it is a fertilizer production site. A hole is dug, straw is spread over the manure, and soil is poured over it. The rest of the manure is left to decompose by insects and small animals, but it is functioning. You may or may not have heard Patrick laughing as he kicked Scott into the hole. The poor man who brought the bucket in saw the scene and told everyone about it, so Patrick''s notoriety spread here as well. Queen Philia II is under house arrest in a remote part of the castle. Sophia, the second princess, was also under house arrest in a remote part of the castle. And Henry, ''Do you have any last words? To the king''s words, Henry said, ''I''m better than you! That was the last thing he said. As long as he apologized, the king was willing to let him go under house arrest. ''Do it. The king said quietly. Boom! The sound of the guillotine''s blade falling echoed through the air. 155-Patricks training ''You son of a b*tc*! Swoosh! ''Sweet! ''Gasp! ''Tsk! ''That''s what happens when you pull back! Boom! ''Geez... you''re killing me...'' ''Pat, no, Commander Snakes, you''re not fast enough, are you????I have a fair amount of power, though.'' ''You don''t have to tell me Wayne, I''m aware of it. But you''re too strong!???Are you going to quit being human and become a demon or something? ''You''re an idiot. There are others just like me.'' ''Seriously... I''ve made up my mind!???I won''t fight the strong ones! ''You can''t say that on the battlefield! ''On the battlefield, surprise attacks, dark attacks, anything goes! ''Oh, I don''t think I can beat you there...'' ''So, if you want a fair fight, just run away and let your men do it! ''I feel sorry for my men...'' This was a scene from the joint training of the 8th and 2nd Armies. Since Lieutenant General Simon is the head of the 2nd Army and the 8th Army, joint training has been held frequently lately. The main purpose is to raise the level of military strength. Patrick takes the lead in physical training, while Wayne is responsible for raising the level of individual skills. In other words, Wayne has become the strongest individual in the 2nd and 8th armies. It had become a common scene for the two of them to exchange blows while watching the training of their subordinates. ''Okay, let''s finish up with a run. Everyone in full gear! Patrick''s voice said, ''Heh, less today, please.'' Wayne''s voice was disgusted. ''Oh well. At Wayne''s request, speed up and run as fast as you can for three hours! ''''''Ehhh! ''''Commander~ Someone''s probably going to faint...'''' Mirko shouted, ''''Tell Wayne to complain! All of them turned their hateful eyes on Wayne, ''I shouldn''t have said what I did...'' Wayne sags. 156-black carriage A coachmaker''s master is sweating in front of a nobleman who has come to order. The infamous Earl of Snakes. It''s rumored that he''s a villainous nobleman who preys on anyone he doesn''t like, noble or commoner, with his giant snake demons. And now he''s right in front of me. My back is slick with sweat. I''m sitting in a chair, so he can''t tell my legs are shaking! I like to think so! What nobleman of all people would come to my house! (What nobleman of all people is coming to my house!) I shouted in my mind, but I couldn''t turn away the nobleman who came to my house. But I can''t turn away a nobleman who''s come to my house. And he''s ordered a carriage to transport a notorious demon. A carriage dedicated to man-eating snakes. Wouldn''t that make my store look like a villain? But I''d rather not get eaten by a snake. I reluctantly accepted the request. ???????????????????????????????????? A rancher runs a horse ranch. It''s a historic ranch, and he''s even allowed to offer horses to the royal family. He has a wide variety of horses, both beautiful and fast. However, today''s customer wanted ''Three strong horses! He said. Of course we have strong horses. A merchant''s carriage, for example, is loaded to the brim with goods, so a strong horse is preferred over a fast one. However, it was a nobleman who made this order. A nobleman would normally order a beautiful horse or a fast horse. A good-looking horse is suitable for pulling a luxurious carriage. A fast horse has an advantage in war. ''Is it a strong horse????Regardless of appearance?'' The rancher asked for confirmation. ''Yes, because they carry heavy loads in very large wagons. It''s better if the three of you get along well. It''s a three-horse cart. At any rate, since the nobleman was rumored to be scary, I sold him three large horses from the ranch, not fast but powerful. They were twice the size of ordinary horses. ''If you need them again, please let me know. He took the money and bowed. ???????????????????????????????????? A huge, jet-black carriage. No extravagant decorations. Just a certain family crest painted in red. The crest of the infamous Earls of Snakes. Two snakes entwined with a dagger. The carriage is pulled by a huge horse. Three jet-black horses. The driver is a newly hired old dwarf. The carriage is flanked by carriages bearing the royal family crest and guarded by knights on horseback. The carriage is headed for the forest outside the capital. Riding inside are Patrick and Sonalice. And their valets and maids. And... Pichan. It''s a picnic for Pichan''s meal. Patrick and Thornaris are leaning against Pichan. He''s in a relaxed mood. The valets, on the other hand, look pale. In the same carriage as the man-eating snake. A normal person would have fainted. In the forest, Pichan sweeps away the demons and Patrick prepares the BBQ. ''It''s a man''s home-cooked meal, I hope you like it. He said, ''I don''t know if you like it,'' but Sonaris wanted to eat it, so he grilled the meat on iron skewers over charcoal (more expensive than wood, less smoky, and more powerful). I seasoned the meat with soy sauce. The smell of burning soy sauce is wonderful. While Patrick sipped whiskey and chewed the grilled meat from the skewer, Sonaris drank grape water and ate the meat that the maids served. The people around them are also eating moderately. The demons to watch out for have been eradicated by Pichan. I''m not going to drink, though. Our first outdoor date was thus a great success. 157-knight The Earls of Snakes. The most talked about noble house in the kingdom. At the residence of the Snakes in the royal capital, a recognition ceremony was being held. This is the knighthood of the Snakes family. The knighthood will be applied to the royal family, Captain John Van Pelt, commander of the Eighth Army''s Flying Dragons. (His family is a barony). Captain Jack Wylie, Captain of the 8th Horse Guards of the Royal Army. (His family is a Viscount.) Second Lieutenant Milko, second-in-command to Lieutenant Colonel Snakes, 8th Royal Army. (No family name due to his commoner origins, but Patrick made him a second lieutenant when he appointed him as his second-in-command. ) Captain of the Snakes'' Viper Squad, Elvis (no family name due to his commoner origins). Ein, captain of the Snakes Family Dark Serpent Squad (no family name due to his commoner origins) These five were awarded with daggers bearing the family crest of the Snakes. It was an excellent dagger from the Abbot''s estate. It was a testament to the knighthood of the Snakes. After that, he took the five men to the royal castle, paid the nobility application and the knight tax, and the five men were knighted. On the spot, the five of them filled out the necessary information on the documents. Their complexions were slightly red. They are nervous, excited, and a little anxious. Their faces must be showing this. A knight-errant or a quarter-baron does not need to apply for a family crest. This is because they do not have territories and do not have tax documents for their territories. After completing the application process, he returned to Snakes'' residence in the royal capital, ''All right, you are now knights of the House of Snakes. You are now knights of the House of Sneks. For the prosperity of our house and yours, you are to devote yourselves even more. You may wish to take further credit and aspire to become barons. But do not be hasty and fail. Death is the end. Don''t make the wrong move! Patrick''s voice made everyone look at him seriously. ''Anyway, we''re going to have a party for the birth of the five knights. It''s a private party, so let''s have fun and drink!???Let''s all have a glass. In the party room set up in the hall, the soldiers of the 8th Army and the Snakes'' Army had also arrived, waiting for the signal of the toast. ''And now, to the five new knights! Patrick declared as he raised his cup, ''''''''''''''''Toast???????????????'''''''''''''''' The feast was a joyous one. Since the Snakes are a family with an abundance of alcohol, many of them got drunk. Those who were drunk were taken out of the hall and taken care of in the dining room, but many of them tried to return to the hall because they were still drinking. However, many of them tried to go back to the hall because they were still drinking. Screams could be heard from the entrance hall. I guess this is also a specialty of the Snakes. 158-Ryan is here. My name is Ryan. Ryan Abbott. I''m the eldest son of the Earl of Abbott. Let me introduce myself, I''m 25 years old, 5''8", with long silver hair and green eyes. I consider myself to have a well-trained body. Until a few years ago, I was a member of the Kingsguard of the national army, but now I am studying management at my estate. Then I received a letter from my father. It said that there was a nobleman he wanted me to meet, and that I should come to the capital. Knowing that my father keeps his distance from other families, I was surprised to see the letter. Our family has adopted a unique style of gathering information, observing nobles objectively from a moderate distance regardless of their factions, examining them closely, and reporting to His Majesty the King. Is that why you want me to meet with other families? It''s true that you need a certain amount of face-to-face contact in order to investigate, and I understand that to a certain extent, but do you really want to bring them all the way to the capital to meet with you? What is my father thinking? ??????????????????????????????????????? ''Father, you have arrived. I greeted my father in his office as he arrived, ''Ryan, are you aware of the recent situation in King''s Landing and the Kingdom? He asked me, ''If that''s what you''ve been told, I''m aware of it. If it''s something that''s been reported, I''m aware of it, though the latest may not have been reported yet. I reply. ''So, let''s go over the information. So says my father, and we talk for several hours. The Earls of Snakes. It''s a name I''ve been hearing a lot lately. The third son of the former Baron Rigsby, he began to make a name for himself when he was a member of the First Army. When the Westin family betrayed him during the invasion of the Empire, he reported to the military that his family had betrayed him. He was placed under the supervision of the Inspector General, but fulfilled his duty and contributed to the victory of the battle between the rebels and the Empire by cutting down even his parents. As a result of his military prowess, he was created Viscount Snakes by His Majesty, who took advantage of the Rigsby Barony''s demise. He has been active since then, and is currently an Earl and Lieutenant Colonel. He is engaged to Her Royal Highness Princess Thornaris. He is engaged to Her Royal Highness, Princess Thornalis, and expects to hear of more successes in the near future. He says he''ll be meeting the head of the family, Patrick von Snakes. And I''ve been told that he''s formed an alliance with the Snakes. The Snakes are engaged to Her Royal Highness, so they''re definitely of the royalist persuasion, so that''s not a problem, but I wonder what happened to the appropriate distance? Tomorrow morning, they''re heading to the residence of the Snakes'' family in the royal capital. Why is he in such a hurry? The next day, I arrived at the Snakes'' house after a 20-minute carriage ride. The man who was guarding the gate seemed to be quite skilled. The movement of his eyes, the sharpness of his gaze, the way he carries himself even with the slightest movement. Is the Snakes'' army as elite as they say it is? We arrive at the front door. There''s a rumor that the Snakes'' door is the door to hell. I mentioned this to my father, ''No prior knowledge, just see, hear, and feel! He told me. The gatekeeper opened the door for me. I quickly jumped back a few meters and drew my sword at my waist, ''Father!???Give me your hand!???That demon father can''t do it. I''ll buy you some time. Send in the national army!???At this rate, Count Snakes is already at .......'' ''Yes, you''ve passed! ''Father? ''This demon is Count Snakes'' beast of burden, the Count is a demon hunter.'' I couldn''t believe it. I''ve heard that there are very few demon users and that only mammals can be used. But to use a reptilian demon???? And a demon of that size? ''I didn''t scream and I acted quickly. This information was suppressed by me, so it must not have reached the territory, but you didn''t hear about it, did you? ''Yes, Father. Why did you bother to narrow down the information?'''' ''Because I wanted you to see with your own eyes the abnormality of this house! No, Father, I don''t want any surprises! I feel like I''m losing some life. 159-Ryan meets Patrick. I can hear the applause from inside the house. ''Well done, son of the Earl of Abbot. Nice to meet you, Patrick von Snakes. Please make my acquaintance. This is a man with dark hair, dark eyes, a slender body, and a face that is probably on the neat side, but looks a little twisted in the gut. Is this the Earl of Snakes? ''Excuse me, Count Abbott''s eldest son, Ryan Abbott, Earl of Snakes. He bows his head hurriedly. He''s younger than me, but he''s still the head of the family, so it''s the polite thing to do. So this man who pretends to be normal is the cruel and inhuman Grim Reaper. I heard the pathetic end of the nobleman who opposed him in the report. He fed him to a demon. So you fed him to that snake demon! I heard he put on a show to show it off. He gave all the proceeds to our family. I guess money can''t catch ''em all. Father''s a bad man. I''ve been unable to connect the dots because I''ve narrowed down the information halfway, but now I''ve finally connected them. The Abbotts are good at gathering information, but not so good at military power. I''ve been trying to change that, but the troops aren''t growing fast enough. You''re going to make up for that with the Snakes. So an alliance. It''s a house of ill repute, but then again, so is mine. The Iron Fox was a compliment from a house that was disposed of by information from my family. Afterwards, we met in the reception room of the Snakes'' house, drinking lightly and playing chess. That''s the inventor!???I''ve never won a game. Whiskey and Inesh, which had led the Snakes'' territory to a booming economy. It''s a very tasty brew that is distributed in our lands through trade, and has even caused problems with dwarves buying it up. ''Speaking of which, Conan isn''t here today, is he? Earl Snakes suddenly asked his father. Conan, our family''s foremost information gatherer. He''s a master at getting great information many times before. But how does Earl Snakes know Conan''s name????It''s a top-secret matter for our family, and he wouldn''t tell us his name just because we''re allies. ''He doesn''t want to be anywhere near the Snakes, and he''s off to the east to investigate. Father replied that he didn''t want to go near the Snakes, although it was true that he wouldn''t want to go near that snake demon, but there was no way that man would run away because of that. What the hell happened to you? ''He hates me so much. I approve of that man''s guts. He''s endured a round. Endured a round????What are you talking about? I look at my father. What the hell are you talking about????And. ''Ryan, Conan''s been captured by the Earl of Snakes himself. Conan... And the Earl himself. Then he interrogated the tight-lipped Conan and dropped him. The Conan Who Spoke Out of His Moutha?? No way...no way...no way... A voice escaped from my mouth in disbelief. ''Well, our interrogations are unique, and Conan endured quite well, so he''s good. The smile on Count Snakes face was a little frightening. I''m not sure if it''s possible to get Conan to talk. I''m sure you''ve heard of it. One of my men is interrogating him right now, would you like to see him? He asked me. I was very curious to see how they did it, ''By all means! I replied. But my father said, ''I''ll pass. He said. I asked him, ''Has your father already seen it? I asked, He said, ''No, I''ve only heard about it, but if you want to see it, go ahead. He said. I went to see it immediately. I shouldn''t have seen it. ...... Conan, I understand your feelings very much! 160-Ryan the Shock When I came back to the parlor in a bad mood, I found my father smiling at me. I know he didn''t see it because Conan told him what it was about, but the fact that he was smirking made me angry. ''Father, I think you should see that interrogation, don''t you????There''s a big difference between hearing and seeing, you know. I say, ''Ryan, don''t be so mad. You''re the one who said you wanted to see it. ''Yes, I did, but the look on your face when you came back was a bit...'' ''No, you looked unusually pale!???I was just amused, forgive me, forgive me. In return, I have something good to report to you. My father grinned, ''Your engagement has been unofficially arranged. He dropped a bombshell. ''Father!???What did you just say????And why now????Even if we''re in an alliance, it''s not something to discuss with another family.???I''m not going to marry anyone I don''t have my heart set on! I''m not going to marry anyone but the one I''ve made up my mind to. ''Now, now, Sir Ryan, calm down, calm down. Count Snakes said, but his expression was a little strange. It''s like he''s trying to bite back a laugh... ''Ryan, His Majesty approves of your affair with His Highness Prince Crozier! Heh? ''What????I think I misheard you a little. I thought I heard you say that His Majesty approved of my engagement to His Highness Prince Crozier. ''Yes, that''s what you said. ''Yes, I did say that...'' ''Eeeeetsz ministry! I shouted. ''No, there were many problems, such as the balance between the various factions, the power relationship between the nobles, and the moderate distance between us! Yes, my father had refused me before. As for the faction problem, the anti-royalist faction has been almost completely destroyed, and the Marquis Raven faction of the Second Prince faction has fallen, leaving only the royalist faction and the neutral faction. His Majesty says he will reward the Royalists. In terms of power, with Westin, Raven, and the Marquesses diminished, His Majesty says he''ll consider balancing the power a bit. The right distance depends on the distance around you. The kingdom has taken in the mountain tribes of the north. Then we must be flexible in dealing with that change. To prepare for this, we will increase the influence of our house. We must also keep pace with our allies, the Snakes!???Do you have any questions? My father asks. I understand what he''s saying. I''m upset, and Count Snakes says, ''Congratulations, my future brother-in-law. Congratulations, future brother-in-law. 161-Ains job Baron house stein. They are the last of the anti-royal faction. But now, it''s like a dying light or a sinking ship. The anti-royalist faction has been fueled by the outbursts of some anti-royalists, and the entire anti-royalist faction has been thoroughly investigated and punished for even minor irregularities, leaving only a few anti-royalist families left. There are only a few anti-Royalist families left. Some families are trying to get back on the Royalists'' good side, but Baron Stein is not willing to do so, and has taken a different approach. He grabbed the wrongdoings of the Snakes, the family at the center of the current turmoil, and used them to threaten them into interceding with the royal family. ''He must have bribed the royal family to get such a fast promotion. He must have evaded taxes to prepare the bribe! That''s what the small, fat, bald-headed Baron Stein said. He is a typical example of a fool who makes assumptions and acts on them. And so, he decides to infiltrate the Snakes'' household with an interloper. You''ll be able to find out more about him here. ???????????????????????????????????? ''So this is the house of Snakes, rumored to be a magical place...'' Two spies hired by Baron Stein were secretly observing the Snakes'' house. ''I''ve heard that the estate has more soldiers and is more strict, so it''s probably better to stay here, but this one is heavily guarded. The other man replied. ''It seems that those who infiltrated the territory were caught and sent to debt slavery. ''It''s sweet of the Snakes not to be criminal slaves. ''Maybe they don''t want to be resented, even if they''re called the Grim Reaper, they''re still noblemen, they''re not like us. When the sun was setting and the two moons were shining down on the world from above, the interloper jumped over the wall of the Snakes'' house. He runs noiselessly through the yard, stalks the house, inserts a wire into the keyhole of the door, and begins to jiggle it. Click! He heard a loud clunk, ''Yes!???That''s my buddy! ''Come on, buddy. Now let''s sneak in.'' ''Yes, that''s enough. If you don''t resist, I''ll guarantee your life.'' Ein, the captain of the Dark Serpent Squad, called out. Behind the two spies was a line of soldiers from the Snakes. They have already drawn their swords. ??????????????????????????????????????? ''And? Patrick said. ''Yes, my employer is Baron Stein, who is paranoid that my husband is evading taxes, and was planning to get proof and extort a connection to the royal family. Ein reported the information he had gleaned. ''Stein, I believe...'' ''Yes, he''s my former employer. That family was part of the anti-royal faction, so they must be desperate to survive. ''Did he make any moves? ''No, it was a petty house that only complained from a safe distance, so I don''t think they did anything worthy of being punished. At most, he would cheat on his coins.'''' ''For that matter, you''ve let a burglar into my house twice, are you really not happy with my house? ''He hates rich people.'' ''A little jealousy, that''s fine. Ein, do you think he''ll still come? ''He''ll probably come at least once more. ''If he comes again, I''ll give him some practical training. I''ve only seen him today. ''I''m afraid he''ll refuse. He looked pretty pale. ''It''s pretty fun, though. ''I thought that was only for you, my lord. ''Is that so????Well, where''s Stein territory? ''It''s four small villages deep in the old Raven territory. ''East... where''s your family? ''Probably the estate. ''Work with Elvis to get the head of the family and his family.'' ''Ha! 162-Baron Stein Ein is heading east with a few of his men and a squad of vipers led by Elvis. He intends to take out the family first. Unbeknownst to him, Baron Stein is annoyed that the spies haven''t returned. ''He''s not coming back yet? The butler heard Stein''s voice, ''Yes, I think it would be best for you not to be involved with that house anymore.???I think it would be wise for our family to bow to the royalists. ''You can''t do that at this time!???If we don''t, we''ll be downgraded to a quasi-baron or knight!???How many houses do you think have been dropped????I have to defend my baronetcy at least! ''His Majesty is not ruthless, if we bow down to him quietly, won''t he maintain his position as a baron? ''Even if the matter at the estate is discovered? ''Why don''t you tell your wife to stop before she finds out? ''It''s the only thing he enjoys, there''s no way he''ll stop. ''It''s better that it''s only inside the mansion. ''I''ve told him not to go outside. ''Well, by the way, don''t you have to go to the Snakes'' house, or any other house? ''The only way for a young boy like him to get ahead is to bribe!???Then all we have to do is get proof of the corruption. If we threaten him with it, the Snakes will be at his mercy!???It''s the only way! ???????????????????????????????????? Two days later Ein arrived at the Stein estate and split into several groups to investigate. He knows the location of Baron Stein''s mansion and how to get in. After all, he is his former employer. After a full day of investigating the four villages, we learned one thing. ''There''s an unusual lack of goblins. I would expect to see a few goblins in a mountainous area like this. Elvis responded to Ein''s words, ''I don''t know if it''s because the territorial soldiers are good or the adventurers are good, but there certainly weren''t any. Now, how do we get House Stein''s men????Kidnap them? Ein answered Elvis'' question, ''As a last resort, why don''t we just say that I''m the Baron''s messenger and take him out? ''Doesn''t the manor know you''ve been captured?'' Elvis asks with a smirk on his face. ''Oh, I don''t know if they know. ''No, I don''t think so. ''Then kidnap me! ???????????????????????????????????? Ein approaches the gatekeeper with a smile on his face. He knows him. ''Hey, Rick!???Long time no see.'' The gatekeeper, called Rick, ''Ain''t you!???I heard you were sold into slavery. Did you run away?'' (Oh, I knew you heard that.) With that in mind, Ein punched the gatekeeper of Baron Stein''s mansion in the jaw from below, with or without a fight. When the gatekeeper blew up and fainted, he opened the gate and headed for the mansion. He opened the door and stepped into the mansion and started running with Ein in the lead. The goal is Baroness Stein''s room. The servants become suspicious of the sound of his running and come out of the room, but he neutralizes them by punching and kicking them. You kick the door of the room you''re aiming for and step in. ''Ugh! Ein''s voice leaked out. ''Who are you????Oh, I think you''re one of our spies...'' The ugly and fat baroness is saying something, but Ein and Elvis can''t hear her. The scene in front of them was too bizarre. There''s a creature that looks like a child walking on all fours. Only its face is clearly not human. ''Goblin ......'' ''Oh, but that''s just...'' It is on all fours, a collar with a chain around its neck, and all of its teeth have been pulled out to protect it from bites. The two things that should be between her legs are gone, and all that''s left are her stick-like genitals. And the wife straddling the goblin. If it were a small child, it could be called riding a horse... but I guess not. ''Hey, the lord said to go get it, but is it good if it''s alive? ''Ein, don''t tell everyone. I feel the same way. Even for a goblin, this is...'' ''Do you have any potions? ''Yeah, I''ve got a few. ''What about the goblins? ''We''ll just kill them. ''Right...'' That day, Baron Stein''s house was filled with goblin corpses, and the head of the family disappeared. Many of the servants were too frightened to speak, as if something had been done to them. ''This isn''t an abduction. Someone muttered. 163-Ains smile Ein and the others returned to Snakes'' mansion in King''s Landing and reported to Patrick about what had happened. ''I understand what you''re saying. In the meantime, I''ve got a good idea on how to use the lady, so let''s get ready.'' The grin on Patrick''s face made Ein shudder for a moment. It was the same for Elvis. ??????????????????????????????????????? ''A messenger from the Earl of Snakes? Baron Stein asks his butler. ''Yes, and the messenger is the Ein. What can I do for you, sir????I thought you''d found out about our spies. The butler says. ''Ein, you have not only failed but betrayed us and followed that young monk!???d*mn you!???I wonder what he''s after. Let''s meet him, where is he now? ''I''ve got him in the parlor, sir. ???????????????????????????????????? ''It''s been a long time, Baron Stein.'' Ein says smiling as he sits on the sofa. Baron Stein is annoyed by his expression, ''You traitor!???You''ve not only failed, you''ve turned on him!???What the hell do you want????I don''t have time to talk to a fool like you! He said, ''Isn''t it rude to call me an imbecile, even if I am the Baron????Shall I introduce myself again? Count Snakes is my knight, Ein. I hope you don''t mind. What? I was recently knighted by His Excellency, the Earl of Snakes. It should have been announced by the royal family, shouldn''t it? ''I don''t have to read every single thing about knighthood!???What more do you want????I don''t know anything about the interloper! If a new nobleman is added or promoted, the royal family distributes documents to each nobleman, but Baron Stein doesn''t seem to have seen them. ''I haven''t said anything, but when you say you''re a spy, it''s like you''re admitting it. Well, I personally interrogated him and he said he was hired by Baron Stein''s family. ''I don''t know!???You can''t prove anything with the ravings of a bandit! ''Very well. My master has a message for you. I''ve prepared the best present for Baron Stein, and I''d like you to come to my home and receive it. He says. I cannot tell you what the gift is, and you may bring as many guards as you wish. Also, my advice is that if you don''t come, you will regret it.???That''s all for now, if you''ll excuse me. With that, Ein rises from the sofa. With a smile that made Baron Stein look like a fool. ''You little brat, you look down on me! ''What do you intend to do????Do you want to go to the Snakes'' mansion? ''I''ll show you what I''m made of, you little fools!???Gather the troops!???He''s the one who said he doesn''t care how many you bring. We''ll overwhelm them with numbers! ???????????????????????????????????? ''My lord, I have done as you commanded, is that correct????Inviting the Baroness Stein to my home.'' Patrick answered Ein''s question, ''Hmm????I''m not letting them into the house. ''What?'' 164-Vehicles? The next day, Baron Stein''s soldiers line up in front of the Snakes'' mansion. When the gatekeeper of the Snakes'' mansion opens the gates, they troop inside. (Poor thing.) The gatekeeper thinks to himself. Patrick looks down from a window on the second floor of the mansion. The door of the mansion is opened and Patrick and five knights come out from inside. ''Welcome to my house, Snakes. I''ve prepared the best present for Baron Stein, and I hope you''ll accept it. Hey, bring me that.'' Ein was ordered to leave, but he came back as soon as he left. It was ''Hey! ''What the hell is that? Baron Stein''s soldiers shouted. It was a fat man on all fours, with a headband over his head. Ein straddles his back and whips him to make him walk. He can be heard grunting and groaning. ''It''s an unusual vehicle I found in a certain place!???I was wondering if Baron Stein''s wife would like it. I''ve heard that she likes this kind of thing. Baron Stein''s face turned pale at Patrick''s words. (Why? !???How does he know about my wife''s hobby????Where did it come froma????? And in front of the soldiers! ''I don''t know what you''re talking about. My wife wouldn''t want this. It''s just bad taste. Baron Stein manages to squeeze out a few words. ''Oh????Is that so????It''s in bad taste. I thought Baron Stein was your favorite. Hey, get him his headband. Ain took the sack from him while he was on his back. ''Geez!???Squeak, squeak, squeak! ''See????Isn''t that your favorite?'' There was Baroness Stein''s face. ''What have you done to my wife????All of you, out!???Cut them loose! ''Oh, dear, are you sure you want to say that????You don''t even know where your son is. Hmph.'' A wicked smile on Patrick''s face, ''Hey, you!???Where''d you take my sona????? You snuck into the estate! ''Well, what do you mean? ''Yes, I don''t care.???If I can get the servants to confess later, I''ll know where my son is!???Cut him!???Cut him! About 40 soldiers ran towards Patrick at once, ''That''s not how it works, is it? Wylie, Wylie said, ''Well...'' Van Pelt, ''You think you can get past us? Elvis says. Ayn says, ''What should we do with the horse, Baron????Do you want me to kill him? '' provokes Baron Stein. ''You''re a traitor! Baron Stein rushes toward Ein. Baron Stein, who is running at him like a boar, suddenly collapses. ''Ouch! '' he shouts. The left leg of Baron Stein is missing from the knee down. The area around him turns bright red as he rolls around in a pool of blood. ''What''s this? A man''s foot grabbed by Patrick''s left hand. ''Give it back! Baron Stein shouts, ''It won''t stick if I give it back.???Then, pop it! Patrick throws it away. All was quiet. Baron Stein''s troops were silenced by three of them, lying everywhere. ''Do you want a potion? Patrick shakes the potion in the vial and shows it to Baron Stein. ''d*mn it, kill him!???Even if you save yourself now, you''ll be killed by the royal family later! ''I don''t need the old man''s stick! ''My lord????What''s a ''kukoro''? Mirko asks. ''Oh, it''s nothing. Don''t worry about it. ''Well, that''s fine, but what do we do about Baron Stein? ''Sprinkle the potion on the affected area and tie him up. ''''Yes, sir.'''' Mirko walks towards Baron Stein. In his hand, he has the potion he received from Patrick. 165-Patrick, youre in trouble. A large carriage leaves the Earl of Snakes residence. Black body with a red family crest. No Pee-chan in the carriage this time. In front of the large carriage is Patrick''s red carriage. It has a red body with a black family crest, the exact opposite of the large carriage. Whose request this is, I will not tell here. ????????????????????? Meanwhile, at the Royal Castle, the King received a report from the Investigation Department. ''What!???Baroness Stein?'' ''Yes, they seem to have been messing around with the Snakes'' family, and today, they came to the Snakes'' mansion in large numbers. After that, I heard the sound of fighting and rushed back to report. Judging from the quality of the troops, the victory of the Snakes will be unassailable. ''Prime Minister, it was a waste of time to leave the Stein Barons behind...'' ''''Yes, I left it for His Highness MacLean''s first job, but there''s nothing I can do about it now. Count Snakes will destroy it without mercy...'' ''Yes, I can''t imagine him showing any mercy to an enemy who stands in his way...'' ''Let''s find another job for His Highness McClane. ''That''s the only way, but I''ll have to say something to Patrick. I''ll call him soon.'' ''Yes, sir...'' An hour later, Patrick and the others arrived at the royal castle and requested an audience. ''Well? asked the mental king. ''Yes, Your Majesty. The persistent trespassing of the house by Baron Stein''s family has been annoying and interfering with my duties, so I''ve decided to take countermeasures. I also have evidence of the unjust breeding of demons in the estate and some tax evasion. I''ve also taken into custody the Baron and his wife, their son, and the soldiers who unjustly broke into my home. Take care of them. ''Didn''t I just say I was annoyed? ''No, no, not at all! ''Bullshit!???Patrick, I''m not saying don''t destroy the nobility, but say something before you do. You''ve gone to a lot of trouble to keep the Stein barons in the dark, and now you''ve blown it.'''' To the king''s words, (The king''s words made Patrick panic.) Patrick panicked. ''Oh, you were letting him swim????I''m sorry about that. I''ll take care of it later! He bowed deeply. ''Well, where are Baron Stein''s men now? ''They''re in a carriage in the courtyard of the royal castle. They''re still in the carriage. At Patrick''s words, the king called to his bodyguard at his side. ''Then bring him to me. He ordered. ''Yes! The Kingsguard replied shortly and left. a?|???a?¡éa?|???a?¡é ''Wow. This was the king''s first words upon seeing Baron Stein''s family. Baron Stein was missing his left leg from the knee down, and could not walk properly. The Baroness''s eyes were vacant with agitation, and she was missing a tooth, as if she had been beaten. There is nothing wrong with the eldest son''s body, but he is terribly frightened and trembling. ''Patrick... you''ve gone too far...'' ''Is that so????The lady was playing with the goblins like this, so I gave them the same treatment to see if this was a hobby of hers, but the Baron didn''t seem to like it. But the Baron didn''t seem to like it. His son, who was watching the process, didn''t say anything and just trembled from then on. Well, what can I say? Patrick speaks aloofly. ''Is Stein the only one here who can talk? ''Yes, sir. And the Baroness has no teeth.'' ''What do you have to say for yourself, Stein? ''Your Majesty, it is true that my family has evaded some taxes. We will be punished for that. But I don''t appreciate this punishment for sniping at the Snakes and mistreating goblins. My son is terrified!???I will accept the revocation of his baronetcy!???But I can''t accept that he''s persecuting us unjustly! ''Well, you have a point, then I will revoke your baronetcy for tax evasion. The remainder of the family''s property, after deduction of additional taxes, shall be the property of the Stein family. The Stein family will not be prosecuted for the improper keeping and abuse of goblins. The royal family will not interfere in disputes between the Stein family and the Earls of Snakes, who have become commoners, and the Stein family will be given permission to attack the Earls of Snakes. However, please do not cause any damage to the capital or other territories. You may retaliate without regard to punishment!???That''s all! (Huh????Isn''t that awful????Are we going to be attacked?) Patrick and , (I''m sure there''s still houses out there that don''t take kindly to Snakes. I''ll show you!) Stein thinks. The Stein family was transported by military wagon to the mansion, where the tax collector confiscated the additional tax. Patrick, who remained in the castle, was told by the mental king, ''It''s punishment for overdoing it, get over it. He was told with a laugh. 166-armour Patrick leaves the audience chamber and heads straight for Saanaris. ''Good day to you, Your Highness. ''Sir Patrick, is there a dispute????The maids are making a lot of noise. ''Yes, it''s a dispute. I got tangled up with another family. When I retaliated, His Majesty got angry, and it seems that they are going to attack us now, so I''m thinking about how to retaliate. ''What????Your father????Are you going to be attacked????Tell me more about that! a?|???a?¡éa?|???a?¡é ''That''s why...'' ''I see. So you''ve crushed the nobleman that you were letting go. Then it can''t be helped, can it? So, if you''re going to attack me, please use the armor to show it off and check its operation.'''' ''Now that it''s finished? ''Yes, the other day.'' And the armor is brought in from nowhere. ''Wow...'' A voice leaks out of Patrick''s mouth. There is bright red leather armor. The boots are red with silver rivets, and at the waist is a red belt with silver trim, reminiscent of snake scales. On both shoulders are metal or silver? On both shoulders are snake heads that seem to be made of metal or silver. It sits on top of the red leather armor, and a fine woven chain reminiscent of a snake''s body extends from the head, crawling over the leather armor, crossing at the back of the neck, then crossing again at the chest and going around the back. The baskets on the left arm are also colored green with a snake-like metal motif, probably made of steel. The basket in his right hand is probably made of two layers of leather, with metal sandwiched in between, and the crest of the Snakes is raised and decorated with rivets. The crowning touch is the helmet on the head. ''Is this based on a human skull????Why?'' Yes, it''s a silvery skull mask. ''The image of the Grim Reaper is a skull, right? ''Well, yes...'' ''Come on!???Please try it on. I couldn''t say no, and remembered what the queen had said to me before. (No wonder she asked me if I was insane.) I gave up and tried it on. On top of the black military uniform, red leather armor, two silver snakes on each shoulder and one green snake on each arm. A silvery skull on the head. When I put it on, it''s much lighter than I thought it would be. ''It''s so light, isn''t it????I thought it was silver or iron?'' ''Oh, that''s because the head of the silver snake is made of light silver with silver on top. '' (Light silver is, I think, something like aluminum?) Patrick thought as he listened to the rest. ''For the body of the snake, I braided a light silver chain, a copper chain, and an iron chain to make a pattern. The snakes on the arms are made of iron so that they can be used as shields, but I''ve hollowed them out a bit to keep the weight down!'' ''I see! ''It''s perfect!???It looks really good on you!???Ah!???It was worth all the trouble! Sonaris is excited, and Patrick is standing still. From a short distance away, I hear the sigh of Amelia, the maid of honor. 167-Can you hit the stake? Patrick returns to the mansion and tells the servants and the knights the details of what happened. Astria, Astraea asks, ''My lord, do you wish to increase the security of the mansion? but.., ''No, I''m not going to do it here. The guards will remain as they are. If necessary, push Pichan to the front. Ein, call the Dark Serpent Squad!???Elvis, send in the viper squad for Type 1. We may have to use the thing!???Wylie, Van Pelt and Mirko are setting up camp! '''''''''' camping? '''''''''' ''Yeah, let''s have some fun in the woods.'' Patrick had a flash of inspiration. Then there was a visitor at the house. ''My lord, Lord Ryan is here.'' ''Hmm????All right, send him in. ''Aha! The door crashed open to reveal Ryan. ''Earl Snakes, I''ve heard about you... or rather, it''s spread throughout the nobility. What are you going to do about it????If you want, I can lend you my men. Ryan''s face was very serious. ''Hey, Mister Ryan, has it already spread????Your Majesty''s a bad person. ''No, it was Stein who spread it. He''s telling the neutrals that it''s a chance to hit the Snakes, the bumps on the head. He''s also recruiting people in the slums, saying, ''Here''s your chance to kill a nobleman with impunity, and a gold coin for every one you kill. ''Wow, you''re a scumbag with some wits about you. Then let''s put up a sign before the house gets crowded! ''What are you going to do? ''Well, a lot of things, but, uh, do you want to come with me????Ryan, you''ve got the skills and can protect yourself, right????I think it would be fun! ''I can at least protect myself, but where are we going? ''We''re going camping in the woods! ''Camping a??'' Food was hurriedly brought into the house of the Snakes, and each member packed it into a large backpack, and several carriages left the house. They were headed for the forest outside of the capital. ???????????????????????????????????? Stein sold the mansion, bought a small house in the common district, told his wife and son to live there, and left most of the money he had raised. He left his home, leaving behind most of the money he had raised. He walked with a cane, his face painful, but his face was full of vengeance. He visits the houses he has known and proposes an anti-Snakes alliance. As the Stein family, they have been given permission to attack with impunity, and in order to take full advantage of this, they have been hired by the Stein family to work together to crush the Snakes. The stakes are high, even among the nobility. There are many nobles who do not take kindly to the sudden appearance of the Snakes. Those closest to the king are not so sure, but the families whose spies were destroyed by Patrick are especially so. And there were a certain number of nobles who accepted Stein''s invitation. When a large number of soldiers rushed in front of the Snakes'' mansion, there was a sign in front of the mansion. ...... Patrick Von Snakes is in the forest outside of King''s Landing. Can some idiot find him? I''ll give you a gold coin if you find him. Provided you make it back without getting killed. If you''re not confident in your skills, leave. Go home if you''re not ready to die. Leave if you have a family. If they attack, we''ll assume they''ve given their consent, and we''ll attack them too. Stein, I already know where your family is, okay? I already know where your family is. That''s what it said. 168-in someones mansion Now, the reaction of those who saw the sign was divided into two. Those who immediately headed for the woods, Stein included. On the other side were those who ignored the sign and tried to open the gate and enter the Snakes'' house. After those heading for the forest have left, someone pushes the gate. The gate moves quickly. ''Hey, it''s not locked!???The soldiers are in the forest anyway, and if we go into the house, we can search the house all we want!???If you have a maid for a servant, you can have fun! Oh!???You''re so smart!???It''s a nobleman''s mansion, it must be full of treasures!???You''ll make more money with this than with a single gold coin! Men with dirty clothes and rusty swords, probably hired hands from the slums, argue with each other. Behind them, a man dressed like a nobleman and his soldiers, ''After they''ve ransacked the place, we''ll have no loot left, what should we do? ''No, we can just kill them too, no problem. There might be a few soldiers left, and we can use them as meat shields. ''As expected!???You''re very clever. ''Don''t praise me so. Now, let''s follow them in. And we start walking. The front door was unlocked, as was the gate. The door opens noiselessly. The slum dwellers and the nobles all rush in at once. As soon as they did, the door slammed shut. And right in front of them was the one we all know and love... ''Ouch!???It''s a demon! ''Run! ''Hey! The door''s stuck!???It wasn''t locked! Open the door now!???The demons are coming! In the midst of all these words, there was a sound that cut through the air. That sound was followed by.., ''Whoosh! Boom! ''Geez! Boom! ''Ugh.'' Thud! The sound of people screaming in agony, and the sound of a person being blown away and hitting something. ''Hey!???I didn''t hear that demon was in the entrance hall!???Isn''t he keeping it in another hut????That kid''s out of his minda????? Hey!???Kill it!???Break down the door!???You''ll die! The order was given, but the soldiers were all focused on the door. No one wants to fight a man-eating demon. ''What the hell is this door made of????It doesn''t even budge! ''Just break it down!???The snakes are coming! ''Come on! These people don''t know. They don''t know that the front door of the Snakes'' mansion is an expensive magical artifact. It''s made of thick metal and doesn''t have any hinges. Anyone can open it from the outside, but only a registered user can open it from the inside. It can be locked so that it cannot be opened from the outside. The nobles and soldiers shouting at each other had better watch their backs. They were already there. "Gush!" Pichan tightened up the bundle of people in an instant. All that was left were bruised slum dwellers all over the walls and broken aristocrats in front of the front door. And the head of the noble family, who became confused and lost his mind when he saw them. ''My goodness, what a mess we''ve made... it''s hard to clean. I''ll send you the bill, nobleman. Astria''s voice echoed quietly. 169-1 in the forest Many wagons heading for the forest. One of them has Stein in it. His face is stained with anger. Impatience that they might have located his family, and anger at Patrick for still trying to harm them. A short time later, they arrive near the entrance to the forest, and one by one, the soldiers enter the forest. Stein has only one leg, so he has to walk with a cane. Naturally, his speed is slow, so he is left behind. Now, in the forest, there is no path, but that does not mean there is nothing. The tracks of large beasts, the undergrowth that falls when adventurers enter to collect, and the steps and spacing between the trees determine the routes that creatures of a certain size can take. The footing of the soldier walking in the lead suddenly disappeared. There was a thud, and then, ''Ugh! The soldier walking behind him rushed over and found a large pit. At the bottom was a bamboo spear. Alas, the skewered soldier would not survive. ''It''s a trap!???There''s a trap!???Watch out! But after that, screams and moans could be heard from everywhere. A soldier is hung from a tree with his legs suspended by a loop of wire. The feces of a beast at the end of an arch of woven grass where he had fallen. A soldier''s foot is caught in a jagged denture-like object, and he loses everything below the ankle. Arrows came out of nowhere and pierced the soldiers who managed to get through the trap zone. Seeing this, a soldier flees and is somehow decapitated. Even though there was no enemy in sight. The soldiers, shields at the ready, form a mass and slowly, slowly advance. Finally, they came to an open space. But it was already evening. It was dimly lit in the forest, and once the sun went down, nothing could be seen. We hurriedly gathered up some dead branches and made a fire, and prepared to eat. The soldiers ate simple portable food and kept a watchful eye on the area. In the middle of the night, there is no sound and no moonlight. Suddenly, there is a sound from the campfire. With a sizzling sound, the area is bathed in darkness. The fire is followed by the faint red glow of cinders and steam. ''Who is it!???Who threw water on it????I can''t see anything with this. ''Hey, what''s going on????What''s going on? ''Hey, what''s wrong with you twoa?????'' After that, it didn''t take long for the dozens of soldiers present to turn into mute wrecks. At that time, Stein, who was walking late, gave up walking in the dark and spent the night hiding in the roots of a large tree. The next day, when the sun rose, he resumed his walk, but all he could see were the wreckage of soldiers. A skewered soldier who had fallen into a pit. There was also a corpse that had been hung up in a tree overnight and gnawed on by a beast. Stein hurriedly changes direction to head out of the forest. That evening, he met up with the heads of the noble families who had been waiting outside the forest. They talked about what had happened and rethought their future strategy. The other nobles also have a sense of honor. It would be the end of a nobleman''s life if he is lambasted by a casualty. It took me two days to gather up the troops and weapons in a hurry and re-enter the forest. 170-In the Forest 2 I, Ryan Abbott, am in the woods. I''m in the woods because I was abducted, or rather forced to be brought there, by Count Snakes. Count Snakes and his men have built a makeshift fort near the center of the forest. It''s just a simple fence. Count Snakes was dressed in a way that was difficult to understand. The black military uniform was fine, but the red leather armor? It''s like he''s asking to be discovered. A silver snake motif. You''d put that on your armor just because you''re the Snakes? They still have the skull helmet. ''Okay, that''s about it. Then let''s eat. We''ve already hunted two orcs! Count Snakes''s happy voice made the people around him seem happy as well. ''Count Snakes, don''t you have a sense of danger that your life is being threatened? I asked Count Snakes in a dumbfounded voice, ''Sir Ryan, there''s no way we''re going to lose to that scum, we''ve set a lot of traps on the way here, and even if we make it this far, there are vipers and dark snakes, so we''ll be fine. I''ll order everyone to eat first. Count Snakes'' mouth smiled falsely as he said this. Count Snakes hurriedly started cooking. I''m not convinced that he''s adjusting the fire or using the knife very well. Just look at that whole roast that looks like a person, But when I saw a whole roasted oak that looked like a person''s, I thought, ''Doesn''t that look too bad? That''s my simple impression, ''What????Doesn''t it look delicious!???What do you think????Guys?'' Count Snakes replied, ''Yes!???I''m drooling! ''I can''t get enough of the fat dripping down! ''That''s because Lord Ryan doesn''t know how good it is yet!???Your seasoning is the best! ''It''s a pity the guy who was supposed to ambush us on the way here couldn''t eat it fresh. Well, it''s good even when it''s cold, but not as good as freshly made.'' ''That''s true! the knights and soldiers say to me. I shaved off the burnt outside, put it in a bun, spread some sauce on it, and the Earl of Sneaks'' special hamburger was complete. Everyone takes it in turn. I took one too and bit into it with all my might. ''Oh, it''s delicious!???What is this!???The sweet and spicy flavor is indescribable!???What''s that tasty sauce made of????I''ve never had it before! I shouted in surprise. ''What do you think? ???It''s called the lord''s special teriyaki hamburger modoki!???It''s delicious! A nearby soldier bragged about it as if it were his own. But it was indeed delicious! I devoured my portion in no time at all. The outside has been scraped off, but the center is still roasting. ''It has a different flavor from the outside, so wait a little longer. Count Snakes, with an innocent look on his face, sprinkled something on the meat around the bone. ''This time, it''s called spicy spare ribs. The meat around the bone is delicious!???I used to throw away the meat around the bones until the lord told me. I was wasting my time. Around the bonea????? I''ve never even eaten that. It was also delicious. After that, we had diaphragm soup.???I''ve never had that before. This was also the first time I had tasted this soup, and although it was meat, it had a slightly different texture. He said it was called dongjil. Satisfied with our first taste, we slept in the tent that day. Ah, fun camping! But that''s not it! What kind of camp is it where the person whose life is threatened makes the food? 171-Three in the forest. When everyone has fallen asleep, Patrick makes his move. In the pitch-black darkness, Patrick''s eyes clearly see a bonfire. After meeting up with the viper squad that had been waiting in ambush and hearing their progress report, he tells them to return to the fort. ''I made some teriyaki burgers and left them for you, so you can eat them when you get back. ''Yes!???Even when it''s cold, there''s a big difference between that and our kaka''s! ''Hey, you''re talking too loud. ''Oops, sorry. ''Well then, my lord, I''m going back! ''Be careful. When the soldiers returned, Patrick said, ''Silent. Patrick muttered quietly. He walks through the enemy soldiers as if he were walking through a city. In Patrick''s right hand is a bucket. The water in the bucket reflects the fire, and Patrick pours the water from the bucket over the fire. The fire goes out with a sizzling sound. Darkness. A world of blackness. But in Patrick''s eyes, he can see the people around him. No, he can see the temperature of the people around him. One by one, he cuts down the screaming soldiers. He cuts their throats calmly and coolly. You don''t want them to survive, but you do want them to die with pain and regret. Who did you fight against? Whose life did he want? After cutting down all the soldiers, Patrick mutters. ''Go ask the real Reaper in the afterlife. Was Patrick the Grim Reaper????And so on.'' After that, Patrick returned and slept soundly, and served breakfast as soon as the sun rose. Offal soup and bread. And.., ''All right, then, here''s the plan. The Viper Squad will cooperate with the Dark Serpent Squad, or rather, teach the Viper Squad''s covert techniques to the Dark Serpent Squad in battle. Then the Viper Squad can absorb it, and when they mess up in reconnaissance, they can run to the woods and use cloaking techniques to increase their chances of survival. You see, the Viper and the Dark Serpent are both members of the House of Sneaks. Cooperate and trust each other in your operations!???And each of you knights must set the example!???Ein, go learn from Elvis. Wylie, Van Pelt, and Mirko will learn the same things they learned in the 8th Army, the only difference is the use of poison, go with Elvis. ''So who''s going to guard the palace then? ''I''ll ask Ryan. Ryan immediately said, ''Yes, sir. ''All right, let''s move! Patrick was answering Ryan''s question as everyone started to move. ''What''s the poison? ''The poison of Pichan.'' ''What kind of poison? ''It''s called a neurotoxin. ''What are the symptoms? ''Well, to put it simply, your muscles will stop moving, you''ll have trouble breathing, or your heart will stop beating. ''How much of it will kill a person? ''If you put it on a needle and stick it in, a few minutes later. ''Isn''t it poisonous? ''Yes, it is. ''When and by whom did you test it? ''Against a bandit who snuck into the house. ''What about the corpse? ''In Pichan''s stomach.'' ''What if the soldiers use it by mistake? ''Elvis is keeping it under tight control. ''What if they come into contact with the poisonous needles in battle? ''To prevent that from happening, I thought I''d use it in an easy fight to get them used to it. ''Actual battle practice...'' ''I guess I didn''t pick the right fight, huh? ''In this situation, you can camp out and have fun and laugh, is your heart some kind of magic tool? ''I think not, but I''ve never checked. ''I''m starting to feel sorry for them. ''Whata????? Isn''t that too much? ''If that''s what you think, why don''t you make a little face of anxiety? ''There''s no way I can make an anxious face, since I''m not anxious or anything. ''I still feel sorry for the other person...'' Ryan said as he spat. 172-4 in the forest In the forest, Elvis explains to the four men. He shows them a vial containing only about four milliliters, ''One of these vials is poisonous enough to kill over a hundred people. It is the poison of Pichan-sama, the servant of the lord. All you have to do is apply it to the tip of this tiny needle, stick it in, and in a few minutes you''ll be on your way to the other side. So when you use it, don''t stick the needle in yourself!???If it gets on your skin, wash it off immediately and you''ll be fine. But if it gets inside you, it''s over. You''ll die if you drink it! The four listened intently to Elvis'' explanation of the poison. ''How many stings do I have to make? Wylie asks. ''Just a scratch with a needle will kill you. ''That mucha?????'' ''Yeah, I tried it on a bandit, but the area swelled up, and then he held his throat and flailed around and died. ''As expected of Pichan-sama. Van Pelt muttered. ''What happens if it gets on your skin and you don''t wash it off? Mirko asks, ''It''ll be like a burn wound. Even the potion left a scar that didn''t completely disappear. I replied, ''That''s amazing...'' Ein leaks his voice. ''Normally, I manage it, but when permission is given to use it in battle, a small amount is distributed to each viper unit. This vial contains about a quarter of it. And it seems that Pichan-sama''s venom is weak against air, and once the lid is opened, it becomes harmless within two days. So don''t worry, the troops won''t be able to hoard it. It''s already opened when you hand it out. '''''''' I see! '''''''' ''By the way, do you want to know what happens if Pichan-sama bites you directly? ''Yes, just in case...'' ''Instant death in a second.'' ''I suppose...'' ''So, when it comes to using it in battle, if you can stick a needle into the opponent, you can use it, but usually you can''t, right????So, one thing you can do is to apply it to the arrowhead. The poison is a little sticky, so it won''t scatter even if you fly it with an arrow. The next is to apply it to the sword. Be careful not to let the sword touch your skin in battle, and wash it carefully after use before sheathing it. It will be non-toxic, but just in case. '''''''' Copy '''''''' ''So, I guess I''ll teach Ein how the 8th Army and the Viper Squad were trained by the lord. Just be prepared for that, okay?'' Elvis'' words were met by Ein''s, ''It''s still tough, isn''t it? Ein asked, ''You''re a lord. Elvis replied, ''How can you not be strict? Wylie said, ''We were in another unit, and at first we thought it was hell on earth. Van Pelt looks away. ''Even I, who''ve been with you for so long, thought it was hell. Mirko added. The five Knights of the Snakes began hunting in the forest together and training their companions. The viper-dark snake duo scattered throughout the forest also seemed to have begun practicing their poisoning and hiding techniques. After that, moaning and lamenting voices echoed in the forest, and adventurers who were near the forest heard the voices and told others about it, so the forest came to be called the Forest of Lamentations. The heads of the noble families were captured near the entrance of the forest by the Snakes Knight without using any poison. Well, they were not in perfect health. And Stein.., ''Mister Stein, why don''t you give up now? To Ein''s words, ''Shut up!???You''re a traitor! ''If you''d told him you were one of us, I''m sure my lord wouldn''t have treated your house so badly.???Like the Earls of Abbot. I was abandoned by you and taken in by the manor. If you ask me, you''re the traitor. ''If you''re a spy, you''re a traitor when you tell me about your employer! ''Well, then, let''s give him a taste of the master''s own medicine. The one-legged Stein was no match for him, and he was immediately taken into custody. And ...... The Snakes'' interrogation begins on the spot. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re going to do with your time. There''s nothing to be heard from Stein, who is crying out for them to stop, so it''s a full course round. Ein''s face is said to have a slight smile on it. The next day, after returning from the forest, Patrick and his men took control of the captured noblemen''s mansions in the capital, and set off for the mansions in the territories, which they also took control of in a few days. The families in the estates were taken to the capital, all those over 13 years old were beheaded, and children under 12 years old were sold as debt slaves. The same measures were taken against the commoner Stein family. Before selling them to the slavers, Patrick reportedly said to them. ''If you want revenge, come to me at any time. I''ll do everything in my power to avenge you! With full throttle. 173-Report to His Majesty Hearing Patrick''s report, the king was pondering in the audience room. ''Hey, Patrick...'' ''Yes, Your Majesty? ''It was indeed I who gave the order to attack. I also thought that Stein''s men would take advantage of that and involve the other nobles. But don''t you think this number is strange? ''It''s only twenty families. ''What do you mean ''only''????I told you to say something if you want to destroy them! ''No, Your Majesty told me to get over it, so I thought it would be okay to crush the ones coming at us. ''How much do they hate you????You know????There are 20 noblemen who are tempted by Stein, who has fallen to a commoner, and they''re willing to go along with him, aren''t they hated too much????What did you do? ''I just took care of a spy who was sneaking around my territory. ''Why do they hate you so much for that? ''Also, the noblemen who sent the spies to our territory didn''t sell any of our liquor or chess, did they????I think I heard that the merchants left the territory because of that, but it''s a trivial matter...'''' ''You idiot!???If the merchant disappears, you won''t be able to manage the territory! ''That''s none of my business. ''The royal family will have to manage the territory that was ruled by the crushed nobles.???Put yourself in my shoes! ''In any case, you''re just going to add a bunch of new barons and leave it to them, aren''t you? ''But still!???Do you know how many families have disappeared recently because of you? ''Well????I don''t really remember. ''About fifty!???Most of them were barons, but visons, counts, and marquises can''t be helped since they''re related to our family, but you''re called the Grim Reaper by not only soldiers but nobles as well! ''Yeah! ''That''s not ee!???That''s enough!???Go home, and meet Sona before you leave. ''Yes, Your Majesty. Now if you''ll excuse me. After Patrick left, the King said to the troubled Prime Minister next to him, ''Hey, what should we do about this? He murmured. ''Your Majesty, the number of nobles is decreasing too much. We don''t have enough people to manage the territories under our direct control, and I think we should hurry up and entrust the territories to those who have the credit for the last annexation in the north.'''' Right. Did you hear that????I heard Patrick even used poison. How merciless can you be?'' ''That''s true, if you say it''s like that man, but I heard that he kept the child alive as a slave, so I thought he was still warm-hearted. ''Hey, my daughter''s place of marriage, my head is starting to hurt...'' ''Can you tell His Highness Sonali to cancel the engagement? ''I can''t, I''m in love with him!???If I say that, he''s going to get the poison that Patrick used and put it in my food! ''''Then I think it''s best to give up. I think it would be more constructive to think of a way to control it better. ''Can you control it????Can you control it? ''Well, that aside, I think it would be better to leave the old Westin territory to Count Snakes and make him a frontier count. The soldiers there are very strong, so they are perfect as a fighting force against the Empire. ''Or we could leave the mountainous regions to Abbott and have him protect the north and west. Those two families can exchange information smoothly. ''We''ll just have to get through it by changing the titles and titles. It depends on how many knights and quarter-barons are changed to barons. ''Hurry up with the list of those who have done well. If we don''t, the security situation could worsen. ''Immediately! 174-request for improvement Patrick is on his way to meet with Thornalis. Mirko is next to him. He''s carrying a large pack. ''Thorinaris, about the armor...'' Patrick starts without even saying hello. ''Is there a problem? Thorinaris asks back, sipping his tea. ''No, I thought there was no problem since it didn''t impede my movement, Mirko, show your armor to His Highness. ''Yes, Your Highness. Your Highness, this way. Mirko unpacked. There''s.., ''Wow... the chains are rusty...'' Thorinaris muttered. ''Yes, it seems that the blood and the dampness of the forest were not good for the iron chain, and it rusted very quickly. Perhaps I should have washed it off with water, but...'' Patrick said apologetically, ''No, there''s no time for washing on the battlefield, is there????Blood spatter was completely unexpected. I''ll choose a new material. Is there anything else? ''It''s a helmet, but can''t you make it so that the face part opens up????It''s too much trouble to take it off every time I need to rehydrate...'' ''I see!???I guess there are things you can''t understand until you try it. I understand!???It''s better to keep the bottle in the same state when you open it, right????It''s easier to drink. So, I''d like to add a lock function, but I don''t want it to look awkward when opened, so what should the motif be????Hmmm... but would that make it thicker????But I don''t want it to be too heavy, so...'' Patrick thought he might have said the wrong thing when Saounaris came up with the idea. But there''s more. ''Also, about the boots, can you reinforce the toes with metal????It would be good for kicking the enemy.'' ''Oh, that''s possible!???Would you prefer the metal to be visible????I can hide it, though. He pondered for a moment and then said, I thought about it for a while and then said, ''Well, I''ll hide it. I said. ''All right!???I''m starting to get an idea of what you''re talking about. I''ll keep the armor set for now!???Maybe I''ll make some weapons while I''m at it!???Patrick-sama''s main weapons are sword machetes, swords and knives, right????Oh, I guess I''ll need a spear too!???Maybe I''ll make a place for shuriken too!???I''m having fun! Patrick didn''t know how to face the excited Thorinaris. Perhaps Patrick was so busy with Thorinaris that he didn''t notice Mirko and Amelia, Thorinaris''s maid of honor, happily drinking tea in the back. 175-List of meritorious persons in progress While Patrick was discussing the armor with Thornaris, the King was discussing it with Prime Minister Bendrick, General Andretti, Lieutenant General Simon, and Lieutenant General Ganash. ''So, that''s it for the men in the North. Now, about the rebellion, who stands out?'' The King asked, ''Your Majesty, may I have a word with you first? General Andretti interrupted him. ''What is it?'' The King asked, ''I would like to resign from the position of General, taking responsibility for the recent mutiny, the betrayal of the Commander of the Kingsguard, and various other matters. General Andretti says. I''ll take responsibility for the mismanagement of my men. ''No, I can''t just let a man of your stature quit. Quitting isn''t the only way to take responsibility!???You have to have people you trust working for you. The king had a point. ''But what do you want me to do then????If we don''t get rid of them, we won''t be able to show them to the people below! ''Hmm, here''s what I''ll do. Andretti. ''Yes, sir...'' ''As Commander in Chief, I order you to... You are to be demoted two ranks to Major General!???and Commander of the Kingsguard!???You may not be able to recreate the legend of the warrior gods, but you can still move, can''t you? ''''Your Majesty!???It''s true that you''re still as good as the young ones, but that won''t help the youngsters grow up! ''Andretti, the next Commander of the Kingsguard will be trained and appointed by you. Andretti, you will train and appoint the next Commander of the Kingsguard who will swear to protect the kingdom and the country! ''......Gyoi''. Andretti''s voice trailed off. ''Then, Simon, take the vacant general position. He''ll be in charge of the first army and the Kingsguard.'' ''Yes, sir!???Yes, sir! ''Ganash, you''ll continue with the third army.'' ''Yes, sir. ''Your Majesty, what do you intend to do with the second army?'' The King smirked at Simon''s question. ''Who''s training the second army now? Simon asks, ''Oh, you don''t think? ''Your son-in-law would be fine, but he''s a bit inexperienced in commanding a large unit, so eventually that will be fine, but not yet.'' ''So that means? ''Well, I''m appointing Lieutenant Colonel Snakes as Major General, with command of the 2nd and 8th Armies. Wayne Simon can take over the de facto command of the 2nd Army. He''ll learn from Patrick''s command. He''s got great leadership skills. I mean, Simon, get the ceremony over with. Isn''t it too bad for her to just have a registry? ''Yes, I''ve been busy. ''You''re right, I''ve had a lot on my plate. ''I will proceed with the preparations. ''Hmm. So, back to the topic at hand, who did well in the rebellion? ''I''d have to say Baron Kanaan, who risked his life to protect the royal family. Major General Andretti said. ''Indeed!??? Who else?'' ''''Then there''s Count Snakes, who rushed to the rescue. Lieutenant General Ganash says. ''Lieutenant Colonel Snakes... or is it Major General Snakes, I feel like he should be a lieutenant general now that he''s been active here and there...'' Lieutenant General Simon, now General Simon, said. ''Well, it''s still a secret, but I''m going to entrust him with the old Westin territory as a frontier count, and have him prepare the west. I''ll make him lieutenant general now. The Mental King is on board. ''We need to train the west before the non-aggression pact expires. ''His training is tough, but it''s perfect for strengthening him. ''Also, I''d like to reward Abbott for being the first to notice and report the rebellion. The conversation continued until late at night. 176-frontier count Many people have gathered at the Royal Castle. On this day, the awards and decorations for the invasion of the mountain tribes, the awards and decorations for the recent rebellion, and the promotion ceremony are being held. Those with lesser merits are called up first, but since it is a sign of their success, those who are called up seem to be happy. After all the awards and decorations, when it came to the knighthood, everyone became quiet. A knighthood is raised. It is the greatest honor for a nobleman. First, a knighthood is awarded for meritorious service in mountain tribal warfare. Those who are knighted to become barons seem quite happy. Baron to Viscount, Viscount to Count. Some of the nobles were suspicious that Snakes'' name was not mentioned here. Next, about the rebellion. First, the Canaanites, who had defended the royal family at their own peril, were made Viscounts. They were given their original estates and the adjacent estates. Here is an explanation of the landholding nobility. There are several types of territorial nobles. There are several types of landed gentry. This includes the Canaanns, the old Rigsbys, and the Abbots. These are the families that were originally the powerful families in the area. These are the families that were originally powerful families in the region and were granted territories by advancement. They are not related to the area because they were given a part of the royal domain by merit. But the family that put down roots in the territory and worked for the development of the region. The remaining families are those who were given a part of the territory under the direct control of the royal family, but do nothing in particular but collect taxes. Such families were not blamed for their incompetence because they were easy to deal with by the royal family. The territory next to the Canaan territory was occupied by such a house, which is why it was added to the Canaan territory. As the announcements continued, those related to Patrick were named as follows: Knight Wylie was made a Baron. Knight Van Pelt was also made a baron. Van Pelt was also made a baron for defeating a former captain of the Kingsguard. The former Barony of Curley in the west was given to Wylie, and the former Barony of Eger was given to Van Pelt. The proximity to the Snakes'' territory may be the king''s decision or the vizier''s plan. The Abbotts, whose territory was partly adjacent to the mountainous region, were given the territory as their domain and appointed as Counts of the Frontier. And the Snakes, The Snakes were given the former Westin territory as their territory and appointed as Counts of the Frontier, based on their one merit in the mountain tribe war and two merits in the rebellion. I also appoint you Lieutenant General of the Royal Army and give you command of the 2nd and 8th Armies. The castle is abuzz with excitement. It was the moment of the birth of a teenage lieutenant general. 177-well-established The first teenager in the history of the Royal Army to be promoted to lieutenant general. It''s no surprise that the Snakes have become the talk of the town, but of course, with that comes bad press. The Snakes'' reputation is mainly based on the following, The head of the family has a twisted personality. The Grim Reaper, with his brutal nature and his use of cannibalistic demons A manipulative little shit A money-grubber Manipulator of alcohol. A man of little means who has risen through the ranks through luck. A parent killer I''d say that''s about it. There are few good reputations. Or rather, there are only bad reviews. But Patrick doesn''t care about that, and if he did, he wouldn''t be able to survive in an aristocratic society. Today''s BLACK companies seem to be lax, harsh 24-hour missions, pulling each other down, lies and falsehoods, that''s the aristocratic society of this world. Speaking of rising, two of the Snakes'' knights have risen to the rank of baron. This is the formation of the official Snakes faction. For the new barons, the house that gave them the knighthood is more important than their family home. In the future, if the House of Snakes and their family were to come into conflict, they would lend their support to the House of Snakes. This is an unspoken agreement in aristocratic society. If the Snakes sided with the Snakes'' family, it would be a taboo to the extent that the other noble families would stop doing business with the Snakes, as if they had avenged the favor they had done to the Snakes. As barons, Wylie and Van Pelt became members of the Snakes Frontier Count faction. They are required to contribute more than a knighthood. Their territories are also next to each other, but Patrick asks them a hard question when they are so excited about receiving their territories. ''''Wylie, Van Pelt as well, your territories are not suitable for farming, how do you plan to manage them? ''''Huh?'''' ''''Didn''t you think of that?'''' The two of them looked at each other. ''''Didn''t you think about why the old Baron Curley and Baron Eger borrowed money from Westin????''Because the harvest was small and the money was lost just paying taxes. They had to borrow because they didn''t have money for other things like guarding their lands. It''s probably Prime Minister Bendrick''s plan. He''s trying to cut into my money. Well, I''ll help you. I''ll take care of it. I''ll see the look of frustration on Prime Minister Bendrick''s face...'' Patrick smirked, and not only Wylie and Van Pelt, but everyone present felt a chill run down their spines. 178-Patricks idea Why is the land that Wylie and Van Pelt inherited unsuitable for farming? The terrain is bad and the land is overwhelmingly thin. They were forced to grow wheat on it, which made it even thinner. So what was Patrick''s plan? "What''s this? Wiley asks Patrick, looking at a small seed. ''They''re buckwheat seeds. ''Buckwheat? ''It''s what''s called a cereal, but it can grow in thin soil and it''s edible, so it''s good. I''ll tell you how to eat it! ''Huh? ''Then raise chickens. Raise chickens! ''I''ll give it a try under your orders, but what about immediate funds and food? ''We''ll lend you money. No interest.'' ''Thank you, sir! ''So, Van Pelt''s land has a lot of rocky mountains, so there''s not much area to plant. So, raise goats!???Goats can eat meat and make cheese from their milk. Cheese is good!???And grow potatoes and sweet potatoes!???We''ll buy them and turn them into alcohol! ''I understand alcohol, but goats? ''Oh, yeah, you want to do sheep????Wool is good for money too! ''Huh,'' ''What I''m saying, both of you, is that if farming is too difficult, you should take up animal husbandry!???Meat is more profitable!???The food is grass, and it grows everywhere!???Well, not just grass, but other stuff, too!???We''ll support Van Pelt''s place, too!???It''s a lot of work to keep the animals from running away and to protect them from the goblins, but if we can do that, we''ll have a good income!???Listen up, you two!???First, rebuild the economy of the territory!???Then we''ll dominate the surrounding nobles with our economy. We''ll make it impossible for the Snakes to run the territory without them. Our booze!???We''ll make it a specialty at Wylie''s and Van Pelt''s. We''ll sell it!???And we''ll paint the west as Snakeskin!???We''ll crush any nobleman who stands in the way of our faction! Whata?????'''' 179-Waynes wedding Patrick got into the carriage in full dress. The carriage is red with a black family crest. The people of King''s Landing who see the carriage.., ''Hey, that carriage...'' ''Shh!???You''re talking too loud, you know it when you see it!???There''s no other carriage like it. It''s the carriage of the infamous Count Patrick! There''s nothing blocking the front of that carriage. People quickly avoided the carriage, and oncoming carriages rushed to the side to stop. The destination of the red carriage was the famous Marquis Simon''s residence. On this day, the wedding ceremony of Emilia Simon, the eldest daughter of the Marquis Simon, and Wayne Simon, the third son of Viscount Kimball (who has been upgraded to a viscount due to his achievements during the recent uprising), will be held at the church, and the wedding party will be held at the Marquis Simon''s residence. . The Marquis Simon is one of the oldest aristocrats in the kingdom and an important post (general) in the national army, so many aristocrats gather there. Young noblemen are gathering like ants swarming over sugar, hoping that the formal marriage of Emilia, one of Simon''s 15 sisters, will lift the ban on the engagement of the remaining 14 sisters. That''s right, none of the daughters of the Marquess Simon had gotten married yet. The reason? It''s just because of a father who loves his daughters. Since the survival of the family was at stake, the eldest daughter wanted to take Wayne as her son-in-law, but the remaining 14 daughters found their father annoying. The party was not flashy like the Marquesses, but it was elegant, graceful and full of luxury. Well, Patrick had another goal in mind. ''Pat, what''s the story? '' asked DeCourse Canaan. His father, Trolla, had officially retired from the Kingsguard (discharged with an honorable wound after losing one of his arms protecting the king) to concentrate on running the estate, and he had returned to King''s Landing to take his place in the Kingsguard. ''Brother Decourse, you''re already 30 years old, right????Do you have a wife in mind? ''I''m only 29!???There''s no such thing as a wife! ''You can''t be so proud of yourself. Now that the Canaan family is a viscount, they need to get a proper wife, right????We need to find a good girl at this party! ''Ugh. No, but...'' ''But Kakashi, you need to fix the fact that you can''t talk to women!???He''s fine with his relatives and the royal family, but when it comes to other nobles, he can''t talk to them, it doesn''t make sense! Decourse had the disadvantage of being too nervous to talk to potential marriageable women. ''Even if you say it like that...'' ''Nervousness in your body doesn''t suit you! ''I don''t know what to say...'' ''Just tell her your name, stare at her and tell her she''s beautiful!???I''d prefer a woman who likes to talk, but that''s not a luxury!???Brother Decourse, do you have a favorite woman in your life? ''Not that there aren''t any, but...'' ''Who????What girl? ''Oh, the girl...'' In a small, muffled voice, he looked at me and said, ''Seriouslya?????'' It was someone Patrick hadn''t expected. 180-cry The one in Decourse''s line of sight was.., She was about 18 years old. She was about six feet tall, with a slightly bony but toned body. A long, brown head of straight hair and green eyes. Large breasts. And a full beard! Yes, a Dwarf woman. This woman''s name is Clarice Simon. Yes, the fifth daughter of the Simon family, son of the third wife of the Marquess Simon. So to be precise, she is half dwarf and half human. She had a long beard and straight, almost golden brown hair that was clean and shiny, and it was sucked into the valley of the two magnificent twin hills on her chest. I think I mentioned before that there are noble families that accept the blood of elves, dwarves, and beastmen, and the Marquesses of Simon are at the forefront of this. The first wife is a human (sister of the king), the second wife is also a human, the third wife is a dwarf, the fourth wife is a human, and the fifth wife is a beast (wolf). The fifth wife is a werewolf. (The fifth wife was chosen from among the beastmen who had many male siblings in order to give the Simon family, which had no male children, a boy.) ''Brother Decourse, I think it''s good. Everyone has their own preferences. Let''s go, shall we?'' ''Where''s the good stuff?'' DeCourse bit down hard. ''Where, Miss Clarice''s place!???I know Marquis Simon and Wayne very well, so I can at least talk to them. The rest is up to you, Decourse.'' ''You can''t just...'' ''Brother DeCourse!???If you don''t get married or have children, you''ll have to hand over the governorship to Brother Brose and spend the rest of your life in the Kingsguard.???Well, that''s one way to live, but at least once in your life, you need to take a shot at a woman and attack her, right? ''Yes, that''s true, but I''ve been alone until this age, so I don''t have confidence...'' ''You don''t need confidence!???All you need is determination and the courage to take a step forward!???Come on!???Here we go! With that, Patrick grabbed DeCourse''s left wrist and walked towards Miss Clarice, dragging the large DeCourse with him. ''Wait, wait, Pat, I''m not ready! DeCourse''s mental cry was audible. 181-confession Patrick reaches General Simon, dragging DeCourse along at a snail''s pace. ''Your Excellency, Marquis Simon, congratulations on this occasion! He bows his head and offers his congratulations. I usually call him General, but that''s in the military, and a wedding is a private affair, so Patrick calls me Marquis. ''Oh!???Thank you, Count Snakes. By the way, who''s that guy holding your arm? No one would congratulate DeCourse with his arm in his hand. It''s natural to be curious. ''Yes, it''s my cousin, the eldest son of Viscount Canaan, Decourse Canaan. ''Oh!???You''re Trolla-dono''s son!???I heard he was in the Kingsguard until a few years ago. So, why are you holding my arm?'' ''Because he would have run away if I didn''t hold him. Sir, I have a small favor to ask. ''Hmm????If it''s a favor from a frontiersman, I''ll do it, but what''s the favor? ''''Yes, this is Decourse, I''m 29 years old, single, and have no fianc??e, but today, a woman appeared in this hall that I''m attracted to, but she''s too shy to speak to me, so I thought I''d act as an intermediary. ''''Hmm, if you''re the cousin of the frontier count and the son of Lord Trolla, I''ll set up a meeting with anyone from anywhere! (Okay, I''ve got a deal!) Patrick smiled inwardly. ''So, which girl is it? Marquis Simon doesn''t think it''s his daughter for a second. ''Yes, His Excellency''s fifth daughter, Lady Clarice. ''What the hell! Marquis Simon''s loud voice rang out. (Oh, will he be offended????I''m famous for taking care of my daughter, ''You''ve taken a liking to my daughter, Clarice!???Bravo!???Many Men of Men hate Dwarf women, but Dwarf women are kind and patient!???I like her!???Lord Decourse!???My daughter will not shave.???Is that all right with you? He asked Decourse, ''Of course, sir!???I''m in love with you, beard and all! Decourse replied in a loud voice. It was so loud that it echoed throughout the hall. Naturally, the voice reached Miss Clarice''s ears as well. Miss Clarice''s face turned bright red. She had never been favored by a man before. No, there had been dwarven men, but Miss Clarisse''s preference had been for men of the human race. And taller than her. As a half-Dwarf, half-Human, Miss Clarisse was taller than most Dwarf women. No, she was taller than a dwarf man. ''Clarisse!???Come here!'' Marquis Simon called out loudly. Embarrassed and happy, Mistress Clarice came running a little, and Patrick lightly tapped DeCourse on the side with his fist, ''Brother Decourse, this is the game of a lifetime!???His Excellency the Marquis Simon seems to be on board, all we have to do is apply to him!???Look into his eyes and tell him how you feel! I whispered in his ear. ''My name is Decourse Canaan!???I was so taken by your appearance! Decourse shouts, staring straight ahead. Patrick smiled as he looked at DeCourse. 182-Whos the main character? ''Yo!???Pat.'' '' said one of the men calling out to Patrick. Well, there were only two people in the room who called him Pat, and one of them was in the middle of the game of a lifetime, so that left.., ''Oh!???Wayne, our star of the day. Patrick teased. ''What do you mean, number two? ''Because the star of the show is Miss Emilia, right????Oh, you mean Lady Emilia. '' ''Yeah, that''s true. But the second one is also becoming suspicious, Clarice is the second one, Decourse-dono is the third one????Then I''m number four? Wayne said, looking at Clarice and DeCourse. ''No, I think you''re number two. ''Maybe. Well, I hope Clarice is happy. She''s a good girl. Really! ''Brother Decourse is a good man too. He''s just not immune to women.'' ''Pat, how are things going with you?'' ''Yeah, I think it''s going well. He hasn''t made me angry, and he comes to my house all the time. '' ''''Oh. At the house with the snake? '' ''''He''s quite fond of our Pichan. ''''As expected of His Highness. She''s a different vessel. ''Well...'' ''By the way, I heard that you''ve bought up the houses on either side of us and are expanding the site to build more? ''Yeah, the one on the right was demolished, and the one on the left said, "I can''t live next to a house with demons like that! So I bought it just in time. You see, we''ve got more people, and there will be more. The number of people in the house of the Snakes Frontier Count has increased considerably compared to before. The reason for this is that the Snakes'' army has come to guard the house, and because of the increase in the number of spies, there is a need for a dormitory for them (Ain has recruited a large number of spies from the houses that were demolished). As a result, the number of people working in the dormitory and whatnot has become quite large. Moreover, after the marriage, there will be maidservants and guards attached to Thornalis. ''I''ve heard rumors of a strange building that I''ve never seen before. ''Is it????Well, I''ll call you when it''s ready.'' ''I''ll be there just to see the scary stuff.'' Wayne said with a laugh. 183-sweet potato It''s been a long day of celebrations in King''s Landing. Today is the engagement announcement of the First Princess, Princess Crozier, at the Royal Castle. Her betrothed is, of course, Ryan Abbott. She has straight silver hair, blue eyes, and is about 5''9" tall. She looks a little timid, but she is definitely beautiful. The way she approached Ryan, who was standing next to her, seemed to be happy. In the first place, when Ryan was a Knight of the Royal Guard, he was the bodyguard of Her Highness Princess Crozier. The love between the guard and the guarded. It''s a common story. It was a love so obvious that everyone around them could see it coming. Ryan asked his father to marry him, but he didn''t because it would upset the balance between them. So they are both very happy. Now, there are many nobles in the north who want to be close to the Abbot family, but the Abbot family is not interested in that. Since the northern mountainous region has been made their territory, they have to go out to the mountainous region to survey the villages, use military pressure and food to win over the rebellious villages who once said they would surrender to the kingdom, conduct a survey with the state for the construction of a new northern fort, and train the men of the mountain tribes as soldiers. I also have to teach them the laws and customs of the kingdom so that they can live as royal citizens. It''s been a mad scramble. ''Congratulations, Sir Ryan! At the engagement party, Patrick congratulates a slightly disheveled Ryan, ''Lord Snakes, I have a favor to ask you...'' Ryan says to him. ''Are you talking about strengthening your troops????I hear you''re having a hard time. I heard from you. Well, I''m willing to help my future brother-in-law, but I don''t think I have a good reputation in that area, what are you going to do about that? I ask him back. ''What did I do that was so bad? Ryan asks. ''You haven''t heard yet????It''s military information, so it''s not leaked????The mountain tribes, or are they called the North Mountain People now????If you ask them, they''ll tell you in one shot, but, well, to put it simply, you could sneak into a rebellious village, jump the head of the chief, expose him, surround him with eight armies, and force him to surrender????And if they tried, I would have made them understand by force! ''Well... how thorough is thorough? ''Killing all adult males? ''Oh my god...'' ''What do we do now?'' ''What should we do...'' ''Well, go ahead and try, and if I can''t do it, why don''t we have one of our knights do it????I''ve trained him well, so I''m sure he can train you.'''' ''Please, sir. My soldiers can''t train them at all. ''Yes, if I can make time, I''ll let you know and head there. On this day, the royal family and the Abbot family were presented with a new liquor from the Snakes'' territory as a gift. It was sweet potato shochu. 184-shop There is a store near the noble quarter of the capital. The bell above the door rang, and a man entered the store. ''Master, did you get that new liquor you were talking about? Sitting at the counter, the man said, ''Yes. He was a well-dressed gentleman who exuded an elegant atmosphere. ''Yes, we''ve just arrived today. Would you like to try it? The master, a man in his thirties, said, ''Of course. I''ve been looking forward to it. '' He smiles. He smiles at me. ''Oh, you''re also waiting for the new sake the Master told you about? I''m waiting for it too. I came here instead of working. A man sitting next to him speaks to the elderly gentleman. ''It''s a new brew, after all. I also finished my work in a hurry, so what''s in that glass? The old gentleman asks back. ''Yes, it''s new sake. I''ll tell you what it tastes like after you drink it. ''Thank you for your concern. I''m glad to hear it. The master of the restaurant offers you a small plate with about one centimeter of refried beans and nuts on it, and a small glass next to it. ''Please try the untouched one first. ''Hmm, is the color clear? He puts his nose close to the glass. ''Mmm, the smell is rather peculiar. Pull your face away from the glass and say. ''Well! He sipped the glass and took a small sip of the liquor. ''Mmm, mmm, mmm, gulp, gulp. ''How do you like it? The Master asked, after making sure he had swallowed, ''The smell is peculiar, but the taste is not so peculiar, but it is not weak, but strong. It''s a strange taste, with a hint of sweet potato. ''That''s excellent. Let''s try this next one. And then, I bring out a glass with ice in it. ''Hmm, it changes again when it is chilled with ice. Let''s see. And drink. Take your time. ''Wow, this is completely different from whiskey with water. You can enjoy the change as it gradually gets thinner. The man next to me says, ''Surprising, isn''t it? ''Mm!???It''s a new drink indeed!???I also like the unique flavor! This is going to be popular. ''I''m still going to try it with hot water next. Please enjoy it.'' ''Oh! You''ve pushed the habit to the forefront. It''s got a strong aroma. The master smiled, ''Can''t I get a takeaway yet? The old gentleman asked, ''Yes, I haven''t received permission from the owner yet, so it''s only for drinking here. ''I guess I''ll be coming back for a while. ''Yes, sir! In the meantime, the number of customers increased, and when the place was full, everyone was happily enjoying their drinks. ???????????????????????????????????? ''Mulder, how''s that drink working out for you? Patrick asked one of the middle-aged men, ''Yes, it''s been great!???It''s especially popular on the rocks. We''ve only served the potato one as per the lord''s orders. The other one is being matured by pickling plums. We will try more and more. The man replied. ''It''s only in the capital for now, but we will open stores in various territories soon. I''ll leave you in charge of recruiting and training the employees, so work hard. ''Yes, sir!???I''ll be sure to repay you for picking me up as a commoner with no job opportunities. ''Well, in a way, I''m the one who made you a commoner. ''No, that was my father''s fault. I shouldn''t have listened to Henry...'' ''Well, we all get greedy, you know. You''ll just have to live with it. I''ll set up stores all over the kingdom, collect information, and if it becomes useful, you''ll get a knighthood too! I''m sure you''ve thought this through. ''It''s greed, alcohol, and women that make men fail, right?'' ''Wise words, sir.'' And so, slowly and surely, a store named Bath Nakes spread throughout the kingdom. 185-armor again Patrick was puzzled. As usual, the Thornaris party came to the manor of Snakes, accompanied by a large number of guards, but two large crates were unloaded from the carriage. Take them into the house, ''Let''s take this one first. When the first crate was opened, it contained a ceremonial armor for Patrick, made by Thorinaris, which he had previously left with her. It''s ceremonial armor, but the chains are rusty from being checked in actual combat. What used to be iron chains have been replaced with light silver and painted green. The face of the skull on the helmet has been changed to slide upward, making it easier to rehydrate. ''What do you think????I decided to make only small changes for the ceremony. Thorinaris said. ''Does that mean you''re making one for actual combat? Patrick asked fearfully. ''Yes!???The basic concept is the same: leather armor for ease of movement, with metal reinforcements on the head, chest, shoulders and elbows, and the front of the boots. The face of Pichan on both shoulders is changed to be a little smaller, and the body of Pichan is made of only light silver to reduce weight. The baskets from the elbows are made of leather with iron plates inserted in them, and only the left hand side has a thick iron plate sticking out. Only the lower jaw of the skull is lifted up in the actual helmet for strength reasons. The boots have steel between the front and the toe, so you can kick the enemy as hard as you like!???The hilt of the machete, sword, and knife have been remade in the image of Pichan, and the spear has Pichan''s engraving on the tip. Also, as a new weapon, I made something that looks like a combination of a large knife and a machete. And that''s all he had to say. The weapon for actual use seems to be a little less flashy. There are two Pichans, one with a silver head and the other with a light silver body, and an iron plate with the family crest of the Snakes and Pichan engraved on it. And a weapon that looked like a combination of a knife and a machete, which Patrick had seen before. (It''s a large kukuri knife, isn''t it?) He thinks to himself, but doesn''t say anything. Then the armor show begins. It''s just Patrick putting it on and showing it to Thorinaris. But as expected, the armor does not interfere with Patrick''s movements, and the size is perfect. It is truly custom-made. ''Thank you very much! Patrick thanked him and kissed Thorinaris lightly on the cheek. A boiled octopus-like sonaris was the result. 186-Military March 1 King''s Landing is very busy these days. The reason is that the military march is coming soon. Why is it crowded when it is close? First, there are more people. The reason for this is that the Royal Army is going out of the capital, even if only temporarily. The Royal Army, unlike the other armies, consisted of the first three armies of the Royal Army, but at that time, the total number of soldiers was 10,500, including 10,000 soldiers and 500 members of the Royal Court Kingsguard. The 500 members of the Royal Court Kingsguard are basically in the royal palace, but the other royal city troops use the military facilities next to the royal castle instead of using the fortress if it is a district army, but all the royal city troops use it. In this way, the maintenance of the facilities can be done for all three armies at once, so about 1,000 people are working for the maintenance of the facilities and office work, as well as the soldiers who send messages back and forth between the district army and the capital. Well, I didn''t count the meals and barracks because they are outsourced to military personnel. Dividing the remaining 9,000 by three, we get 3,000 in one army, consisting of 2,000 soldiers fighting on the front lines and about 1,000 in the rear support wagons and their escorts. When the 8th Army was newly added, 300 soldiers were transferred out, so the number of rear support soldiers in each army was reduced to 900. Now, to get back to the original point, the number of soldiers participating in the military march and leaving the royal capital is about 3,000, including 1,000 from each army. If this is the case, problems will arise in maintaining the security of the capital, which is their normal work. In order to support them, 2,000 soldiers, 500 from each army, will come to support them. So the soldiers who came to support the army went out to have fun at night, the inn was packed, the restaurants and bars were full of people, the whole capital was somewhat buoyant, and the economy was improving. In other words, it''s a festival to stimulate the economy. ''Now, about the course of this military march...'' General Simon spoke up. ''The first army will be north this time, the third army south, and the second and eighth armies east. ''General Simon, I have a question. ''What is it????Lieutenant General Ganache. ''What about the west? ''Oh, yeah, about that. No, actually, you know that the Snakes Frontier Counties send soldiers to King''s Landing every few months in shifts, right????Those soldiers hunt bandits and demons as they go, so there are no demons at all west of the capital, especially along the roads. There are almost no demons in the forest off the road, so there is no point in going there. The purpose is to provide pelts and meat to orphanages and families of fallen soldiers. The Adventurer''s Guild complained that we were going too far. ''Huh????Lieutenant General Snakes?'' Lieutenant General Ganash asked as he turned to Patrick, ''Yes, I thought it would be better to come with training than to just come. I thought it would be better to come and train with you than just come and train. Not only the streets, but also the woods. Only demons, sir.???I left the beasts. The adventurer''s guild complained to us as well, but when we told them that the adventurer''s guild tavern doesn''t want our whiskey, they backed off easily. Seeing Patrick''s smiling reply, Lieutenant General Ganash said, ''That''s amazing...'' General Ganash muttered quietly. 187-Military March 2 Well, a few days after I had said such things, well, it was the day of the military march. Horses and carriages went out from the facilities of the Royal Army with great pomp, and infantry followed behind them. First up was the First Army. General Simon rides his horse and waves back with a smile to the people of the capital who wave at him on the street. His armor is a gorgeous metal armor with gold in many places. The helmet is a face-veiling type. The first army is advancing toward the north gate. Normally, the second army would be next, but for some reason, the third army is next. Lieutenant General Ganash is also riding on a horse in gorgeous metal armor. He is marching toward the south gate. Next up, the second army. Leading the way is Lieutenant Colonel Wayne Simon. He is astride his horse in metal armor that is more modest than his father-in-law''s, but no less splendid. He is gallantly advancing toward the east gate. The cheers are louder than ever, probably because he is young, strong and handsome. And at the end of the march is a man riding a large black horse. He wears red leather armor, silvery snake heads on both shoulders, and a skull helmet. On the basket in his right hand is the family crest of a certain family. An object of fear for the people of King''s Landing. A nobleman who feeds sinners to his snake demons. The people leave like spider pups. ''Reaper nobles!???Run!???The snake will eat you! They shouted. ''Hmm, marching while watching the people flee, that''s quite refreshing. Patrick muttered, and Mirko, who was standing beside him, said, I envy you the strength of mind to call it exhilarating, I would want to stay indoors. I''d rather stay indoors.'' He was dumbfounded. ???????????????????????????????????? A girl, or should I say a woman as she will soon be an adult, watched the march from a carriage bearing the royal family crest and was entranced. As soon as Patrick was out of sight, she turned around and said, ''Patrick was so cool, wasn''t he!???The armor looked good on him, the atmosphere he created was good, and the people running for their lives was a nice touch! ''I''m going to recommend the reluctance of the neighboring knight Mirko! ''What????Amelia!???Do you like Mirko-san????He''s definitely a handsome guy. Please tell me more about it!???If you want, I can tell Patrick-sama and have him intercede for you. It''s often said that three is as bad as one, but it seems two is as bad as one. 188-Military March 3 Now, the second and eighth armies, led by Wayne, have passed through the east gate of King''s Landing. They wait for Patrick, who is at the back of the line. Wayne thought he heard a faint scream in the back, but he didn''t think the source of the scream was his boss. He put his hand on his forehead, ''I wonder if there ever was a lieutenant general who was so feared. He watched Patrick pass through the gate, and greeted him with a salute, ''Lieutenant General!???Give the order for future movements! He asked for instructions in a loud voice. ''All right, then, let''s have the second and eighth armies spread out horizontally and destroy the demons. The wagons will move slowly east along the road. The others will hunt in the woods and meadows. We''ll destroy the demons!???Carry the hunted monsters to the wagons. The wagons should dismantle the demons and put the usable ones in the wagons and bury the useless ones. He said loudly, ''Then leave! Then, in a loud voice, ''Let''s go! Since the Royal Army was patrolling the area near the capital, there were no demons of any importance. There are only useless demons such as goblins, and common demons such as orcs and ogres. Goblins and Orcs are no longer a match for the Kingdom''s armies, especially the second and eighth armies, which have been trained hard by Wayne and Patrick. The ogres are a bit stronger, but even so, they can be defeated by a few people working together. A few years ago, there would have been many injured by this monster. When we entered the next territory, the number of demons finally increased. The soldiers who killed and carried the demons busily delivered the demons to the wagons that were moving along the road, and the soldiers of the wagons who were waiting for them began to dismantle them. On the side of the road, several young soldiers are digging holes to bury the demons. The decapitated demons have their usable parts removed and are then dropped into the holes. After a few of them are dropped, they are covered with earth and buried. ''General! Someone calls out to Patrick. ''What is it?'' Patrick asks out loud, ''Oh!???There you are!???You''re closer than I thought. Can I return a few carriages to King''s Landing? They''re already full. He reported to me. ''All right, I''ll send a platoon to escort them. Unload them at King''s Landing and come back immediately. Colton! Take your platoon and escort the wagon!???Once you get back to King''s Landing and unload, get back on the wagon! The dumb-faced Colton was told, ''Yes, sir!???Colton''s platoon, let''s head back to King''s Landing! He called out to his platoon. That evening, they cooked the edible demons for dinner, but Patrick was a little tired after being forced to make a large amount of teriyaki burgers at the request of the 8th Army. About 1300 burgers... 189-Military March 4 It was early in the morning when we started to eradicate the demons. Perhaps it was because we were far to the east, but we ran into a pack of Big Boars, and when we managed to destroy them and get a large amount of fur and meat, we were surrounded by a huge number of Gray Wolves, perhaps lured by the smell of blood. We shot them dead with bows and arrows, but as the distance between us shortened, we had to fight them with spears and swords. Wayne charged into the center of the grey wolf pack. The heads of the gray wolves flew in all directions with Wayne at the center. ''The Eastern Army and the territorial army around here, do your job! Patrick complained and swung his machete at him, ''The Eastern Front''s main role is to fight off the wyverns, so they can''t do anything else, can they? Mirko says as she stabs him with her spear. ''Then what are the territorial soldiers doing? ''Maintaining security, I guess. There are a lot of baronial families around here, so there won''t be many soldiers. Wylie, whose family is in the east, said. ''Adventurers from the west, why don''t you come to the east? Van Pelt shouted dully. ''Why don''t someone tell the western adventurers? Patrick slashes the grey wolf''s head off with his machete sword. ''Not after we''ve destroyed it? Mirko said calmly. We manage to destroy the gray wolf, strip it of its fur, and stuff it into the wagon. When the rest of the wagons were about to run out of steam, the wagons returned with Colton''s platoon. ''Lieutenant General!???I''ve just returned! ''Thank you!???As soon as Colton returns, I''ll tell you what to do, destroy the demons or escort the wagons again, whichever you prefer! ''What????Are you already full? ''Yeah, I''m almost at my limit. ''Then I''ll go back to King''s Landing to get more carriages and come back! ''Good!???Keep moving in that direction! ''Yes, sir! With that, Colton''s platoon escorted the caravan back to the capital. As the soldiers were loading the wagons, Patrick looked at the sky and saw several dots floating in the sky. Patrick said to Wayne, who was in command beside him, ''Hey, Wayne. Patrick called out to Wayne, who was in command beside him. ''What is it, Lieutenant General? ''What''s that look like? He points to a dot in the sky and asks. Wayne looks in the direction pointed at. The dot grows a little larger, bobs up and down, and comes toward us. It looks like a bat. ''Hey, Lieutenant General, I''ve got a really bad feeling about this...'' ''That''s a coincidence. Me too...'' ''You look like a wyvern. Wayne said with a look of disgust on his face. ''All hands!???Stop loading demons!???It''s a wyvern!???Archers at the ready!???Carriages!???Did you load the ballista? Patrick asks out loud, ''General!???We only have one! ''Yes, sir!???Prepare to fire!???Hurry up! ''Yes, sir! With the naked eye, the other soldiers could see that several bat-like objects were definitely coming towards us. ''Hey Wayne. I guess we''re out of luck...'' ''I think you''re having more bad luck than we are.???Ever since you joined the army, you''ve hit all the big ones, right????Demons and humans alike. When I was away from you, it was just ordinary goblins and orcs. ''Yeah, I''ve been wondering that too...'' 190-Military March 5 The second and eighth troops all hurriedly set up their bows. The wyvern in the sky above us is now visually about the size of a pigeon. You can tell from this distance that it is not a bat. I can see its long neck. And it''s getting closer and closer. ''Everyone!???Don''t shoot it as soon as it''s in range of the bow!???We''re all going to fire our arrows at once!???Wait for my signal!???The ballista will give you separate instructions, so wait for the signal to fire! Patrick shouts loudly. The first wyvern is almost here. About a hundred meters away. You can''t reach it with your bow and arrow. And even if they did, they''re not strong enough to penetrate. ''50...40...fire! At the sound of his voice, about a thousand arrows swoosh through the air and fly. Some arrows pierce the body of the first wyvern, others break through the membrane of its wings. The wyvern, unable to fly properly due to the holes in its left and right wings, falls to the ground. When you see him hit the ground with a thud.., ''Wayne! Patrick shouts. ''Yes! As Wayne runs to the side, ''Ballista!???Fire at the next nearest wyvern!???Soldiers, prepare for a second shot! At the same time, a huge arrow was fired from the ballista, piercing the body of the second closest wyvern with a thud. The third wyvern followed shortly after. ''Bow and arrow!???Let go!'' Patrick shouted, and though his timing was a little off, he managed to hit the wyvern with his arrow. The wyvern doesn''t come crashing down, but it flaps its wings desperately, trying to escape high into the air, but it can''t quite get up. ''Ballista, do you have any more arrows? ''Two more arrows, sir! ''Fire another one at that wounded wyvern! ''Yes, sir! ''Archers ready!???They''re still coming! While he was saying that, the ballista fired a second shot, which also hit the body, and the wyvern spun around and fell. Patrick could see two more wyverns in the distance. ???????????????????????????????????? Wayne ran up to the crashing wyvern, which was about three meters long and seven meters wide with its wings spread out, and tried to get close to it, avoiding its flapping wings. He dodged, slashed at it with his spear, and dodged again. In the meantime, I managed to slice off one of the wings. Blood was spurting from the base of the right wing he had cut off. I thrust my spear into the wound. He pulled the spear out as if twisting it, and thrust it repeatedly as if slamming it into the noisy mouth. The wyvern coughed up blood and collapsed, and when it stopped moving, he ran to stop the second wyvern, which had been pierced in the torso with a ballista and had fallen, from breathing. 191-Military March 6 ''Mirkot!???Go pull the arrow out of the wyvern that Wayne just threw at you!'' Patrick shouts at Mirko. ''Yes, sir!???Mirko''s squad, let''s go! With that, Mirko and his platoon run towards Wayne. Meanwhile, the remaining two wyverns are right in front of them. ''Oh no, all hands!???I don''t care if it''s arrows, spears, or anything else!???Just knock them down! Patrick said as he threw his spear with all his might at the wyvern on his right. That''s right, the two of them were within range of his spear. The wyvern swooped down, grabbed the soldier by the legs, and soared up. The grabbed soldier coughed up blood from his mouth. His internal organs must have been crushed. The two wyverns take turns swooping down, grabbing the soldier and dropping him from the sky. A soldier is hit by a falling wyvern and collapses. There are soldiers carrying away the wounded, countless arrows and javelins being thrown, and soldiers on the side of the ballista who are probably ready, ''Lieutenant General!???Which way should we shoot? A voice shouted. ''To the left!???Let go of me! ''Yes, sir!???Target!???Left side wyvern!???Release! The soldier recited hurriedly, and a spear-sized arrow flew with a crisp sound and pierced the belly of the wyvern on the left side of the sky. ''Good!???Soldiers, focus on the one on the right!???Wylie!???Van Pelt!???Van Pelt, with your platoons, finish off the wyvern that just fell! ''My lord!???Yes, sir! Wylie runs, followed by Van Pelt. Van Pelt followed. The soldiers had only a few arrows left, ''My lord!???I''ve pulled it out! Mirko came back, shouting loudly. Holding an iron arrow under her arm. ''All right!???Take it to the ballista! ''Yes, sir! Mirko ran to the soldier who was handling the ballista and handed it to him, ''Lieutenant!???You can''t!???The arrow is bent and probably won''t fly straight! ''What do you mean? ''It doesn''t look like it, but it''s obvious when you set it. '' ''How far do you think you can hit ita?????'' ''Probably 10 meters is the limit. ''Ten meters? Patrick glanced at the other wyverns that had fallen on the ballista and thought for a moment. One of the wyverns was obviously bent, and the other hadn''t stopped breathing yet. ''All hands, retreat behind the ballista! '' shouted Patrick, ''If we do that, the wyverns will just go backwards! Mirko shouted. ''I''ll take the bait...'' ''That''s absurd...'' ''Reckless or not, if we don''t do it, the damage to the troops will increase...'' ''That''s true, but...'' ''Just get everyone out of here!???I won''t let any more die!???Come on, you wyvern! He said, and unleashed his killing intent on the wyvern. The wyvern glared at Patrick a moment later. 192-Military March 7 But the target he''d been staring at was gone. The wyvern shakes his head. Mirko was surprised. He''d never lost sight of Patrick before. It had been difficult to find him, but once he was there, all he had to do was keep looking. But now? The killing intent just now. I''ve lost sight of it since that moment. I didn''t take my eyes off it! (Why? !???How could I lose sight of you????That''s absurd!???Not just the wyvern, but every soldier in this place must have felt the killing intent just now. And yet, I can''t see him!) The wyvern''s left wing ripped open with a cracking sound. ''Yes! Patrick shouted, and Mirko checked him. The machete sword was missing from his hand. The wyvern lost altitude and landed on the ground, running towards Patrick. Patrick pulled the sword from his right hip. Wyvern swings his right wing down at Patrick, but Patrick ducks back and avoids it. Wyvern takes a step forward, closing the distance between him and Patrick. Patrick retreats again. He doesn''t just move back, he retreats after appearing to move forward with a killing intent. The wyvern concentrates on Patrick''s killing intent. Little by little, But it was getting closer. And then, ''Now!???Let go of me! As if in response to Patrick''s cry, a curved arrow flew from the ballista. The arrow hit the base of the wyvern''s right wing, and went straight through. Patrick approaches the wyvern, splattered with blood. He walked up behind the standing wyvern and slashed his thin legs with his sword. Although not severed, Wyvern is no longer able to stand, and he flails around on the ground, swinging his long neck. ''Mirko. Give me your spear.'' At Patrick''s words, Mirko gently threw his spear towards Patrick. Patrick grabs the spear and throws it at the wyvern''s body with all his might. The wyvern was swinging his head, but his torso was almost still, so the spear stabbed him in the base of the neck. The wyvern''s neck stiffened for a moment, and then slowly fell to the ground. It was like a dead leaf falling. His head fell with a thud, blood pouring out of his mouth. His slightly trembling mouth tells you that he''s still alive. Patrick walked slowly and put his sword to the wyvern''s neck, pulled it forward noiselessly, and the head fell away from the neck. 193-Military March 8 ''All hands!???Keep your eyes on the perimeter!???They could still be coming!???Wylie!???Van Pelt!???How''s it going over there? Patrick yells out. At the sound of his voice, the soldiers start scurrying around in the sky. ''My lord!???We''ve stopped breathing! Van Pelt''s voice comes back. ''We''re done here too! Wayne walks in, looking as normal as ever. ''Check the damage!???Treat the wounded!'' Patrick''s voice said, ''Yes, sir! A nearby soldier saluted and ran. ''Soldiers with free hands, dismantle the wyvern! Wayne instructed his men. a?|???a?¡éa?|???a?¡é The wounded are almost finished being treated, and the dead soldiers are lined up in one place and covered with cloth. Dozens of soldiers took turns watching the skies above, while the rest were engaged in dismantling and loading, or retrieving arrows that had been fired, each doing what they had to do. ''So, what''s the damage?'' Patrick asked, ''The dead are eleven in the Second Army and two in the Eighth Army, and the wounded are fifty-eight in the Second Army and three in the Eighth Army.'' Mirko answered. ''Of the wounded, how many will not be able to continue their military service?'' ''Three of them in the second army had their arms bitten off, so they won''t be able to continue.'' ''I see...'' Patrick mutters. ''My lord, I''m sorry to bother you at a time like this, but I need to talk to you.'' ''Hmm????What is it? ''We lost sight of you after you unleashed your first kill on the wyvern. I''ve been watching you all day!???I''ve had trouble finding you before, but this is the first time I''ve lost sight of you after watching you... maybe I''m not worthy to be your knight.'''' To Mirko''s frustrated expression, ''What are you talking nonsense Mirko!???I''ve been training too. So is that thing. If you''re going to get depressed when you lose sight of it, make an effort not to lose sight of it next time!???I''m not sure my efforts will be rewarded if you can''t lose sight that easily. And I''m sure Wylie and Van Pelt have lost sight of it too. Mirko. did I make a knight out of a guy who gets depressed easily????I thought I chose a knight that I could proudly introduce to someone as our knight and the pride of the Snakes Frontier Count. Patrick said as he stared into Mirko''s eyes, ''Lieutenant General Snakes!???Divisional troops approaching from east of the city! A soldier on alert shouted. 194-Military March 9 ''The Eastern Face Army.'' Patrick mutters and Mirko responds, ''Probably,'' Mirko responds. ''Raise the flag! The soldiers raise their flags at Patrick''s command. The flag of the second army is a sword held in the leg of a flying eagle. Incidentally, the first army has a spear on the leg of a flying eagle, and the third army has a halberd on the leg of a flying eagle. And what about the 8th army? It is an eagle perched on a skull. When it was first established, it was a knife on the leg of a flying eagle, but the members complained that it was different, and for some reason it became like this. ''The flag is up over there, too! shouted a soldier. The flag of the Eastern Army is an eagle perched on a ballista. Incidentally, the eagle in the south is perched on a sword, the eagle in the west is flying with an arrow, and the eagle in the north is perched on a spear. The fact that only the west is under attack tells the history of this country. The eastern army slowed down and stopped in front of the second and eighth armies. A blond-haired, blue-eyed man who appeared to be in his thirties stepped forward on horseback, ''I''m Colonel Reist, commander of the 1st Division of the Eastern Face Army!???Who is the commander of this armya????? Why are you deployed on the street!???We''re in a hurry!???Make way immediately! He said solemnly, ''Lieutenant General Patrick von Snakes, commander of the 2nd and 8th!???What the hell do you think you''re doing????We''ve been attacked by five wyverns and suffered many casualties because you didn''t do your job!???Bow your head and apologize, you bastards! Patrick yelled at him. ''We''re after the wyverns!???Get out of my way!'' ''Colonel, I''m sorry!???It''s Lieutenant General Reaper.'' ''The Reaper is just a rumor. Look!???He''s just an ordinary young man! Colonel Reist is arguing with a soldier from the Eastern Front. ''We''ve already destroyed them! ''Don''t lie to me!???You don''t have any weapons that can take down a wyvern! ''One ballista and my men''s bows and arrows did it!???I''m asking you to apologize before you speak so highly of me!???Tell them you''re sorry for letting the wyvern escape! ''One unit is not enough to take them down!???It takes several wyverns to take out one wyvern! ''Shut up!???If you doubt me, I''m dismantling it right now, so go check it out!???There''s enough for five wyverns!???You know what will happen if it''s true, right?'''' ''If it''s true, I''ll get down on my knees or something! a?|???a?¡éa?|???a?¡é ''''I''m sorry, sir. Leist commander who gets down on his knees . ''And????How did five wyverns end up here????Isn''t that neglect of duty?'''' Patrick asks Raist, sitting in his chair with an air of authority, ''No, usually there are only 10 wyverns in a group, but this time there were more than 20, and on top of that, 500 people were taken to the royal capital to support us, so we couldn''t handle it. I''m sure you''ll be happy to hear that. ''Oh, so it was bad timing. ''It''s an excuse, but it''s hard to lose 500 people. In addition, there are many baronial families in the east, and we have only been able to exterminate the demons along the roads, so the rural areas have suffered a lot of damage, and we need to allocate people to deal with them, so we are on the edge. ''I see, I''ll advise His Majesty as well. ''Thank you, Your Majesty. But how did you eliminate five of them with just one ballista????I''d like to ask for future reference. ''''Hmm? That''s...'''' I listened to Patrick''s explanation, I''m sure you''ll be able to understand how a thousand people can use a bow and arrow at the same time, but I don''t see how you can use yourself as a decoy, and I don''t see how you can use a spear and a sword to choke out a wyvern that you dropped. The dumbfounded voice of Reist drew laughter from the soldiers of the 2nd and 8th armies. 195-mens talk After that, the two armies divided the work of dismantling and loading, and the dead were put on wagons and sent to the royal capital first. We camped there that day, and after making and distributing a simple meal of whole roasted orcs with teriyaki sauce and bread for the people, Patrick went to bed exhausted. ???????????????????????????????????? "Mirko-dono. I heard a voice call out to Mirko, who was working the night watch. You''ll be able to find a lot more information on the web. Wylie asked, ''You don''t look well, what''s wrong? Wylie asked, ''No, I lost sight of the lord during the battle with the wyverns today...'' He said, ''Isn''t it common to lose your lord? Van Pelt said, ''No, I''ve had trouble finding him, but I''ve never lost him since I found him. But now that I''ve lost it, I feel unworthy of being a knight of the manor. ''If Mirko-dono is unworthy, aren''t we even more unworthy? It''s not uncommon for us to lose track of someone we''re supposed to be next to...'''' Wylie muttered with a wry smile. ''You two have the strength, don''t you? My arms can''t reach them, and all I can do is assist the lord and keep track of his position. ''Mirko-dono, you understand what the lord is thinking better than we do, don''t you?'' Van Pelt asks. ''Well, I''ve known him since he was a sergeant, so I know what he''s thinking...'' ''Isn''t that exactly what you want? ''Mmm...'' ''We are the hands and feet of the lord, and Mirko-dono is the brain. Isn''t that enough? Although you''re still young, you have a much more brilliant mind than us and abilities that seem to have been given to you by the heavens. If it were a real battle against a man, you would probably be unbeatable. But that''s not the case in a head-to-head fight. That''s what we''re here for, and Mirko-dono is the only one who can tell us what the lord would do if something were to happen to him in his absence. ''Hmm. Mirko-dono''s power will come into play then. I have no doubt that we will follow Mirko-dono''s orders at that time. ''Thank you both. I lost sight of you and lost confidence but I''m still confident in you. I''ll contribute what I can.'' ''So, the soldier told me about the Lady after we went to choke out the fallen wyvern, how was the Lady from Mirko-dono''s side? ''That''s right, it was horrible. Did you feel the killing? ''Yes, of course. ''That was awesome too. ''After that, the lord disappeared, and the wyvern''s wings suddenly split open. The wings of the wyvern in the sky!???A soldier later picked up a machete sword, so he must have thrown it at him. We were talking about this, ''Can you tell me more about that? The person who appeared was Colonel Reist, the commander of the 1st Division of the Eastern Front Army. ''Oh, Colonel Reist, did you have trouble sleeping? ''Yeah, I''ve been thinking about killing five wyverns with a single ballista ever since I heard about it, and I even heard how to do it in person from the Lieutenant General, but I still can''t believe it. I''ve been imagining it in my head for a long time, but I just couldn''t picture it. I''d like to hear about the personality of Lieutenant General Snakes, who is rumored to be the God of Death. I''ve only heard rumors in the east, but I''m curious to know how true they are. ''Then, please start from the beginning and explain the lieutenant general''s diabolical nature.'' Mirko replied with a slight smile. And so the conversation between the four men continued for about two hours. 196-punishment The next day, two armies and eight armies of the Eastern Front departed for the Eastern Front''s fort. But the scene was a little strange. Normally, a commander is supposed to be in the middle of his army''s line, though it depends on the situation. But for some reason, Colonel Reist was running beside Patrick, not in the middle of the Eastern Front. With his own legs! Let''s go back in time a bit. ''So, we''re leaving for the east fort for now, Colonel Reist. Patrick looks at Colonel Reist. ''Yes????What is it? Colonel Reist replied, but.., ''I''ve received your apology for my outburst yesterday, but you know I can''t show the rest of the troops what I''m capable of without blame, right? He said, ''Yes, sir...'' Colonel Reist replied with an air of mystery. ''Well, I don''t want to make it a prize or a punishment, but since I can''t do without anything, I think I''ll let you go back to the drawing board once in a while. ''What do you mean, back to the drawing board? ''I want you to run with the infantry to the fort! ''What? ''Well, I''ll run with you! And so, Colonel Reist, who was running at the front at first out of sheer determination, but who was not accustomed to running because he was always riding a horse, gradually dropped down, and now Colonel Reist is desperately running beside Patrick in the center. No, this expression is not correct. Patrick has come down to the center in line with Reist. Incidentally, it is the 8th Army that is running in the lead group, followed by the 2nd Army. The infantrymen of the eastern flank troops, who had dropped out a few hours ago, were probably walking far behind with the slow-moving wagons full of baggage. ''Hey!???We''re slowing down!???If you''re going to order your infantry around like that, you need to set an example!'' Patrick urged, ''No, ha, ha, ha, there are no infantrymen around to show you an example, ha, ha,'' he replied in a breathless voice. Colonel Reist replied in a breathless voice. ''There are infantrymen from the second army!???It''s the same Royal Army! ''No, that''s right, but hahahaha''. ''Look around!???Everyone in the second army seems to be fine.'' ''Yes, indeed. ''We''re going slower than our usual training.'' ''This is it? To Colonel Reist''s surprise, ''Colonel Reist, normally we go faster than this, and we don''t have a goal to aim for!???In the worst cases, they make you run until the next afternoon, so it''s better that you know the goal of the fort for now. A nearby soldier laughs and says breathlessly. ''Are you running with us, Lieutenant General? Colonel Reist asks the soldier who spoke to him, ''The lieutenant general always runs at the head of the line, sir, and sometimes he goes to the back and comes back to give us a shove, so he runs more than we do. The soldier replied. Colonel Reist looked at Patrick. ''Do you have any animal blood in you, Lieutenant General Snakes? He replied, Colonel Reist looked at Patrick and said, ''I don''t think so. He replied, ''Are you a monster? Colonel Reist said something unnecessary. ''Oh, that pisses me off!???Speed it up!???If you''re late, I''ll make you run around the fort even after we get there! He said this to Patrick who sped up to the front, ''That''s not fair...'' But there was no way he could catch up with him. After arriving at the fort, Colonel Reist was forced to run endlessly until the infantry and wagon troops of the Eastern Front who had dropped out arrived. 197-be unexpectedly admired Patrick arrives at the fort and is met by Major General Frito-Lay, the commander of the fort. ''I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you, Lieutenant General Snakes. He must have heard the report from his men, and bowed deeply. I''m sure you''ll be pleased with the results. Patrick said to Major General Frito-Lay. ''That''s very kind of you to say. The conversation proceeds amicably. ??????????????????????????????????????? Colton arrived at the fort following the Eastern Front troops who had dropped out on the run to the fort, and was chatting with his fellow troops from the 8th Army, who must have heard Wyvern''s story when they passed the wagon train returning to the capital on the way, I''m sure he heard about the wyverns when he passed the wagons returning to King''s Landing. The wagon commander, Hontas, was told by Wayne to go to work immediately. Colton said, ''Commander Simon, how is Lieutenant General Snakes? Colton asks, ''He looks as usual, but we''ve had a lot of casualties this time. ''I''m a little worried about him, since he''s often so worried about the damage to his own people. ''Yeah, I''ll keep an eye on him. ''Thank you, I''ll go help him with the loading. And with that, he saluted and left. At the same time, Patrick was touring the East Fort for the first time. The baristas lined up in a row are a magnificent sight. ''What''s the endgame? I asked, He replied, ''It''s a mobile ballista. He replied. ''What if you fall into a place where the mobile ballista cart cannot enter? ''Just use a bow and arrow. ''So you won''t stab it with a spear? ''Because it''s dangerous to get too close. ''Wouldn''t it be possible to make a very long spear? ''What is a long spear? ''Do you have a pen and paper? ''If we make a very long spear and assemble it, even if a wyvern falls in the forest, we can easily connect it locally and finish it off in enough time. Patrick explained with a diagram, and the Major General said, ''This is great!???This connection!???You''re connecting them by spinning them around!???This will work! He was very excited. This was the birth of the world''s first bolt and nut prototype. After spending the night at the fort and resting, the 2nd and 8th armies left the fort to return to the capital. I promised Major General Frito-Lay that I would make a prototype of the long spear and send it to him, so I will consult with the blacksmith as soon as I return. Since the demons had been eradicated on the way, there were no problems on the way back to the capital, and we returned to the capital as soon as possible. 198-confession Now, as for the conversation on the way back to King''s Landing.., ''All right!???Wayne!???I''m bored, so I''m going to hunt Patrick. Patrick was fed up with the boredom on the way back, ''No, I don''t understand what you''re saying? ''So, since you''re bored, Patrick, I''ll hunt...'' ''No, so why are you hunting Patrick if you''re not busy????And you''re hiding, not moving anyway, right????Then isn''t it still boredom?'' ''Ah, then I''ll be the one hunting. ''No, you can''t do that, because people will get hurt. ''Eh~, why would anyone get hurt? I''m bored. ''When you suddenly appear, the surprised soldiers will jump back, right????It''s okay if you fall down, but if it''s a cliff, it''s dangerous, you could twist your ankle, and I want to go home as soon as possible! ''You''re kidding me! ''No, and you''d better get home and start getting ready, or you won''t make it in time. ''Hmm????What''s that? ''Your wedding! Yes, it was already a few months away. After returning to the capital, Patrick was busy with the preparations. All kinds of liquor were brought in from the estate, and the house was being rebuilt at a rapid pace. Then, the day before the ceremony was to be held tomorrow, after all the preparations were completed, he had Mirko and Amelia, his maid of honor, go back to the room of Thornalis in the royal castle to talk with him. ''Your Highness, Sonalis, or shall I call you Sona now? Patrick starts to say. ''Yes!???Sir Patrick, would you like me to change mine?'' Sonalith nods vigorously. ''Yes, you should. I don''t have a husband, Patrick, or Pat, or... or... or Jin...'' He looked at Sonaris closely as he spoke, ''What? He held his mouth in surprise, ''Did you think I didn''t notice? ''I was going to keep my mouth shut and start enjoying my new love affair with Jin... what was wrong with me????How did you find out? ''Well, first of all, a reincarnated person, from the way you dress. You can''t wear a sailor suit or a bishoujo-sentai outfit, it''s too obvious.'' ''Because I wanted to wear them. ''Well, if you want to get into details, you could say dropkick, or say the image of the Grim Reaper is a skull.'' ''What????The image of the Grim Reaper is a skull, right? ''No, the Grim Reaper in this world is said to be a bone dragon! ''Oh, I didn''t know that. ''The next time I thought it was you was when you took my measurements to make my clothes and stuff, right? ''Did you make any mistakes back then? ''You were sniffing my neck, behind my ears, under my arms. You''ve been sniffing there for a long time!'' ''Ah! ''Well, now that you''ve noticed me, are you sure you want to get back together with me? ???Theresa? Thornalis, who was called Teresa, hugged Patrick. ''Yes! When you died defending me, I decided I would never love anyone again. That man who shot you, my dad caught him and I shot him dead. After that, I went to Japan, where you grew up, and became quite popular as a white cosplayer!???There were a lot of people who came on to me, but I rejected them all and just had fun cosplaying, but after 4 years I got sick. Well, I guess I had no choice. And just when I thought she was dead, a strange goddess appeared and said. "Do you want to see me?" And she said. ''Me?'' '' ''Yes,'' I said immediately. I said I''d see you if I could and I''d do anything to see you!???Then he asked me to go to another world and change my fashion!???Of course I said yes with two words! ''God...I haven''t met him...'' ''You haven''t? ''Yeah, I mean, I didn''t even remember Jin until I turned fifteen.'' ''I see...'' ''Well, that''s good, then you''ll be living with me again, right? ''Of course!???I''ll give birth to your child in this life! ''My child... will I be able to be a parent? I''ve never known the love of a parent...'' ''Don''t worry. As long as you show the same love you showed me to my child! ''Hmm, I can do that.'' ''Yes! ''Well, it''s nice to meet you again. Oh, what do you want me to call you? ''It''s weird to call you Jin here, so why don''t we just use your world names? Sona and Pat.'' ''Yeah, I guess so. You''ve been reborn.'' ''Yes! With that, Teresa, or Sonalice, turns her face upward and closes her eyes. Patrick pressed his lips together softly. 199-a decision made by a certain head of state The courtyard of the royal castle is overflowing with people. Today is the wedding of the third princess, Sonaris. She is to be married to the infamous Snakes, the frontier count of Death. I signed in at the castle reception desk and entered the hall. The first thing you''ll see is a stuffed wyvern. I heard he was a gift to the king. I''ve seen stuffed heads before but this is probably the only one in the whole kingdom. The wyvern was killed with only a few wounds, and the wounds were covered with the skin and scales of other wyverns, making it look as if it was alive. The taxidermy is surrounded by people. Many nobles are arguing about the stuffing in the hall, which is already crowded with baronies and viscounties. The senior nobles are waiting in a separate room and will enter later. ''Oh, are you joining us? You are approached by a baron who is a good friend of yours. ''Yes, you are, aren''t you????Since you''re here. ''Well, yes, I am. I''m no longer under house arrest due to the marriage pardon. My family was hurt by him, but we have to participate to show that the royal family has no more rebellious intentions.'' ''It''s the same for my family, the house that was active in the open was almost destroyed. ''Right now, the royalists and the neutrals, well, the houses that have been keeping a bit of distance, those two factions are the mainstream. ''Even within those two, there are further divisions. Half of the Royal Faction is the Dauphin Faction, a quarter of the Royal Faction is the Third Prince Faction, and the rest don''t belong to either faction. ''Because he''s in the Dauphin''s camp. ''Well, he''s the direct brother of His Highness Thornalice, who will be his wife (they share the same mother), so that''s why. ''But he''s not on bad terms with the third prince, is he? ''That''s what I''ve heard, or rather, there are rumors that the Third Prince is afraid of him. ''It''s rumored that he was scared quite a bit during the rebellion against His Highness Henry, I''ve heard a lot about him from people in the army, and he seems to be quite cruel. ''My soldiers, for example, had a direct fight with him. He''s pretty scared. ''To survive, it''s best not to go against him. ''It can''t be helped. As they were arguing, the door opened and people came in, one after another. Looking at the wyvern, ''Oh, so this is the stuffed animal they''re talking about! and so on. ''Oh, the senior nobleman is here, the ceremony is about to begin. The ceremony began immediately, and the priest from the church conducted the ceremony solemnly and without delay. However, there was one strange ceremony. The exchange of rings. Something glowed purple for a moment, was it some kind of performance? It seems that as long as two people wear this ring, they pledge to love each other forever, but I''ve never heard of this ritual before. After that, the wedding banquet was held in the hall of the royal castle, and each nobleman made a speech. Since our family was at the back of the line, we were served a new sake from the territory of the Snakes Frontier Counts, so we waited while drinking it. The potato shochu that had become popular the other day was not for me, There was a kind of sour that was said to be drinkable by women, and it looked like fruit water. There were many other kinds of sake, but I liked the sour sake. I heard that it was made from pickled plums. The best was a sake called "Fire". I thought my mouth was going to catch fire when I took a sip, but when I put a match to it, the sake actually caught fire!???So it''s fire! What the hell was that drink? I''ll admit it now... that house is no match for me. He creates one new brew after another, which is highly praised by the dwarves all over the land, and the merchants flock to him to sell it. In the national army, he is not only in command of the 2nd and 8th armies, but is feared as the God of Death by the entire royal army, not only in the north and west, but even in the east. These are the same people who are dealing with the wyvern! If we make an enemy of him, we''ll be crushed. To protect our home, we must put the past behind us. My father was killed, I was reduced from a viscount to a baron, but I can''t fall any further!???I must protect House Hippo. The sooner we take the helm, the better. With that in mind, I lined up in the greeting line. The Baron''s line. 200-another dimension 2 The man who was looking at the crystal put his hand on it, mumbling. ''Didn''t I just do something? Suddenly, a woman called out to him from behind. ''Eha??'' ''Didn''t you release your power into the crystal? ''Oh, you mean that. ''What did you do to it? ''No, just a little disease resistance enhancement for my favorite. ''Your favorite is the boy you were talking about before, right????Is he going to get sick?'' ''Yeah, I wanted to congratulate him for getting married, and also because he''s about to get ureteral stones. It hurts like hell. ''Oh, so you''re getting married already, that''s fast. What kind of girl are you marrying? ''A girl who looks like a reincarnated person. ''What? ''That''s strange, isn''t it? ''No matter how strange it is, the god of the underworld isn''t moving, right????If that''s the case, who seemed to have the ability to reincarnate recently? ''Judging from the amount of power they''ve been accumulating lately, I''d say the god of love, the god of clothing, and the god of jealousy. ''Those three idiot goddesses! ''Yeah, those girls would do it, wouldn''t they? ''Please do some research!???I have to report this to the God of Creation! ''Wait a minute.'' He touched the crystal and said, ''Oh, I get it!???It''s a piece of clothing! He shouted, ''Those big, little tits!???Just because you have big tits, you always look so big!???I''m going to report you to the God of Creation! The goddess runs off. ''While you''re at it, make your wife more resistant to disease. She''s always telling on the Creator. She told on me the other day, and the Creator pulled out my arm. It''ll go away soon, but it hurts. ??????????????????????????????????????? ''Whoa!???At last!???Finally, a man who meets our requirements!???For the first time in the history of this world!???It''s been a long time!???All right, let''s give him the power he deserves!???Boom!???Yes!???Perfect!???I''ll just genetically engineer it so that her descendants will inherit the power too!???Then we''ll do a little bit of that before they find out!???And okay good job me! ???????????????????????????????????? ''Oh, she''s getting married. I''ve been watching over her for so long!???It''s all because of the kid he dragged into this world!???I''ll definitely harass him! ???????????????????????????????????? a??a??God''s ''Oh, I didn''t know this kind of thing existed. Then we should bless him. I''ll send down a blessing. Just a little. That''s it. May you be blessed. For the gods'' own reasons, the wheels of human destiny are set in motion. Is it happiness or misfortune for those people? 201-Wayne gets angry. Patrick riding in a carriage. Thorinaris is riding next to him, arm in arm, looking happy. Patrick reminisces about the party as we chat. The wedding party went off without a hitch, but Baron Hippo bowed deeply to me, The wedding party went off without a hitch, but Baron Hippo bowed deeply to me and said, ''Count Snakes, I''ll never disobey you again, so could you please let me distribute some alcohol? I said I''d think about it, but did he like our liquor that much????I said I''d think about it. So now we are moving to our house, which is the venue for the after party of the wedding, which is also the completion of our house. There was a line of carriages leading from the royal castle, and a tremendous number of guards. When the first carriage arrives at the gate, Van Pelt gets out of the carriage and has the gate opened. Well, I was in the second carriage, so I followed him in and greeted the people who had come to the party in front of the house. Well, even during the renovation, I got a lot of comments from people who had never seen the house before, ''What''s this? I''m not surprised. It''s a mansion! The original mansion was built up in a fan shape around the center, and when seen from above, it looks like the three fans of the hazard symbol have become four. Each building has a taller wing where soldiers are stationed to keep watch. The building itself was made in the image of Leeds Castle on Earth. ''This isn''t a mansion, it''s a castle. Wayne is talking about the details, but ignore him, ignore him! Needless to say, as usual, I gave Pichan a lot of attention. Well, there were many families who were close to us and those who had seen us more than once knew us well enough, so there was no problem. As for Pichan! When everyone entered the entrance hall, Pichan appeared smoothly! Everyone was in a tizzy, but he must have seen her before, right? ''Hey, Pat?'' Wayne asks in a quiet voice. ''Hmm?'' ''That thing flying over there... what is it? Wayne''s gaze is met by two creatures about two meters tall. ''Hmm????Oh!???You mean Pu and Pei?'' ''I don''t know what a Poo and a Pae is, but that''s probably what it is.'' ''It''s just a wyvern, okay? ''You idiot!??????It''s just a wyvern.???No, it''s not!???Look around you!???Almost everyone is frozen!???It''s better if they''re just frozen!???Some of them are falling down!???You should''ve explained first! ''I''m sorry, I forgot. How could I forget? How could a wyvern be in the house????That''s impossible! ''Hmm????Wayne, do you remember what my skill is? ''Not much of a presence. ''And what else? ''Training to be an a**h*le! ''I don''t understand, what else? ''Brutality! ''That doesn''t sound very convincing either, but what else? ''Hmm????Is there more? ''You forgot about Pichan, didn''t you? ''Ah!???The Demon Master! ''That. Didn''t you see the wyverns we defeated during the military march the other day? ''Yeah, those five...'' ''The guys who were dismantling them found two eggs in the wyvern''s stomach. ''Wait a minute, you don''t think...'' ''Actually, I brought them back to eat. But then Pichan took them and kept them warm.'' ''She took it, you said...'' ''Because when I tried to crack the egg, he came at me with great speed and took it away in a flash. He didn''t even have hands, but he used his body so dexterously.'' ''And it hatched...'' ''Yeah, in ten days. ''Isn''t that fast? ''I think so too. And just before they hatched, Pichan called me. When I was looking at it, its shell cracked open and it came out from inside. He thought I was the parent when he first saw me, and he took a liking to me. ''I''m getting a headache...'' ''I fed it and it got bigger and bigger. Now it''s just like you.'' ''Yeah, I understand why. But you know what????Now that everyone''s come to their senses and started screaming, what are you going to do about it? ''Well, what do I do?'' ''I don''t know! 202-the first part of mankind . confused people in the entrance hall , ''That wyvern is my messenger beast!???It won''t attack you!???It''s safe! Some of the nobles were quite angry with Patrick for walking around shouting. ''You should have explained that first! They were right to be angry. After that, we moved to the venue and served drinks and dishes from the Snakes Frontier Count, which were well received by all except Wyvern. The new dish, "Karaage," was especially popular. A nobleman was returning from a carriage ride, ''No wonder they call me the Grim Reaper, the snakes alone are terrifying, and now there are two wyverns, I don''t even want to fight them. And the woman, his wife, said, The woman, his wife, asks, ''Did you want to defy him? The woman, his wife, asks back. ''No, I have no such intentions, but thanks to the merchants on their way to the Snakes Frontier Count''s territory staying at our inn, tax revenue has increased and the town has been enriched. ''The number of demons is also decreasing. ''Or rather, they''re almost gone. The streets are safe because the Snakes'' soldiers are taking care of them, and there are no vacancies in our army, so there are many good things. ''It''s said that the western roads don''t need guards. It looks like they do, though. ''It''s good that young adventurers don''t have to die. And with that, he leaves. The next day, DeCourse came to the house of the Snakes. He said he had something confidential to discuss. ''My lord, Mr. DeCourse Canaan is here to see you. Astria tells Patrick. ''Hmm????Did we have an appointment? ''No.'' ''Well, that''s all right, brother Decourse can come in any time, let him through. ''Yes, sir.'' Astria left the room and brought DeCourse with her. ''I''m sorry to bother you, Pat. DeCourse looked apologetic, ''No, it''s fine, so????What''s going on? ''No, no, don''t be surprised to hear it.'' ''Yeah. ''I''m a wizard now! ''What?'' ''No, that''s why I''m a wizard. ''What''s wrong with your ears today????I thought I heard you say you became a wizard. ''That''s why I said that! ''Brother Decourse, can I recommend a good doctor????I''m tired.'' ''No, no, it''s true! ''Brother Decourse, the human race can''t use magic.???Only elves, dwarves and dark elves can use magic.???You don''t have any of that blood in the Canaan family, do you?'''' ''Yes, but I could use it! ''Huh... if you''re so sure, let''s go to Pichan''s playground for a bit and let him show you.'' ''Yeah, sure.'' I left my seat and we moved to the newly built main hall for Pichan and the others. Since all three animals are in the entrance hall now, the hall is empty. ''Well, try to cast a spell on that lump of straw. Patrick said, and Decourse nodded, ''Then... fireball from my palm!???Fireball! He thrust his right hand forward. Then a fireball the size of a softball shot out from his open palm. The straw caught fire and began to burn. The straw caught fire and started to burn. ''What? Decourse turned his head toward Patrick. ''It''s real...'' Patrick''s face tensed as he saw something he couldn''t believe. ''I told you, I told you! ''Just tell me what happened! ''Don''t you have to put out the fire first?'' ''Oh!???I forgot!'' Patrick hurriedly poured water on the straw. ''No, Miss Clarice came over the other day to celebrate my birthday. ''I don''t want to hear about it! ''No, this is important. When I was a child, the dwarves told me to do a certain spell on my birthday.'' ''A spell? ''You''re a half-dwarf, aren''t you, Miss Clarisse????It seems that she grew up with her mother telling her to say a spell every year on her birthday. She''s going to say the spell to make sure it works. ''What does it mean to be sure?'' ''To see if I can use magic.'' ''Well, I didn''t think...'' ''Yeah, I joked about it in the shower after Miss Clarice left. The words you taught me.'' ''What did you say?'' Decourse moved his right hand in front of his face and held up his index finger, ''Light a small flame in my index finger,'' he said. He said, Poof! A small flame, like a candle, appears on Decourse''s index finger. ''Yes!???And then, getting carried away, shoot it from my palm!???Fireball!???I stuck out my palm and said ''Fireball'' and it came out. It disappeared immediately in the shower, but I was surprised. ''That''s right!???Who knows about this? ''It''s still just you and me. I came here to talk to you first! ''Let''s gather our elf and dwarf wizards and see what we can find out. Patrick was there, unusually excited. 203-the first and second parts of mankind Patrick called Astria and had her gather everyone in the house who could use magic in the hall. Of course, Sona is there as well. Currently, there are quite a few people working at House Snakes in King''s Landing. There are a few elves who were introduced by Astria, and a number of dwarves who were hired as stable hands, guards, and house keepers. Of those, only three could use magic. ''Astria can use wind magic, right? Patrick asked Astria, ''Yes, I can speed up my arrows and slightly control their direction. ''What percentage of elves can use magic? ''Well, I''d say about 20 to 30 percent. There are those who can use wind magic, those who can use water magic, and those who can use light magic, but it depends on the family. I see. Then, what about dwarves? ''About the same. Some families have fire magic, some have earth magic. By the way, I use earth magic to repair the walls of my house. ''I''m using fire magic to forge. ''Three, can I see you for a moment? ''Well! '' said Astria, firing an arrow at great speed and bending its trajectory in the process. The dwarves were also shown a fireball and an earth needle, both of which caused needles to appear on the ground. ''Hmm, so elves and dwarves can activate spells just by their names. ''Yes, you will need the preamble until you learn it, but once you do, you won''t need it. ''Well, brother Decourse, try it.'' '''''''' What? '''''''' The voices of the four men came together. ''My lord, can''t the human race use magic? Astria said, ''Well, that''s what we''ve been told. ''No, you don''t? ''Yeah, they just showed me, Brother Decourse, the fireball.'' Nodding, DeCourse thrusts out his palm and shouts. ''Shoot from my palm!???Fireball! The fireball went off. ''What? ''Here, here, this is a big deal, my lord! ''Yeah, that''s what I thought, so I had everyone look at it, and it''s definitely magic, right? ''The size of it was smaller than the fireballs used by the dwarves, but it''s definitely a fireball. ''This is going to be a big problem. I''m afraid this is the first time a human wizard has ever been seen in this country or even on this continent! That''s right. I''ve never even heard of it, and I didn''t believe it until I saw it. ''I''m sure you''re right!???I just saw it and I still can''t believe it!???But why on earth????Does Lord Decourse have dwarven blood in him? ''No, there is only human blood in the House of Canaan.'' ''Mister Decourse!???How long have you been able to use it? Astria asks Decourse. ''No, if you''re asking how long it''s been, I was just messing around and it came out, so if you''re asking how long it''s been, I''d say four days. ''So you tried it for the first time four days ago. So there''s a possibility that it could have been used even earlier. This will make magicians panic. It''s been said since ancient times that humans can''t control magic, so this is a complete reversal of the premise, and I can imagine the panic of the old men. ''Astria... your true nature is coming out. Where''s your usual calmness?'' ''Ha! I''m sorry, my lord. I was once accused by a bunch of magicians that my wind magic was too weak for my bloodline, and I hate them...'' ''Well, that''s fine. Anyway, I''ll ask Brother Decourse to check how many shots he can fire and how powerful they are. You three, give us some advice. And tomorrow, we''ll go report to His Majesty. And Brother Decourse, is that okay????I''ll pick you up tomorrow around noon. The rest of you, keep your mouths shut until I make an announcement.???Is that clear? ''''''Yes, sir.'''''' After that, I tried various things and found that Decourse''s fireball didn''t work without preamble, and no matter how much magic I accumulated, it was not as powerful as Dwarf''s fireball, but it was close. The number of times he could use it was about 80% of the dwarf''s, and his magic ran out. ''Well, is it enough for a human to be able to do this? I guess so. I mean, I can use it better than a half-dwarf wizard. ''Then it''s probably a pretty good result. And that was the end of it, That night, in Patrick and Sona''s bedroom, after their naked wrestling game was over, Sona, who was in his arms, whispered to Patrick, ''Hey, Pat. Didn''t you have a birthday the other day, Mister Decourse? ''Yeah, I turned thirty the other day. ''I think I know why Lord Decourse became able to use magic. ''Sona too????Because Sona is the one who taught me that knowledge. I also think that rumor might be the reason. In this world, people come of age quickly and get married quickly. There are many cheap entertainment districts in the city. Maybe there was no one who could meet the requirements, and that urban legend was true. ''''If you''re a virgin until you''re thirty, you can become a wizard.'''' The two voices came together. 204-the first and second parts of mankind The next day, in the early afternoon, Patrick got into the carriage with Sona. For the sake of DeCourse''s honor, they both decided not to report the incident. First, they headed for the royal capital, Viscount Canaan. ''Hello, Pat. Mrs. Thornalis.'' ''Don''t bother saying hello, we''ll be there soon. Get in, get in! ''Yeah, okay.'' And DeCourse gets into the Snakes'' carriage. ''So, what''s the plan after this?'' DeCourse asks Patrick. ''First thing in the morning, our messenger reported to the royal castle that there was an emergency and that we should gather as many royalist nobles as we could. I think most of the nobles in King''s Landing will be there. I''ll ask Brother Decourse to use his magic there. I don''t know why, but he was able to use it for some reason, and I''ll let him know that there are people who can use magic and ask him to look for others. Well, I''m sure you''ll be counted as part of the force. I don''t know what a ''tepero'' is, but if a human can use magic, then so be it. Elves and dwarves don''t like to use magic in warfare. ''It''s against their gods, they say, and they don''t use it except for defense and hunting. ''So it''s good for eating. I don''t want to touch the wrath of God. As they talked, the carriage slowly headed towards the royal castle. a?|???a?¡éa?|???a?¡é ''Thank you for responding to my urgent request, Your Majesty. Patrick kneels down in front of the king and greets him. ''Long time no see, Father! Thorinaris greets him lightly. ''Hmm, long time no see, you''ve only been married for three days. You''ve only been married for three days. Give me back the tears I cried. So, Patrick, what happened to gathering the royalists????Does it have something to do with DeCourse Canaan waiting there?'' ''Yes, Your Majesty. I''ve made a discovery of great importance to the human race, and I wanted to report it quickly. In fact...'''' a?¡é???a?¡é???a?¡é ''Oh my god!???It''s truea????? Decourse Kanaan! The surprised king shouted at DeCourse. ''Yes, Your Majesty. For now, I can''t do anything big here, so here. Light a small flame on my index finger.'' Decourse said, and lit a small fire on his fingertip. ''Oh, wow! It''s true!???It''s wonderful to see people doing magic! ''Your Majesty, the human race has long stopped even trying if they can''t use it, but there is now a small chance that there are others who can. I think it''s worth looking for them all over the country.'''' ''Hmm!???The human race can use this power for national defense. A great discovery! a?|???a?¡éa?|???a?¡é That afternoon, many nobles were gathered in the courtyard of the royal castle, and some of the military leaders were there as well. At the center of your gaze is Decourse Canaan, standing beside Patrick. The King and Patrick have already briefed you. Now the target board is being prepared. ''The preparations are complete, Your Majesty! ''Good work!???Now, Decourse Canaan, show them what you''ve done.'' ''Yes, sir!???Then!???Fireball from my hand!???Fireball! ''''Chudun! ''''''Oooohhhh, it''s true! '''' ''''Mankind has magic too! ''''This is going to change the war! ''''My daughter''s bride is a magician!???It''s amazing! ''''You''re not officially engaged yet, are you? ''My daughter is already planning to marry, so there''s no problem!???If you want, I can have her officially engaged tomorrow! On the way, the conversation between General Simon and Lieutenant General Snakes is interrupted. ''No, it depends on how many of them we can find! ''For now, we must search the entire territory! ''Quiet, all of you! The king''s words quieted the place, ''As you''ve just seen, it proves that there are people among the human race who can use magic. They are less powerful and more numerous than Dwarven wizards, but they are still capable of killing. Now all we need is for you to do what you think is best and search the land. If there are others who can use them, they''ll be a great asset. And Decourse Kanaan, the only one who is known to be able to use magic at this time, will be discharged from the Royal Court''s Kingsguard, and will be appointed as the new "Royal Court Magician. On this day, a new history was carved in the Mental Kingdom. 205-in the direction of the frontier Earl ???A series of huge carriages departed from a mansion called the "monster mansion" in the royal capital. A large black carriage pulled by three large black horses, and another large black carriage pulled by two large black horses. And on the many carriages that followed, soldiers in green military uniforms astride horses. On their chests are embroidered snakes. These soldiers are called the Viper Squad. Wylie and Van Pelt will return to their territory first to greet Patrick. ???The Snakes'' mansion is probably the only one in the whole kingdom that is called a monster house. We''re headed for the Snakes'' Domain, which is west of King''s Landing. ???Patrick always goes with a small group, but this time there were a few unusual things. First of all, he has his wife, Thornaris, with him. This will be his first meeting with the servants of the frontier county. Second, there are two huge carriages. One of them is the well-known carriage for Pee-chan. And the other one? ''Pooh, Pei, I''ll let you out when there are fewer people, so just be patient for a while, okay? ''Gah! Gah! ''All right, all right, good boy.'' ''I still can''t believe we''re having a conversation.'' ''What''s the matter, Mirko, it''s working with Pichan too, so of course it''s working. ''Well, that''s true, but I didn''t think wyverns had any intelligence. ''Even a running dragon understands to some extent, so it must be intelligent. It''s the same. ''That''s true, but...'' ''You''ll go bald if you worry about the details. ''In my family, both my grandfathers and father were bald, so I''ll go bald sooner or later! ''No, you can''t be that confident...'' Patrick mutters. ''Have you heard????I heard you''re going bald, is that okay?'' ''I don''t mind!???If you go bald, I''ll nudge you and squirt you! ''What if it''s still sparse? ''I''ll shave it off! ''I''m not sure that''s a good idea.'' This is the conversation between Sona and her companion, Amelia, before their departure. Now, the group proceeded smoothly westward. On the way, they received an enthusiastic welcome from the noble families. Then, they arrived at their first destination, the Barony of Wylie. Wylie is a former mansion of Baron Curley, and we plan to stay there for the night. From Wylie''s servants, ''Welcome to the frontier, Count. The servants of Wylie bowed deeply to me, and I entered the mansion to talk with Wylie, the lord. ''So, what''s the situation? I asked Wylie, ''Is it going well so far????I''m not sure, but my men tell me that the buckwheat is doing fine. As for the chickens, the workers are complaining about the smell and fear. Well, the smell of feces can''t be helped, but the scary part is that the chickens are too big for the farmers to handle alone, so we have our soldiers help, but I''m afraid that the strength of the soldiers here is limited. Wylie replied. ''Why don''t you train them yourself? You know how to train them, don''t you????You just have to do what I do.'' ''If I do the same as you, my lord, the guards will run away! ''No, they won''t run away, will they????You guys aren''t running away either.'' ''My lord????We just have nowhere to run.???There are other ways for territorial soldiers to escape, such as fleeing to another territory or helping their parents farm. ''My family''s home, you have one too. ''We''re joining the national army independent of our family. Most of the territorial soldiers commute from their parents'' homes.'' ''Hmm????But I don''t think any of the Snakes'' men ran away. ''Isn''t it because they don''t feel like they can escape from the lord? ''Is that so????Well, tomorrow you can come with me to see the chicken farm and the training of the Snakes'' soldiers. ''Yes, sir. 206-Baron Wiley. The next day, Wylie and Patrick went to the chicken farm in the morning, ''Wylie... what is that? ''This is a strange thing for a lord to do. It''s a chicken, isn''t it? A bird as tall as a man''s waist was chasing the keeper around, and the guards were beating it away with spears that had no cutting edges. Patrick did not know the chickens of this world properly. He thought that the chickens of this world were the ones he always ate roasted whole. Now he knew that they were actually newborn chicks. ''Oh, yeah, that''s right. Chickens, yeah, yeah, chickens...'' ''Yes. They''re really fierce, and even if you feed them, they''ll come closer to you than to the food, and they can''t fly, but their legs are fast, so they''re really troubled. ''Did they ever run away? ''He''s not strong enough to break the boards of the surrounding enclosure, so he doesn''t need to run away, but he''s constantly getting poked in the legs and getting fresh wounds. ''So it''s just licking us. Hmmm... I see. Then all we have to do is scare it. Let''s scare it. a?|???a?¡éa?|???a?¡é A black carriage arrived next to the chicken farm. ''Pu, Pei, don''t eat it. ''''Gah! Squeak? ''Yeah, yeah, just attack it from the sky. The zookeepers will come to protect them and chase them away, so if someone comes out with a spear, act like you''re in a hurry to escape. ''''Gah! ''''The keepers are good, right????The plan is to make them think that you guys are actually strong and protecting the chickens.'''' ''''Hahahahai, I''m a ministry.'''' ''Don''t be so scared, we won''t let you get hurt! ''My Lord, this is what usually happens when you see a wyvern. ''I''m sure he''ll listen to you...'' After that, the chickens cried out in fear, ran away, and trembled. The crowns of the Barony of Wylie chickens turned blue after this, and as they lived in hiding in the coop instead of moving around, their flesh became fattier and softer due to the loss of muscle. This was the moment of the birth of the Barony of Wylie''s blue chicken. They were well received by the breeders as being easy to raise. There were also scenes of the territorial people running away from the two wyverns flying above the poultry farm and the territorial soldiers desperately trying to calm them down, and it was said that the Earl of Sneaks was the God of Death in the Barony of Wylie. 207-Tonnings depression ''Well. Next is the Territorial Guard.'' Patrick smiles, refreshed that his work is done. Refreshing doesn''t really suit Patrick. But, perhaps due to the wyvern effect, the Territorials are already completely freaked out, ''If you run away, I''ll have these guys attack you, okay? Patrick looked at Wyvern and said something he didn''t need to say, and the soldiers turned pale. Many of them collapsed under Wylie''s and Patrick''s rigorous training, and Patrick''s bodyguard, a young Snakes soldier, couldn''t stand the sight of them, ''Sir, how about we stop by this territory for training on our way to King''s Landing????I don''t think we can do this training right away. The Baron Wylie''s soldiers thanked him greatly for his help. ''Hmm, I see that too. Good!???What''s your name? ''Haha!???My name is Tonning! ''Then, Tonning!???I''m appointing you as Captain of the Snakes'' Order. Your main duty will be to teach the training of our troops to other territories!???You''ll be responsible for training my troops in Barony Wylie, Barony Van Pelt, and Abbot''s Frontier!???Recite! ''Yes, my lord!???I will be training the Territorial Guard in Barony Wylie, Barony Van Pelt, and the Abbot''s Frontier Counts as Commander of the Order! ''''Good!???I''ll have the troops selected later and put them under you, so keep that in mind!???I''ll go to Abbott''s territory first, and I''ll call you later! ''Yes, sir! Tonning saluted hurriedly. ''So that''s it for the training, right Wylie? ''Yes, my lord. Thank you for your help. Good luck, Mr. Toning! I watched their backs as they left, smiling and laughing, ''Did I say something I shouldn''t have...'' Her blond hair swayed helplessly. ''Toning is too witty...'' My colleague said, looking at Toning as if he were looking at a poor abandoned cat, ''Because you''re suddenly training with us.???It''s impossible. It''s too pitiful. ''No, they made us do it too. I collapsed. It''s not right for you to be standing there after being trained by you! ''That''s right. I thought I was going to die that time. Tonning said weakly, looking into the distance. Is it my imagination, or is there no light in his green eyes? 208-in the Baroness of Van Pelt The next day, Patrick and his party entered the neighboring territory of Baron Van Pelt. This is the former territory of the Agers, and as I have written before, it is an area with many rocky mountains. We arrived at Baron Van Pelt''s residence and heard his report. ''How are the goats and sheep? ''My lord, the sheep seem to be doing well, but the problem is the goats. They have a rough temperament and jump over the fence to escape, so the keepers and guards are running around every day looking for them and bringing them back, but it seems that it is hard to get them, and in the worst cases they are on the cliffs of the rocks, so it seems that it is very hard to get them. ''Hmm, how about the potatoes? ''They seem to be doing well, but the area is small, so the quantity is not so great. ''I see. At any rate, we should do something about the runaway goats. I''ll go check on them tomorrow. ''Then, what are we going to do today? ''''We''ll see what the territorial soldiers are capable of. The soldiers at Wylie''s place were more pathetic than I thought, so I''m curious to see how Van Pelt''s place is doing. I''m curious to see how Van Pelt''s place fares,'' Patrick said, and Van Pelt''s face grew increasingly pale. ''My lord????You''re not going to demand the same level of service as the national army, are you? ''They''re the same soldiers. Our Snakes'' territory soldiers are no different from the national army, right????Don''t worry. I''ll train them properly! ''No, no, no, no!???The soldiers will run away! ''You''re saying the same thing as Wylie, don''t worry, I''ve decided to send our new Territorial Guard to Wylie''s place as an instructional unit, and I''ll send them to yours as well. It''s a little better than me doing it, right? ''You don''t mean Elvis-dono, do you? ''If I send Elvis, the Territorial Army won''t be able to move. Don''t worry, he''s a young soldier, he''ll only be taught what he can do. It''s mostly basic training. ''Even basic training is hard, sir. ''You''re the one who did it in the 8th Army. ''When I was assigned to the 8th Army, I thought I was going to die. ''I''m not dead! ''That''s true, but...'' ''Let''s get out of here without any complaints, come on! ''Yes, sir. ......'' ''''Oh, let''s take Toning along and decide the training content together! a?|???a?¡éa?|???a?¡é ''Tonning, how are you going to train? ''Yes, sir, for now, I''m planning to use the same basic training as the Snakes territory army, so we''ll start running early in the morning, and after a 10-minute lunch break, it seems like there''s an opponent who''s running away, so I''m thinking that training to hunt it down would be good.'' Van Pelt said to Toning, Van Pelt asked, ''Who is it that''s running away? Van Pelt asked, ''Goats, of course!???Climbing up the rocky mountain is a good way to train your arms as well as your legs, and carrying the goat is also a good way to train. ''Oh!???You''re so smart. You can turn the problem of a fleeing goat into a training exercise!???Okay, let''s use one rocky hill as a training ground and goat pasture, and fence off the area around it!???It may cost a bit of money, but if we adjust the height, the goats won''t be able to escape. ''Wouldn''t just building a high fence solve the goat problem? Van Pelt said, ''That''s not training. We also need to train the soldiers! ''I''m afraid we''re going to have a lot of injuries. ......'' ''Use potions. ''Yes ......'' On that day, Baron Van Pelt''s soldiers were subjected to rigorous training by Patrick and Toning, and the dead were all over the place. This was the moment when the name of Toning, along with that of Snakes, became a rare target of fear in the Baron Van Pelt''s army. 209-a matter on the lake. Leaving the Van Pelt territory, we entered the Snakes territory. They decide to take a lunch break on the shores of a vast lake, and begin to prepare their meal. Patrick and Sona, however, are preoccupied with other matters. ''I don''t know what to say anymore. said Mirko. ''I think it''s better for your mental health if you just dismiss them as such. Amelia, standing next to Mirko, replied. In front of their gaze, or rather, in front of the gaze of everyone in this place, there is a couple of freaks, or rather, a couple of frontiersman Snakes, who have attached a kind of leather saddle to their wyvern and are taking a walk in the sky on the back of it. They thought it would be safe to fall in the lake, so they took a walk in the sky as an experiment, and it was very fun for them. Mirko hurriedly told his men, But even in the Snakes'' territory, two wyverns flying around can cause chaos among farmers and fishermen.???That should convince most of them!???Go ride around on your horses! The soldiers were forced to ride around on horses. At that time, Pichan was swimming around in the lake (snakes usually swim and dive), devouring fish and demons, which she rarely ate. There are almost no demons in the Snakes'' territory, but the only exception is the aquatic demons. People are surprisingly weak in the water. Lakes have their own unique demons. There are eel-like monsters, large catfish-like monsters, and fish-like monsters. There are also monsters like the water monitor lizard, large amphibians like the giant salamander, and frog monsters over two meters tall. Being a fisherman is a job that requires risking one''s life. The monster that fishermen are most wary of is called a water dragon. It has a large mouth full of sharp teeth, a body like a strong armor, limbs that are small in comparison to its size, and a tail that is probably longer than its body. Its bite is said to be the strongest among the dragon species. ''That''s a big crocodile,'' Patrick said. Patrick said, ''Yeah, it''s a big crocodile. ''Yeah, a big crocodile,'' says Thorinaris. ''I don''t know what a crocodile is, but the armor-like scales on its body are tattered, you water dragon,'' says Mirko. Mirko said, ''Maybe Pichan tightened it up. Patrick guesses. That''s right, the monster that Pichan dragged in. A crocodile-like water dragon over ten meters long. I''m sure you''ll be happy to hear that. Mirko says in a dumbfounded voice. ''No matter how big he is, he won''t be able to bite his own body, so he''ll be helpless when his body is constricted. ''Is there no use for this tattered leather? ''You can eat meat. It''s white, light, and delicious.'' ''You''re talking about crocodiles, aren''t you? Thorinaris interjected. Thus, the water dragon barbecue was held, and the people were served water dragon meat as well, so the confusion of the wyverns was treated as if it never happened. As expected of the Snakes. Incidentally, Pu and Pei were also eating water dragon meat next to the people. When everyone was getting ready to leave, Patrick was called by Pee-chan and taken to a place by the lake. He was dexterously pointing with his tail to a place where the soil was raised. ''Dig here? ''You want me to dig here? Patrick asked Pichan, who shook her head. Patrick does as he''s told and digs in the dirt. What comes out is a lot of eggs. ''I have a bad feeling about this, don''t I????Pichan?'' Is it my imagination, or does Pichan''s mouth seem to be smiling slightly when he said that? ''You''re going to bring it back, aren''t you? Shaking his head violently, Patrick gave up and ordered his men to collect the eggs and load them into Pichan''s carriage. 210-Snakes Main House With the preparations complete, Patrick and his party proceeded smoothly through the streets. The street cleaning is so thorough that not even a single goblin, let alone a bandit, appears. As they approach the Snakes'' mansion, the number of soldiers guarding it gradually increases. There are not many, but there are still people who want to kill Patrick. The former nobles who were reduced to commoners hold a grudge against him. There are those who would plot to kill the one they hate in his domain. Ein and the rest of the Dark Serpents are gathering information and dealing with them as soon as they are found, but there are no absolutes in this world. But there is no such thing as infallibility in this world, for there are those who will not let their feelings be known and will watch vigilantly. Soon, the number of Snakes territory soldiers guarding Patrick''s group exceeded 100. The Snakes'' mansion, located in a vast area of land, looks like a fortress. The old Rigsby Mansion used to be the office of the Snakes'' Brewers Guild, and merchants from all over the Mental Kingdom would come here to purchase alcohol. The new Rigsby House was built on the west side of the former Rigsby''s territory, almost to the former Westin''s territory, where there was a vast wasteland unsuitable for farming. Looking from above, a moat in the shape of a hexagram, like two triangles stacked on top of each other, was dug to draw water from the river. Within the moat, a fort of the same shape was built, and in the center of the fort stood a building of the same shape as the Snakes'' residence in the capital. It is about twice the size of the mansion in the capital. The construction of the moat and fortifications employed a large number of people who had been out of work, and there were almost no more people in the territory who could be called poor. In addition, there is no shortage of work in the Snakes'' territory. There is even a shortage of labor for agriculture. With the new water supply, the wasteland is no longer a wasteland, but a farmland under the direct control of the Snakes, where various crops are planted. The former Westin territory, like the former Rigsby territory, is a wheat-producing area, and thanks to the Snakes'' large purchases of wheat, new wheat fields have been cultivated and the harvest is steadily increasing. As a result, the production of whiskey has been increasing. Liquor craftsmen are not so much screaming with joy as they are in desperate need of labor, and they are looking for workers, but many of them are choosing easy construction jobs rather than acquiring skills, and the number of workers is not increasing. However, many of them choose to work in simple construction jobs rather than acquiring skills, and the number of construction jobs is not increasing. You may wonder if there is construction work after the fort is completed, but there are many construction sites, such as the renovation of the west fort and the relocation of the north fort. Rumor has it that if you go to the Snakes'' territory, you can get a job, and the track record of people disappearing from the slums of King''s Landing is probably the best proof of this. Patrick has also built a communal housing complex called the Snakes Family Estate, which he rents out at low rents. More and more people are settling in the area, hoping to live there for cheap rent, work, and get a house. The busiest territory at the moment is the Snakes'' Domain. As we approach the moat, we see a large drawbridge. There are soldiers guarding the bridge, and Patrick says, ''Good work! Patrick calls out to him as he passes. The soldier salutes the group with an upright salute. After passing through two bridges, they reach a stone wall, which Patrick insists is a wall, and the gatekeepers salute and open the door. The soldiers standing guard on the wall also salute. After passing through the gate, we finally saw the mansion. Santino, the steward of the mansion, was waiting for me in front of the mansion. ''Welcome home, my lord. And how do you do, Mistress Thornalis? I''m Santino, steward of the main house of Snakes. Please make my acquaintance. And with that, he bowed gracefully. 211-the taste of tea There are many people who work at the Snakes'' estate. From the maintenance of the mansion, to the guards of the walls (or fortification walls as they call them), to the gatekeepers, to the guards of the suspension bridge, to the guards of the grounds. There are many civilian officers as well as military officers. Except for the ones that require Patrick''s approval, the civilian officers take care of everything. With Patrick''s guidance, Thorinaris moves through the compound. The servants can see the look on his face. If he were to disrespect his wife, the fire of his fate would be extinguished. You must never mistake her for someone else. Patrick leaves Mirko and Amelia to take care of Thornalis and heads for his office. Patrick sits in his chair in the office and tells Santino, ''Documents that need to be approved. And do you have anything to report? He asked. That''s what he always asks Santino when he returns to his estate. ''My lord, the documents for approval are here. Also, there was an inquiry from the Western Army asking when the next inspection would be. ''Is this a report on the progress of the construction????Or did something go wrong?'' ''No, that doesn''t seem to be the case, but they''ve been asking frequently for a while now. When is he coming? ''Why do you think they want to know so much????Hmm????Wait, what????Didn''t something happen the other day when I went on an inspection? ''Does it have anything to do with the key you got from the lord when you came back from your inspection? ''Ah!???I just remembered!???He''s going to ask!???Well, tell him I''ll be there tomorrow.'' ''Then I''ll send a messenger. ''Yes, please. And make sure my pets are fed.'' ''You mean the Viper and the Wyvern. I was surprised to see them in the wagon.'' ''I''ve never brought them over here before. ''How much meat do you need, sir? ''We ate a lot on the way here, so just one chicken each. ''Yes, sir.'' Just as I was saying that, the head maid, Leena, came in with a tea set. ''My lord, would you like to drink it with your wife? I asked, ''Yes, of course. Where is she now? ''He should be on the wall with Mirko-dono and his attendant. ''Hmm, so I''ll have another drink when I come down, and for now I''ll drink alone. ''Yes, I''ll get you some right away. ''Yes, please.'' Hot water is poured from the pot in Leena''s right hand, and the tea leaves release a rich aroma. She lifts the cup in front of Patrick with her right hand, brings it close to her mouth to enjoy the aroma, and then sips it. ''After all, tea tastes best when it''s made by Leena!???It''s a taste that''s been familiar to me since I was a child! Patrick said, looking at Leena, ''Thank you, sir. It comes directly from your wife. ''It''s been handed down from your mother. ...... Oh, well, I guess I''ll take Sona back to the tomb when I return to King''s Landing. ''Mistress, you''ll be pleased. You''ll be able to see Master Patrick''s wife. There was a glint in Leena''s eyes as she smiled. 212-out-of-the-way Thorinaris was enjoying the view from the top of the city walls. As he looked at the scenery, he reflected on his journey. Since he had only lived in King''s Landing, the only sights he had seen from his room had been man-made structures or mountains, but he had enjoyed the natural scenery of this world on his journey so far. The view that Patrick and I had from the back of the wyvern was fantastic. Looking at the big lake from above, the sight of a giant eel and Pichan fighting tickled my inner battle instincts. As it turned out, Pichan won the battle by a landslide. The speed with which he swallowed a large eel was quite astonishing. Now, in front of my eyes, there is a rich green field and blue sky, the river in the distance is shining silver reflecting the sunlight, and the mountains in the distance have white peaks. In my previous life, I was born in a country with a lot of nature, and there was a lot of snow, but I grew up in the city, and I have only lived in the city since I came to Japan. In this world, I have never even seen snow in the royal capital. Speaking of snow, when I went to Kyoto for filming, I saw the Kinkakuji Temple covered with snow, which was beautiful. As I chewed on the differences between my previous life and this life, I''m going to live a long and happy life with Pat this time! For some reason, he made a clenched fist and declared. The two who were watching from behind.., ''Do you think they were attracted to each other because they''re both eccentric? ''Well, an ordinary princess wouldn''t make a vow to the sky with a clenched fist, would she? As she was saying this, Thornaris turned around and said , ''You''re not a princess anymore, you''re a countess of the frontier!???If we''re so eccentric, why don''t you two get along because you''re so serious? He asked with a grin. Mirko''s forehead instantly began to sweat, and Amelia''s face grew redder and redder. ''I didn''t see you two for about an hour yesterday after dinner, I don''t know what you were doing! I don''t know where they were!'' he said, deliberately raising his voice and shrugging his shoulders. The two men panicked, ''I''ll keep it a secret from Pat, Mirko-dono, but you''ll have to report it yourself! Amelia hurriedly chased after Sonaris as she descended the stairs of the castle wall, while Mirko fell to his knees, ''They already knew. ......'' Mirko kneeled on the spot and muttered in a small voice, ''They already knew. 213-a certain man The west fort is in the middle of renovation work. This is because the recent civil war has brought to light the points that need to be improved. Fire preparedness. It became apparent that the well water could not put out the fire (because someone had started the fire), so water was drawn from the river and a reservoir was built inside the fort. It was quite a big project. In order to prevent intruders from entering through the water inlet, a thick iron fence was attached to the moat dug under the fort walls to prevent people from entering. As a result, the toilet situation in the fort has been improved. The toilets are now flushable. The waste water flows into the pond and finally into the river through the drainage channel. Fish farming can be started in the pond. The fish would eat the human waste. The fish can be used as food during a siege. It won''t feel good, though. And repairing the area that was burned down by someone. Many of them have been replaced with stone structures, as wooden ones might catch fire again. Thanks to this, the pantry and other places were less damaged by rats. ''Dispatch!???Herald from Snakes territory!???Lieutenant General Snakes is coming to inspect tomorrow.'' ''Thank you!???Stand down. ''Yes, sir! The new general of the Western Army, Major General Powter, sinks his slightly overweight body into the sofa, his blue eyes fixed on his second-in-command, ''Lieutenant General Snakes is here. Tell the men. If you get in trouble with him, it''ll be my neck on the line. I said. ''Yes, sir. He''s the Lieutenant Commander of the Reapers, after all. The last time I came to inspect him, I didn''t know what he looked like and thought he was just a nobleman''s son and got involved with him. ''I''m sorry for that guy, but he''s lucky we''re not being held responsible. Major General Powter says, scratching his blond head, and his second in command says, ''Thank you, sir, but I feel sorry for him. The first officer replies. ''That''s true. ......'' a?|???a?¡éa?|???a?¡é There''s a man stationed on the lookout at the fort. No, he is stationed there. His legs are fixed to the platform by iron rings with locks, and he cannot come down. Food and water are brought to them by other soldiers, and they are also asked to bring down their own excrement. I have to sleep in a chair. I''ve been in this place for two months now. ''You''ll be on guard duty here until I come next! I regret my actions when I remember the face of the man who smiled at me. How could such a young man be the lieutenant general, and the Grim Reaper at that! He had been the reigning boss of the slums, but due to the disappearance of the slums in the capital, he had no choice but to drift west in search of work. He was confident in his physical strength, so he applied for a job as a soldier in the Western Army. He was able to complete his training without any problems and thought that he was strong here as well. I thought that as long as I paid attention to my superiors in the fort, I could do whatever I wanted here. But that wasn''t the case. When I tried to make fun of the young men who came to inspect the fort, I was beaten to a pulp. And he was beaten by a young man with bare hands. The superior, who heard the commotion, came over, his face pale, ''Sir Snakes!???I beg your pardon! It was only when he got down on his knees that I learned that this young man was the Grim Reaper that I had heard rumors of in the capital. ''It''s really not my lucky day. ......'' I muttered, and he replied. ''Hey, it seems he''s coming tomorrow!???We can finally come down, right? '' said my colleague who brought me a meal. ''Really? ''Yeah, one of your men just arrived with a warning. Major General Poulter sent word to all the soldiers. Don''t cause any trouble. Knowing what he knows about you, he won''t.'' ''Finally, finally I can get off the ground. The man muttered and shed a tear. 214-absurdity Patrick''s party departs from the Snakes'' main residence. Their destination is the west fort. In the center is a prominent red carriage and two large black carriages. In front and behind them are the Snakes'' army guards. A merchant''s carriage makes way for the group as they proceed down the street. The difference between King''s Landing and King''s Landing is that people do not run away when they see these carriages. In King''s Landing, people would run away as if they were spiders, but in Snake''s Landing, there are children waving their hands, and adults and old people bowing their heads. From the main residence of the Snakes to the west fort, you have to go through the old Westin territory, so you have to look at the vast wheat fields for a long time. Riding in the red carriage are Patrick, Sonaris, Mirko, and their maid, Amelia. ''Boring! After a few hours of riding in the carriage, Sonalice becomes selfish. ''A carriage ride is boring, you know. Amelia warned him, ''There was a change of scenery before we got to the main house, but here it''s wheat fields all the time!???I''m bored!???Hey, Pat. Is there anything I can do to kill the boredom? I asked Patrick. ''Something to kill the boredom... the only thing that can kill the boredom is playing cards... did we bring any cards? Patrick asks Mirko, ''No, I didn''t bring any this time. ''No, not this time. ''No,'' he said. Patrick said to Thorinaris, who grinned at him, ''Well, since this is a good opportunity, Mirko-san has something to say to Pat!???Mirko-san, come in! He winked and made a reckless request to Mirko. As soon as Mirko was told that, sweat began to pour from his forehead. ''Hmm????From Mirko????What''s going on, Mirko?'' Patrick stares at Mirko. Amelia, who''s sitting next to Mirko, has a red face. ''Oh my lord, you''re right, I am.'' Mirko, biting down. ''Take a deep breath and calm down, Mirko! Patrick said in disgust, And Mirko took a deep breath, ''I, Count Snakes frontier knight Mirko, would like to inform the lord that I am dating Amelia-dono here!???I beg your pardon! Patrick looked at Mirko, who was sitting in the carriage with her head bowed, ''I''m dating my lord''s wife''s maid. You can''t allow that with half-hearted determination.???She was a maid of honor to a princess. She must have come from a family of high rank, right? I asked Thornalis, ''Yes, she''s the fourth daughter of a viscount. ''Yes. ''If she''s the fourth daughter of a viscount, she''s probably well educated and more educated than Mirko. And if you get married, you''ll have to go to the Viscount''s house to greet them. Are you ready for that????You might be called a mere knight in shining armor. Patrick said to Mirko, ''Yes sir!???I''m ready for it. But I''ve discussed it with Amelia and we''ve decided that we''ll work hard until we get permission. Mirko kept her head bowed. Patrick turns his gaze to Amelia. ''Are you sure you want to do the same? He asks, ''Yes. I confessed my feelings to her. I''ve already made up my mind at that point. Amelia looked Patrick straight in the eye and said. ''Okay, then there''s nothing to say. I''ll give you my permission and we''ll approach the Viscountess. '' ''''Thank you very much!'''' Mirko and Amelia''s voices came together. 215-to get angry Patrick is regretting it now. Why had he allowed Mirko and Amelia to get together just now? He wanted to punch himself in the face a few minutes ago. Why didn''t you say you''d think about it for a day? Because the flirtation between Mirko and Amelia that was unfolding in front of her eyes was so far beyond her imagination. I can still put up with the happy flirting. However, as a subordinate and a maidservant, how would you feel about making more noise in front of your master than your master and his wife? The veins in Patrick''s forehead, twitching, would have been clearly visible to Thorinaris next to him. And there is a limit to one''s patience. ''I''m getting angry. ......'' She heard Patrick''s small murmur, and her face changed. She knows. She knows what Patrick did after he muttered those words. That was when Thornaris was Theresa. The captain of the smuggler''s ship was working on a weapons smuggling job when he started teasing Jin about his lazy work and, of course, because he was Japanese. The other sailors were also amused and started teasing him. Jin was basically a patient person. But if he put up with too much, he would explode. He gave all the sailors on the smuggling ship sleeping pills to drink that night, caught them when they fell asleep, tied them up with ropes, carried them to the port, and tied the ropes to the ship. Everyone wakes up and starts to make a fuss, but it is difficult for them to even stand up because they are almost in a state of being wrapped in a mattress. And then there is Jin, looking down on them. ''You guys, if you don''t want to die, give me all the money you have. Those of you who give will have the rope cut to save you, but those who don''t will be tied up and sail away. You know what will happen, right?'' The cold look in Jin''s eyes made those of us with a certain amount of ability realize that. He''s the kind of guy you don''t want to cross. And... But the thug doesn''t understand. Those who had money promised to pay immediately and had the rope cut. The life of the thug who didn''t pay was lost to the sea. Sonaris'' eyes on Mirko and Amelia turned sad, as if he were looking at a poor abandoned cat. ''All right, Mirko, I''ll give you guys your first view in life as a prelude. Let''s jump to the fortress while we''re at it. Since only Sona and I can ride on Pu and Pei''s backs, you guys can tie yourselves to wooden sticks with ropes and hold onto Pu and Pei''s legs. Good for you, Sona. You''ve got some time to kill! And without giving Mirko and Amelia time to argue, he says it all at once and makes his decision. At the same time, the two of them were captured and rolled up in a mattress without any time to escape. Poor Mirko and Amelia, their screams became the sirens that announced Patrick''s arrival at the west fort. Due to the confusion caused by the flight of the two wyverns, the area around the west fort fell into chaos, and there was a rush of people trying to escape to the fort. One of the men on guard duty was desperately banging a bell to warn the people of the danger when he spotted the two wyverns. It seems that he had not forgotten his duty. 216-dumbfounded A few hours later, the chaos in the west fort finally died down. The cause was the two wyverns used by Lieutenant General Snakes. ''I don''t even know what to say anymore about using wyverns. Major General Poulter said in disgust. ''Well, if those were wild wyverns, they''d probably do a lot of damage, but I hope the lieutenant general will think about the people around him and act accordingly. The lieutenant replied, ''Can you tell that to Lieutenant General Snakes? ''Of course I can''t. Don''t be scared, Major General. ''That''s right, ...... don''t feel sorry for the two people who were grabbed by the legs and brought here.'' ''The lieutenant general''s knight and his wife''s handmaiden. It''s hard to have an unbelievable master. ''You, if he asks you that, you''ll end up like him again.???And the wife is His Majesty''s third daughter. Be careful, you can''t be too proud of either of them.'' ''A mouthful is a bad thing. I''ll be careful. ''In the meantime, tell the surrounding areas, we don''t want to have a fuss over every inspection. ''Yes, sir. But I''d like to have some markers to distinguish them from the wild ones, because we can''t be sure that the wild ones won''t come. ''I''ll see what I can do about that, I''ll advise you. ''Please, so where is the Lieutenant General now? ''On the observation deck. ''Ah, so he can finally get off. ''I guess his long mission is finally over, we should give him a leave. ???????????????????????????????????? ''Hey!???It''s been a while. What''s your name again?'' Patrick asks a certain man with his feet pinned to the ledge, ''Cousnuts, my lord. The man, Cusnut, replied. ''Well, then, Cnut, have you reflected enough????I''ve done my research on your background. I heard you were a slum lord in King''s Landing. You may have had a grudge against me, the one who lost the slum, but killing me won''t bring it back. ''I would never kill you, sir. I didn''t know your face, I was simply trying to make fun of a young nobleman, I had no intentions!???My sincerest apologies. Kuznats got down on his knees and apologized. ''Well, then I''ll give you the key, but I''ll give you a choice. You can either stay here and work at the fort, or you can work for the Snakes'' family as a guard at my house. ''What? Kusnatz looked astonished at the sudden invitation. ''I heard you were frantically ringing the bell when I rode into the wyvern. You could have been eaten. I''m talking about your commitment to the mission. You decide by the time I get back. Then I''ll go back to my tour. In the meantime, go to bed for the night and think about it.'' And with that, Patrick leaves. Cousnut, still holding the key he had been given, stared at Patrick''s back, dumbfounded. 217-further understanding At the same time, Sonaris, Mirko, and Amelia were in the visitor''s room in the fort. Mirko and Amelia are sitting on the sofa, exhausted. They looked a little pale. ''How can you two be so sloppy that you feel sick from that? Sonaris tells them, and Mirko says, ''No, no, ma''am, most people get anxious when they''re off the ground.???There are people who can''t even stand on top of tall buildings like watchtowers.???And this time, we were flying in the sky, you know????I was tied up!???It''s impossible, right? To Mirko, who was a little louder than usual, ''Wasn''t it a nice view? Thorinaris replies. ''I don''t have time to look at the view! ''What a waste, did Amelia get to see it? Thorinaris turned the conversation to Amelia, ''I was meditating the whole time!???I knew in my gut that I shouldn''t look! Amelia looks a little angry. ''It''s a good thing I didn''t see it, I didn''t feel like living. Mirko says. ''You two are no good, you need to look around at all times!???You never know what you might discover!???And speed and levitation are fun because they''re different from the norm!???Well, if you''ve learned from this, be careful when you make out in front of Pat. ''Yes, I was carried away. I regret it. Mirko said, followed by Amelia, ''I''m sorry too, but wasn''t that a bit much? She''s still not happy. ''Amelia, Pat is still taking it easy on you, okay????You made sure he didn''t die. He''s done worse before. He was able to go easy on her because she''s one of his family.'' ''You''re going easy on him? Mirko asks back. ''What''s Pat''s second name? ''Reaper .......'' ''Right????You''re taking it easy when you''re trying not to die. No one''s died in training, right?'' ''By the way, what did they do to you before?'' Amelia asks. ''Well, to put it simply, do you know what it would be like if you tied a man to a rope, tied him to a horse, and dragged him around at full speed? ''Yes, I understand.'' ''Yes, Pat may be called the Grim Reaper, but he''s still a human being, and he can lose his temper sometimes, so be careful. ''I understand that all too well. '' ''Yeah, well, take it easy until the soldiers you left behind arrive. I''m going to go to Pat''s.'''' Ah! Don''t do anything weird in your room just because I''m not there!???If you do, I''ll tell Pat, okay? ''''No, I won''t!'''' They both shouted in unison. When Sonaris left the room.., ''''You don''t have the energy to do that, do you? Mirko asks Amelia in a small voice. Mirko asks Amelia in a small voice, ''I''m not feeling fine, I''m feeling nauseous.???Are you okay Mirko? ''I''m not nauseous, but I''m dizzy. ......'' ''You''ve been through a lot: ......'' The two nodded at each other. 218-to be excited ''Lieutenant General Snakes, I have a request or a suggestion.'' Rear Admiral Powter addresses Patrick in a reserved tone. ''What is it?'' ''The Wyvern is the Lieutenant General''s messenger beast, and I would like to have some kind of marker to distinguish it from the wild, just in case. This is the far west, so it''s unlikely that a wyvern would come here from the eastern forest, but I can''t say that it won''t, and I think the people will feel safer if there''s a landmark.'''' ''I see!???You have a point. I''ll think of something. ''Thank you, sir, and the construction of the fort is going well, is there anything you are concerned about? Major General Powter asks. Why would he ask Patrick, who is not a member of the Western Army, about the facilities of a national fort? It has to do with his special title of "Count of the Frontier". This title, "Count of the Frontier", means that the territory is treated as an autonomous country. In order to protect its borders, the taxes of the territory can be used to pay for border security. No taxes are paid to the state. And to protect the border, the count of the frontier is allowed to start a war at his discretion. In the country, it is treated as a subordinate to a duke and equal to a marquis, but in reality, it is treated like a ruler of a vassal state, and is a title of great authority. The fortifications of the Western Army within the territory are also there to guard the borders, which is why they are under Patrick''s control. The king and the vizier both thought that the war with the Empire was coming soon, and they wanted Patrick to train the Western Army as well, which is why they appointed him as the frontier count. ''There doesn''t seem to be anything special. I think it''s going well.'' ''I''m glad to hear that. ''Well, I''ll just inspect the area and head back tomorrow. Speaking of which, where are my wife and the knights? ''It seems that the knights are very tired, so they are resting in their rooms. ''If they''re that tired, they haven''t been trained enough. ''No, I think it''s just mental fatigue. Rear Admiral Powter said he was concerned about Mirko and the others, but.., ''You''re weak if you''re mentally exhausted after I gave you a comfortable flight. ''No, it''s the sky, after all. ''It''s a beautiful view.???Would you like me to show it to the Major General? ''No, sir,'' said Patrick, to which Major General Powter immediately replied, ''No, thank you! He said with all his might. a?|???a?¡éa?¡é Patrick thinks about this as he looks at Thorinaris, Pu, and Pei. How to mark them. ''It''s hard to tell with just a saddle, isn''t it? Thorinaris said, ''Maybe it''s hard to see from a distance. Patrick replies. ''If you want to make it visible from a distance, do you want to add color? ''It would be a pity to paint the scales, wouldn''t it? ''That''s right. Ah!???Why don''t we make armor for Pu and Pei????Like leather armor, not just saddle armor, but colorful armor, so they know they''re not wild? ''Oh!???I like that!???All right, let''s think about what to make on the carriage ride home! The two of them got excited. 219-Ill ask Cusnut. Patrick''s guards and servants have finally arrived at the west fort. One of the Snakes'' servants, who seemed to be busy unloading and reversing the load, was approached by Kusnatz in a reserved manner. ''I''d like to ask you a few questions, if that''s all right. ''Hmm????I''m busy, so make it quick, okay?'' The man replies, moving his hands. ''Ah, so I''ll ask you straight out, have you had any trouble working at His Excellency the Frontier Count''s residence????No, His Excellency has invited me to work as a guard. When Cousnut said that, the man stopped and looked at Cousnut, ''Oh!???So we could be colleagues. I guess so. I don''t have any problems working here, but I might be a little worried about the people around me. After all, the lord is an object of respect and fear in his domain, and his servants are expected to behave and act accordingly. That''s the Snakes'' servant!???The pay is good. The pay is good. However, if you commit a crime and damage the name of the house, you will be rounded up by our military police and punished severely. ''What kind of terrible? ''I heard it''s the kind of punishment that makes you think it''s better to die, but the people who''ve been punished are too scared to say anything. Even so, the treatment is so good that there are people who work without quitting. ''That means there are people who quit, right? ''Yeah, it depends on the degree, but those who were making money illegally by using the name of the lord were punished and turned into criminal slaves, so they were fired. Well, it''s a good place to work if you''re honest. It''s a bit special, like being a servant beast of a lord, but that''s all. ''A little bit, you mean the wyvern, right????I don''t think a little is enough. ''There''s also a huge snake. There''s one in that wagon. Want to see????Pichan-sama likes me a lot, so she allows me to open the door, and I was just preparing the food. The man lifts the chicken with his left hand and points at the carriage with his right thumb. ''Are you sure????I''m a little scared, but I want to see it. He should have said no, but he did. The man who opened the door with a bang. As soon as he opened it, Pichan''s face popped out. ''Miss Pichan, can you smell me????Yes, here''s your meal! Next to the man who was saying this, there was a sound of someone falling. ''Hey, are you okay? ''Here, I lost my back...'' A slumped Kusnats replies. ''Well, I''m fine like that!???You''re lucky you didn''t shit your pants!???Hahaha.'' Looking at the man who was laughing out loud, Kusnatz wondered whether he should work for the Snakes or not. 220-Patricks mouth? Patrick and his team will begin to survey the area around the fort. The main investigation is to understand the terrain. They need to know how to move in case of a battle with the Empire, where the water is, and so on. Leaving the ground investigation to Mirko and his subordinates, Patrick and Sonalith were checking the entire area from the air. Of course, they were also checking to see how Pu and Pei were moving their wings. ''I still don''t think the armor will work around the wings. Patrick said, ''Well, we can only wear armor on the stomach and the legs from the shin down. The tail seems to be used to change direction, and the neck moves a lot, so maybe I''ll just put some cool leather armor on the head. Thorinaris replied. ''It shouldn''t be too heavy. ''Well, leather armor is heavy enough, so maybe we should use more cloth? The two of them were looking at the ground while talking. ''Hmm????What''s that? Patrick raises his voice. ''What''s going on? ''There''s a yellow area. ''That''s right! Let''s go there.'' ''Pooh, head towards the yellow.'' Patrick called out, ''Gaw! and Pei followed suit. ''Beautiful! Sonaris shouted. ''Yeah, it''s rape blossoms. There were rape blossoms blooming all over the place. ''Rape blossoms are the ones that produce oil, aren''t they? ''Yeah, I found some good ones. ''What do you use it for? ''For lamps, of course, but you can also use it for fire arrows and fried food. '' ''Fried????What kind of oil are you frying them in now?'' ''It''s pork lard. That''s why it''s a little battery-heavy, right????If you use rapeseed oil, you can make a slightly crispy fried chicken! ''All I need is a lemon. ''I don''t see any lemon. Maybe they don''t exist in this world. We have tangerines, though. ''Well, it''s good for money anyway. ''Oh, Prime Minister, you have money, don''t you????Abbott''s new fort will cost more than ours, so we''ll have to pay for it ourselves. Well, we''re sending people from our territory to build a new fort in the north, and we''re taking a lot of money in brokerage fees. ''I think they''re wary of Pat because he''s making too much money. ''I''ve spent a lot of the money I''ve made. ''The mansion in King''s Landing and the mansion in the estate? ''I''m even paying for the renovation of the west fort, aren''t you crazy????Isn''t that strange? ''Next time I go back to King''s Landing, I''ll complain to your father! When Saounaris raised his voice a little, ''Gaw? Pooh squealed. ''Hmm????What''s wrong, Pooh? ''Gah gah gah. ''What''s bothering you over there? Gah. ''Sure, let''s go check it out. Bae, Sona''s coming too. And they headed in the direction that Pooh said he was interested in. And they headed in the direction that Pooh said he was interested in. 221-black ninja Where the two animals and the two men were headed, there was a place that looked like a natural fort surrounded by rocks. From a distance, it was just a rocky hill, but from above, it was completely hollowed out in the middle. And inside it was black. Patrick strained his eyes to see, but he was too far away to see clearly. ''Pooh, try to get a little closer. ''Gah! The black object seems to be rippling. It''s moving slightly. It''s oil. Patrick expects it to be oil, but when he gets closer, he realizes it''s not. ''No! Sonaris shouts, manipulating Phae''s reins and pulling away. It was a creature of about ten centimeters in size, wriggling countless times. Yes, G, the black ninja that haunts kitchens and the like! It''s also called a dubia or a roach. I''d say it was more like a dubia. It has no wings. It''s big again, but what are they doing with the food????There''s no food in this rocky mountain.'' Patrick wondered, but on closer inspection, the dubia''s pile-like mass looked more like four limbs, a neck and a tail from above. ''I''m curious, but I''m not sure I can fit in that many. Gah gah gah. ''Whata????? You want to eat it? Gah! ''I''ll give you chickens at the fort. Gah-gah-gah-gah-gah! ''You don''t want a chicken, you want that. Gah! ''Hmm, I wonder if I''ll get hungry????It''s okay. Can you eat it all? Gah, gah, gah, gah, gah. ''Oh, you can eat it if you''re with Pei. Sona doesn''t like bugs. Maybe I should put her down first. With that, he starts chasing after Pae. Patrick catches up with Peh and calls out to Sonali, who is riding on Peh''s back. ''Sona!???It looks like Pooh and Pei want to eat that thing, so Sona, meet up with Mirko and the others on the ground for now. ''You guys are going to eat that? Sonalice said with wide eyes, Gah! Gah! ''They''re going to eat it. ''I can''t believe it! ''He wants to eat that instead of the chicken. ''I thought you were only feeding chickens.'' ''No, I feed goblins, orcs and pigs too. ''All meat. That makes me want to eat something else. And with that, the two of them turned back to join Mirko and the rest of the ground troops. Leaving Sonaris in the care of Mirko and the others, Patrick heads back to the rocky mountain with Pu and Pei. Peh drools when he sees the wriggling Dubia. ''Do you really want to eat that much ......? Patrick wonders. Patrick gets off of Phoo''s back in a position where he can see the hollow in the rocky mountain, ''There you go. The two animals immediately fly down toward the wriggling Dubia. Butch! Splat! Crack! Crunch, crunch, crunch! The sound of the two animals sucking, chewing, and masticating echoed. ''That''s not a sound I want to hear. I mean, they''re pretty far away, but you can hear them...'' Patrick made a disgusted face. 222-evolution When Pu and Pei had roughly finished eating, they saw the skeleton of a demon. Patrick, who was looking at it from a slightly higher place, knew exactly what it was. ''A pterosaur. ......'' A pterosaur. A pterosaur is a different kind of flying dragon than a wyvern. While the wyvern''s arms are its wings, the pterosaur has wings on its back in addition to its limbs. The overall form of the pterosaur is similar to that of the wyvern, but it has arms and the skin of the pterosaur is feathery while the skin of the wyvern has reptilian scales. Pterosaurs are larger than wyverns and have one or two horns on the top of their heads pointing forward, and are less common than wyverns. ''Why is a pterosaur dying in this place????I''ve never heard of them living in such a place. I''ve heard that pterosaurs appear all over the continent, but if they had been seen, there would have been an uproar. Patrick thinks to himself. At this point, Patrick should have called out to Pu and Pei. But because he was thinking in his head, he took his eyes off Pu and Pei. The next time Patrick saw Pu and Pei.., ''What? Where''s the pterosaur bone?'' There was no Debure there, not even a pterosaur bone. ''Maybe they ate it? Patrick muttered, Gah! Giggle! The two pterodactyls nodded in satisfaction. ''I wonder if they''ll eat to the bone. Just as Patrick muttered this, Pu and Pei began to glow. ''Too bright! Patrick turned his face away, blocking the light with his hand. For a few seconds, maybe tens of seconds. When the light subsides, there are two pterodactyls in the room. One was wrapped in jet-black feathers and had sharp, thin, sword-like horns extending forward from the top of its head. The other pterosaur was wrapped in ice blue feathers and also had a horn growing out of the top of its head, but it had a single spiral horn pointing forward like a drill. ''Huh?'' Patrick''s eyes widened. ''Gaw? Gah? ''Oh, it''s Poo and Pae.'' Patrick understands now that they''ve been able to communicate. Seeing them nodding, Patrick ponders further. (Individual evolution????How is that possible????Can arms grow and scales turn into feathers in an instant????What are the conditions for an Orc to evolve into an Orc King????Originally, it was generally believed that they were born to be a king. But now it''s clear that Pu and Pei changed because they ate the bones of a pterosaur. Could it be that eating a higher level demon is a condition for evolution? Should we try feeding the orcs the flesh of ogres and trolls next time????No, let''s test it with goblins. Pooh''s jet-black right arm shook Patrick''s shoulder as he pondered. ''Hmm????What''s wrong, Pooh? Gah! On Pooh''s left arm is a leather strap with a saddle on it that fell off when he evolved. ''Oh, I''ll get Sona to make it for me again. Patrick says softly, patting Pooh''s head. ''I mean, how are we going to get home without a saddle? Patrick was now even more troubled. 223-A smile ''Hey!???The lord is back, keep the landing area open.'' Seeing the two flying objects in the distance, Mirko alerted the other soldiers. ''Mirko-dono, isn''t there something wrong? '' says one of the soldiers. ''What is it? ''It looks too big to be a wyvern. And it''s got horns on its head. His Excellency would be riding on its back, but there''s no one on its back.'' Mirko scrutinized the flying object. It''s a pterosaur!???It''s not a wyvern!???All of you, get your bows ready!???d*mn it!???I wish I had a ballista! The pterosaur is getting closer and closer, and the soldiers are readying their bows. ''.........'' ''''Hmm? ''''...It''s...'''' ''What''s he saying? ''It''s me...'' ''The pavilion-samaa??'' Everyone lowered their bows and stared intently at the pterosaur. The leather straps that attach the saddle to the jet-black pterosaur''s arms are clutched tightly. You can find a lot of people who are interested in this kind of thing. And he looks like he''s having fun. ''Why is he with the pterodactyl????And why is he smiling????I knew that man''s nerves would be different from ours!???But how different can it be????How can he be smiling like that in the sky? If he fell, he would surely die. The soldiers around him nodded deeply. Thorinaris came out of the carriage in a commotion, ''That''s not fair, Pat!???I want to go on the trapeze too! ''Oh, there''s another person here who''s not thinking straight: ......'' Mirko mutters. The two pterodactyls swoop down as the soldiers look on, Patrick with a big smile on his face. ''Well, that was fun! said Thorinaris, ''That''s not fair! says Thorinaris, his cheeks puffed out. ''Hmm????Do you want a ride, Sona? ''Yes! ''Okay, so Pei can hold it this time? Gah! ''Oh, my lord!???It''s dangerous!???Madam, please be careful! Mirko panicked and stopped him. ''Why? ''What if the string breaks? ''If I can''t break it, Sona can''t either. Sona''s too light.'' ''That''s not the point! ''Then what''s the problem? Then, from the side, ''I want to ride too! Sonali said, ''No, ma''am, you''ll be suspended in the sky.???It''s not like on your back. ''It''s like the spinning trapeze at the amusement park, isn''t it? Thorinaris says, looking at Patrick. ''Yeah!???It''s just like that. It''s just faster and the rotation is not constant. ''Then we''ll be fine! Thorinaris says confidently. ''No, I don''t know what Yuenchi is, but it''s no good. ......'' Mirko said, half in resignation. 224-Sona is in the sky. In the end, Mirko fails to persuade Sonali. He sits in the saddle connected to the leather strap held in Peh''s hand, ''Peh!???Retsura go! He shouts loudly. With a big smile on his face! As Peh flaps his wings, the grass and trees around him sway in the wind, the hair of the soldiers sways, and the uniforms that look like Patrick''s coat flutter in the wind. Mirko looked at Phe as he soared into the sky, So, how is it that Pooh-sama and Pei-sama changed from wyverns to pterodactyls????I mean, do they really change? Patrick asks. ''No, I don''t know either, but I can guess. Sona told you that there were a lot of bugs on that mountain, right? ''Yes, Master Po and Master Pei wanted to eat them. ''Yes, and...'' When Pu and Pei had devoured the worms, or rather, the dubia, there was the corpse of a pterosaur. It seems that Dubia had been eating the corpse. Hey!???There''s a pterosaur in this place. ''Yeah, I''ve never heard of it, but there it is. And while I was thinking about it, Pu and Pei ate the bones of the corpse, and all of a sudden it started glowing, and the next thing I knew, there it was. ''If you eat a higher level demon, does it change into a higher level one? ''That''s a guess. I don''t know the details. ''If we report this to the government, it''ll be a big deal, right? ''There''s no way we can avoid reporting it. We''re taking Pu and Pei with us when we return to King''s Landing. ''That''s true, but thinking about the time we enter King''s Landing is giving me a headache right now. ''Well, I''ll just send a letter to His Majesty. ''Back to the topic at hand, that means that if orcs eat the corpses of high-ranking demons together, there is a possibility that orc kings will arise in large numbers. ......'' ''I can''t say that there aren''t any, or rather, we should work with the idea that there might be. ''We need to put more effort into eliminating demons! ''Right. ''For now, we will further strengthen the territory. ''Yeah, work with Elvis on this. ''Yes! ''In the meantime, once Sona is satisfied, return to the fort and prepare to leave. When we get back to the villa, we''ll head for the capital and I''ll inform His Majesty first on the fast horse. ''Yes, sir! After that, Sona enjoyed the trapeze and it took about an hour for her to come back to the ground. She returned to the fort with Pu and Pei and fussed again. The soldiers at the fort were used to seeing wyverns during Patrick''s inspection, but none of them had ever seen a pterosaur before, and they had all heard about the horror of them, so when two pterosaurs, one jet-black and one blue, descended from the sky above the fort, they screamed in agony. In the end, the confusion continued until Mirko and the others reached the fort from the ground and explained the situation, while Patrick continued to swing in the sky. 225-graveyard ''Kusnatz, have you made up your mind?'' Cusnatz is standing in front of Patrick. ''Yes, sir, I''ve decided.'' ''Hmm, so what''s your answer?'' ''Cousnuts, knowing that you have been in the slums, I appreciate your invitation and will work for you. I look forward to working for you. Cusnut bowed deeply, and Patrick said, ''You will be treated differently depending on your work, remember that. I''ll be gone tomorrow. Be ready.'' With that, he walked away. ''Ha! And with that, he left Patrick behind, ''His Excellency, the pterodactyl-carrying Lord of the Dead Frontier, ...... I''m fired up! Kuznats clenches his right fist and puts his energy into it. Secretly longing for a pterosaur, Kuznats made a quick decision when he saw Pu and Pei as pterosaurs. Will his choice turn out to be a good thing or a bad thing? The next day, the group departed from the west fort. Of course, Kusnatz accompanied them. After arriving at the Snakes'' main residence without any problems, Cousnuts was left in the care of Elvis. He was trained as a territorial soldier, but the training was incomparable to that of the Western Army, and Kusnatz immediately regretted it, as he later told his colleagues. The next day, a fast horse rode to the royal capital, and Patrick and his group departed for the capital. On the way, they stopped to wait for the soldiers, and Patrick and Thornaris came to the cemetery on the outskirts of the old Rigsby territory. This is where the tombs of the Rigsby family are located. At the end of the place there is a small grave. The headstone reads. Rayna Rigsby. That''s Patrick''s mother''s name. ''Mom, long time no see. I''ve been through a lot, but I''m fine. And I''ve got a wife. I''d like you to meet her. ''Nice to meet you, I''m Thornalith Snakes, Mother-in-law. I know I''m not much, but I look forward to working with you.'' They kneeled in front of the grave and made their report. No one knew that their eyes were slightly glowing white as they prayed with their eyes closed. After that, we proceeded along the road toward the royal capital. Wylie and Van Pelt joined us on the way, and needless to say, I was stunned for a while with my mouth open when I saw that Pu and Pei were wyverns when they came, but became pterodactyls when they left. ''My lord, there''s a house I''d like to stop by. Mirko spoke to Patrick. ''Where is it? ''Amelia''s parents, the Conners. ''Hmm, that''s the estate just along the road. ''Yes, it''s halfway between King''s Landing and the Snakes'' territory. ''Hmm, are you going to greet them? ''Yes, Amelia and I are thinking of going there together. ''Hmm, okay! I''ll go too! ''''Eh?'''' Mirko and Amelia''s voices came together . ''''If Pat''s going, I''m going too! Thorinaris joins the conversation. ''''Yeaha?????'''' ''''Okay, I''ve got plenty of liquor in my luggage, and enough souvenirs!???All right, let''s get the forerunner out! ''Huh, I wanted to go alone at first, but ......'' ''Before the two of us go and things get complicated, I''ll intercede and settle this amicably. ''I can''t help but feel that it''s going to get even more complicated. ......'' ''Don''t you guys think of me as a moving dispute? ''Huh?'' Mirko''s eyes widen as she stares at Patrick. ''A moving target, right?'' Sonaris interrupts. ''Isn''t it awful?'' Patrick says, turning to look at Thorinaris, ''Has there ever been a place you''ve been that didn''t have an incident? Thorinaris replies, ''Yes! ''Such as? ''Well, let''s see... ...... Yeah, no. ......'' ''You see, .......'' ''Well, our knight is going to ask for permission to marry. Isn''t it normal for the Lord to greet him?'' ''That''s true, but ......'' ''Amelia, what are your parents like? Amelia was asked. ''Um, normal? ''Normal is the most confusing analogy, okay????Because if you ask me, I''m normal.'''' ''''''Huh?'''''' The voices of the three of them came together. ''''Hmm?'''' ''''Do you think you''re normal, my lord?'''' Mirko asked, ''Isn''t there anyone as normal as me????Your height, weight, face, and everything else is normal! ''Isn''t height and weight the only thing that''s normal? Mirko said, ''Her face looks twisted, her hair is black, her eyes are black. You''re a social misfit, aren''t you? And Sonalice followed up with. ''Sona, isn''t it terrible? ''Because I can''t think of any other words to describe him. ''How could you marry a man like that? ''Because he never seems to be bored. ''Well, I''ve had my fair share of ups and downs, and probably always will. He''s got a lot of grudges. ''I hope you live long enough to entertain us. ''I''ll try. ''Then let''s go! ''Oh, so you''re going after all...'' ''And Mirko . ''I guess we don''t need to talk about our parents'' personalities. ......'' Amelia. ''I''ve already decided to go!???I''ll listen for your information, though.'' Patrick said, nodding quietly at Sonali. 226-Amelias parents home Viscount Connor''s estate is located along the road leading west from King''s Landing, where the main industry is the inn town. It is frequented by military transport units and merchants, so it is not deserted, but it is not glamorous either. However, the economy has been booming for the past few years. The reason is the territory of the Snakes Frontier Counts, which is further west. The number of merchants heading there has increased rapidly, the number of guests staying at the inn in Viscount Connor''s territory has increased, and the sales of innkeepers and souvenir stores have doubled. Viscount Connor''s house is old, but it has been carefully repaired so that it is not shabby. Hayama arrives at the house. The man at the gate asks the soldier who has dismounted from the horse. ''What kind of business do you have with the Viscount Connor family? The soldier replies, ''My name is Rismo, a soldier of the House of Snakes. I''ve received a letter from my lord. If Viscount Connor is at home, I would like to speak to him. If he is not at home, I would like to leave this letter with him. If he is not, I would like to leave this letter with him. The gatekeeper confirmed this, ''Please wait here for a moment while I check. Without saying whether he is there or not, he heads for the house. When the gatekeeper came back a few minutes later, He said, ''He is coming to see you. Come with me so I can show you around. Hey!???Get this man''s horse!'' The gatekeeper said to Rismo, then called out to the servants of the house. ''Come in, then. He led Rismo into the house. When Rismo entered the mansion, he was led to the reception room and told to sit down and wait, but he stood and waited. Then the head of the family enters the room. ''Sorry to keep you waiting. I am Dig von Connor, the head of the family. Are you the messenger from the Snakes Frontier? I say to him. ''Yes! It''s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Rismo from the House of the Snakes. I''ve received several letters from my master. Let''s start with this one first. He bows his head and holds out the letter. ''Hmm, from my daughter. Let''s see. Viscount Connor then picks up the paper knife on his desk, opens the envelope, and looks through the letter. Rismo sees him put the letter on the desk after reading it, ''Here, take this next one. ''Hmm. The other guy. Viscount Connor frowns a little and pretends to read the letter as if he has no choice. ''The next one is from my master. As he takes the letter and begins to read it, Viscount Connor''s eyes grow stern. He grabs a paper knife from the desk and throws it at Rismo. Rismo avoids the knife thrown at his face as if it were nothing. The knife sticks in the wall. ''Have fun. Rismo says, ''Oh. You''re not even angry? ''I didn''t see any killing, sir. ''I thought I''d see what the Snakes have in store for us. I beg your pardon. Please have a seat. ''No, I''ll be right back. ''Hmm, I see. I understand about Amelia''s and the frontier count''s knights. What time do you think they''ll arrive? ''They should have left after I left, so they should arrive in two days. When Viscount Connor heard this, he picked up his pen and wrote a letter, ''Then I would like you to give this to the Earl of Snakes Frontier. ''Yes, sir. Now if you''ll excuse me. With that, Rismo bows his head and leaves the room. Viscount Connor''s wife enters the room as if she were taking his place. ''What kind of errand did you send? She asks, handing him a letter, ''Well, Amelia, it seems you have found yourself a very interesting man for a master. Viscount Connor said with a laugh. Two days later, a red carriage arrives in front of Viscount Connor''s house. It was followed by a large black carriage and other carriages. ''So this is it. The old mansion in Patrick''s line of sight. ''Yes, this is my parents'' house, the Connor residence. Amelia says. ''It''s quite old. ''It was built by the first generation, and we''re still using it. It''s been rebuilt and repaired, though.'' ''I''m getting nervous. Mirko said, ''Pull yourself together! Amelia pats him on the shoulder. ''Mm! Mirko said, getting into the spirit. The gate is already open. A man who looks like a butler comes out of the door. ''Sir, please be careful. Rismo, who was acting as a messenger, says quietly. ''Yeah, you''ve got quite the watchful eye. Patrick smirks. 227-laughing Viscount Connor ''Van Pelt, if you make any strange movements, cut me off without mercy! Patrick says so the man can hear. ''Ha!'' Van Pelt replies with his hand on the hilt of his sword. Patrick walks into the house with Van Pelt in the lead. Rismo follows behind. Wylie is guarding Thorinaris. Amelia and Mirko enter the house after Thorinaris. The butler''s gait changes slightly, as if he is trying to create an opening, but Van Pelt is not so foolish as to be fooled by it. At a certain door, the man stops, ''My husband is waiting for you here. Please come in. Please come in.'' He opens the door. A knife flies from inside the open door, but Van Pelt brushes it away with one hand, draws his sword, and enters. Patrick and the others enter the room after him. ''It''s been a long time, Count Snakes. The man in the room says with a thick smile, ''That''s quite a greeting, Viscount Connor, thank you for coming to my wife''s wedding party the other day. And that letter, is it serious? Patrick asks back. ''What, it was you who instigated it, wasn''t it, Lord Snakes? '' comes the reply. ''Pat????What did you write in your letter? Thorinaris asks Patrick. ''Hmm????Oh, I just asked you to approve Mirko and Amelia''s marriage,'' Patrick says. Patrick says, ''Oh!???Is that what you call blackmail these days? Viscount Connor makes a deliberately surprised expression. ''Blackmail is .......'' Thorinaris mutters, ''Hmm????I just wrote that if you don''t admit it, I''ll hurt you. Patrick replied as if it were obvious. ''Oh, no.'' Thorinaris put his hand on his forehead and lamented. ''Well, if you ask me, Viscount Connor wrote back to me that he was going to strike back at me, boy. Thorinaris replied, ''Amelia????What''s normal about you? He looks at Amelia and says. ''What????Isn''t that what the head of a noble family is supposed to be like? To Amelia''s surprise, ''Didn''t you follow me around and see all the different heads of noble families????What were you looking at ......? She replied, The only angry nobleman I''ve seen is my father, and the only royal family I''ve seen is during the rebellion. Amelia said a little apologetically. ''Well, I''m sorry to bother you at a time like this, but Snakes Frontier Count is a knight, Mirko. His Excellency Viscount Connor, I would like you to approve my engagement to your daughter. ......'' I''m not sure what to say, but I''m sure you''ll understand, ''This really is the time, isn''t it ......? Viscount Connor said in disgust. ''I just thought I''d tell you something. He said apologetically. ''Amelia, are the Snakes all such freaks? Viscount Connor asks his daughter, ''Well, am I included in that????Your father? ''Of course. ''Then no.'' ''Then no,'' denied Amelia firmly. ''Hmm, you''ve always had no sense of common sense. That''s fine. So, do we talk inside or outside????Or should we do it outside? Viscount Connor looks Patrick in the face and says. ''We don''t want to destroy the house, so let''s go outside. ''Then go out the front. We''ll go out the back door. Don''t worry, I won''t touch the lady. Viscount Connor. ''I''m not going to let you! Patrick''s expression soured slightly. ''Well then! With that, Patrick and the others leave the room. ''You''re looking pretty good, aren''t you? You looked like a cat at the wedding party. I wouldn''t call you the Grim Reaper if you weren''t. Hey, get ready too! Viscount Connor chuckled to the butler waiting outside the room, and hurriedly left the room. 228-astonished Viscount Connor ''Wylie and Van Pelt will be guarding Amelia and Sona. They say they won''t hurt them, but I don''t know if they''re telling the truth. Rismo, you and Mirko take it easy on them.'' Patrick instructs. ''Where''s the master? Wylie asks, ''I''ll work alone. It''s been a while since we''ve had any real practice. Patrick grinned. When I arrived at the main entrance, Rismo and Mirko were there, ''Well! They opened the door and ran out. Viscount Connor''s soldiers were already waiting for them at the front door. Viscount Connor''s soldiers were well-trained, but they only attacked fair and square, one on one. ''How sweet of you. Rismo said, ''That''s true. But it''s easier for us, too. Mirko replies. Mirko and Rismo are not killing their opponents. They fend off their opponents'' swords with their swords, and hunt their opponents'' consciousness with their fists and legs. They are simply doing what they did in the North when the tribal women came at them with weapons during the war with the hill people. But it would have been humiliating for Viscount Connor''s men. Both of them had already defeated many of them, and they were not even breathing. And Viscount Connor staring at them. ''Hmm, as they say, the soldiers are quite skilled, but the Frontier Count Snakes has not shown up. There were rumors that he was not good at face-to-face combat, but he didn''t seem like a coward who would leave everything to his men. ......'' He muttered, but then, ''Yeah, my skills aren''t that different from those two, but I''m better at this. Patrick''s voice sounded calmly behind Viscount Connor. Startled, Viscount Connor tried to turn around, but.., ''Don''t move!???If you move even a little, I''ll cut your head off! Patrick put a kukri knife to his neck. ''What the hell, when did you ...... ''You were so skittish, I could have slashed you from behind.'' ''How did you ...... not go out the front door ...... cowardly ......''. ''No, I went out the front door, okay?'' ''You''re lying!???I arrived here and saw those two before they came out!???They''re the only ones who came out of the front door! ''No, they came out together. Oh well. So what do we do now? ''They left together? ......'' ''Yeah, at the same time as those two. So????What do we do?'' ''You guys!???Draw your swords!???You lose!'' Viscount Connor shouted loudly. A few minutes later, Patrick and the others and Viscount Connor reunited in the reception room after treating the injured soldiers. ''And now, Mirko will continue with his greetings. Patrick said, ''What????Me first????After that? ''It''ll be complicated if we don''t talk about the future after you get permission, right? ''Yes, I understand. Then once again, the Earl of Snakes Frontier is the knight, Mirko. I''m here to ask for permission to marry His Excellency Viscount Connor''s daughter.'''' He bows his head. ''Hmm. I read your letter the other day, and although you are a commoner, you seem to have a good education, and I have just confirmed your skill, so there seems to be no problem. It''s the house he serves that''s the problem, though. Viscount Connor said, ''Oh, you still need more? Patrick said a little sarcastically. ''No, I''ll admit defeat honestly, if it becomes an all-out war, the wyverns from the party will come out, won''t they????There''s no way we can win.'' ''Yeah, except we don''t have the wyverns anymore.'' ''What????Did the wyvern run away????Or did they defy us and we defeated them?'' ''No, well, don''t tell anyone yet, but it evolved from a wyvern into a pterosaur.'' ''What?'' ''Both of them evolved into pterosaurs, and they''re in the black carriage out front as my servants.'' ''Uh, ...... evolved? ''Yeah! ''No. ...... Pterosaurs and other disaster-grade monsters. ......'' ''Good thing it''s person to person.'' ''Oh, can I have a look at that later?'' ''Sure. Just wait till we get this sorted out. ''Yeah, please.'' ''So, are you sure you want to approve Mirko and Amelia''s marriage for now?'' ''Mm. I''ll approve it. ''Then, next, regarding the matter of you resisting me, there is no one injured here, and I don''t think it''s right to say something rash to the family home of my subordinate''s wife. But, since nothing will make me feel better, I''ll let you off with a finger. Patrick said. '''''''''''' fingers? '''''''''''' All voices except Patrick''s and Sonalith''s were in sync. ''Your dominant arm is your right, right?'' Patrick asks Viscount Connor. ''Yes. If it''s a one-handed sword, you hold it with your right hand? ''Then the second knuckle of your left hand is fine. ''Well, I''m not sure I understand what you''re saying. ''Would you like me to explain?'' ''I''ll explain it to you,'' Patrick said, and Sonalith, who was standing next to him, said, ''It''s the Japanese way, isn''t it? He said. ''''''''''''Nipponshiki?'''''''''''' The words leaked out of everyone''s mouths. Then, Patrick said something that made everyone except Patrick and Sonali cringe. 229-Viscount Connor, Reflective Meeting Patrick and his party have left Viscount Connor''s residence. They were headed for the capital. Viscount Connor''s residence had now regained its serenity. The head of the house, sitting on the sofa in the reception room, and his wife, sitting across from him, looked at the little finger on his left hand. There is nothing there that should be there. ''Is there any pain? Her Ladyship asks, ''No, the potion has closed the wound, and there''s no pain, but it feels strange. I never thought I''d have to cut off my little finger myself. I didn''t expect that. You''ve been used as propaganda material to show what happens when you obey the Grim Reaper. Viscount Connor says to himself. ''You said on the way back from the wedding party that you wouldn''t turn against him, so why did you do it again? ''It would be different if Amelia were to marry his knight. I''ll have to see it with my own eyes. ''Couldn''t she just marry that Mirko knight? ''That knight of the Snakes????I''ve heard a lot of rumors about him and he''s done a lot of good, but I haven''t actually seen him. This is no longer a situation that can be overcome by a knight''s skill alone. There will be a war with the Empire soon. then a frontiersman would be in command on the front lines. The other knight, Mirko, is his second-in-command who always stands next to him and assists him. They''ll go into battle together. Because I don''t want Amelia to become a widow in the future.'''' ''You''re a bit out of control when it comes to her, aren''t you? ''I''m aware that I love my youngest, but still...'' ''Well, let''s just be glad it''s only a finger. The pterodactyl that the frontiersman saw on his way home, if we had a run-in with it, this area would be a wasteland right now. ''Yeah, I think that would happen even if it''s one pterosaur, but it''s two. But when I saw the pterodactyl, I wondered if the frontiersman who follows it, Snakes, is really a man? ''It looks like a person to me. ''A man who can easily get behind me? ''Doesn''t that mean you''re getting old too? ''If you say so, you''re old, too.'' ''You!???You can''t talk about your age to a woman! ''No, you''re the one who said it. ......'' a?|???a?¡éa?|???a?¡é Patrick''s group arrived at King''s Landing. It seemed that there would be an uproar when Pooh and Pei stuck their heads out of the carriage, but as soon as the people saw the carriage with the Snakes'' family crest, they fled, so there wasn''t much of an uproar. As soon as he arrived at the mansion, Patrick received a call from the royal castle. ''I''m here at your call, Your Majesty. ''Um, do you know why I''m calling? ''Is it about the evolution of demons? ''That''s it! Is it true that the wyvern evolved into a pterosaur????According to the contents of the letter, you also pointed out the possibility of a large number of orc kings. ''I have no proof of that. But considering the evolutionary process of our Pu and Pei, I think it''s possible. Is it just that they eat higher level demons, or is it a specific higher level demon? I don''t know until I verify it. ''You said in your letter that you''d try to verify it from goblins? ''If it''s a goblin king, my soldiers can handle it. If it''s the Orc King, we''ll have to be prepared for injuries. ''Normally an Orc King would be prepared to die. ''I''ve trained them well. I don''t think they''ll die in the 2nd and 8th armies. ''I heard you almost died in training. ''Who''s saying that? ''If I tell you his name, you''ll go to him, right? ''Of course! ''Of course not! ''Well, okay. Will you allow me to verify? ''Don''t do it near King''s Landing. ''Yes, sir. ''How is Sona? ''More than fine. She''s here with me today.???By the way, Your Majesty, have you lost some weight? ''Well, that''s good. I haven''t been sleeping well lately. Well, no problem. You''re just tired. Let me know how it goes.'' ''Yes, sir. Patrick leaves the king''s presence and makes his way to the military training grounds. ''Wayne, I just got back. Did you notice anything unusual? ''Hey!???Welcome back, Lieutenant General. We''ve got quite a few new recruits. They''re in training now, but I don''t see any problems.'' ''Well, that''s good. I''m a little busy, so I''m going home for the day. Wayne watches Patrick''s back as he leaves, ''I wonder what I need to do to catch up with him. After saying that, he started walking towards the soldiers. 230-Abbott Mountains After leaving the training grounds, Patrick goes to the carriage workshop and orders a large carriage. The color is ice blue. The Snakes had two large black carriages, but now that they have evolved from wyverns to pterosaurs, each carriage is only big enough for one animal. That''s why Pichan didn''t return to the royal capital this time. She must be keeping her eggs warm in the house in the Snakes'' territory. And Patrick is heading north. His goal is the mountainous region of Abbot''s Frontier. This is the region where Patrick''s infamy resounds. ''Welcome, Frontier Count Snakes!???Thank you for your help! The man who greeted him was Ryan Abbott. ''How''s the training going? Patrick asked, ''We''re mainly training with bows and spears, but I can''t seem to get them to work together. Ryan looked troubled. ''What about organization? ''I''ve been training the mountain people evenly in the existing units, but many of them are rebellious. ''You''ve scattered the hill tribesmen????That''s not good enough. They''ll isolate themselves and become unfaithful.???We need to group them together into units and let them compete within those units. ''It''s hard to have them rebel in a unit. ''That''s because they don''t like you. Anyway, can you gather the troops who are free? We''ll train them. I''m bringing the men for that. ''Mm, I''ll leave it to you for now. I have to look after the fort construction as well. ''Also, let me know if any of the tribal settlements are rebellious. I''ll slaughter them.'' ''If possible, I''d prefer not to kill them. ''That depends on how they react. ''I don''t want them to get violent after you leave. ''So we just need to make sure they don''t have the energy to go on a rampage. ''''Um, is that right, ......? a?|???a?¡éa?|???a?¡é Patrick stands in front of the assembled troops. All over the place, ''He''s the reason my village is .......'' ''How dare you show your face in front of us. He killed our chief in a cowardly way. He made it look like an accident during training. ......'' ''Just looking at that face makes my hands shake. ''I don''t want to be killed...'' I''m going to get killed!'' and so on, but we ignored them and started the training. In the training camp, the hellish running that the 8th Army and the Snakes'' Army had done so many times began. Of course, the Abbott frontier county army was involved. Patrick took the lead, and Tonning took the tail. On the way, some of the hillbillies came running behind Patrick at full speed, but when Patrick picked up speed, they couldn''t even mess with him and pulled away. When the running was over, the training began with spears with crushed blades, but the mountain people who had asked Patrick for a hand-to-hand fight were beaten to a pulp by the crushed spears and fell to the ground. ''How can you guys think you can handle me with that level of skill? ......'' The mountain people, unable to even argue with Patrick''s dumbfounded words, turned their heads. However, the northern army was also lying on the ground, so it''s not that the mountain people are weak. Soldiers who had been trained by Patrick for two days. The result was that the mountain people, who were physically strong, gained some confidence, and the territorial army, which had been looking down on the mountain people, lost its prejudice. However, it goes without saying that Patrick was feared by both sides, and after Patrick left, Toning was called the devil instructor, but it is not a big problem. 231-a nasty smile Patrick is riding a dragon with Mirko and the rest of his men through the mountainous region. They''re headed for a village inhabited by a tribe that started complaining after the Royal Army left. Before you know it, they''ve built a wooden fort and are holed up in it. ''So they don''t know about promises after they''ve been given food. That''s some twisted shit right there. Patrick says, looking at the fort in the distance. ''Is that what you''re saying, my lord? Mirko interrupts, ''I''m a man of my word, remember????I take responsibility for the words I say. ''Oh, that''s right. I''ll do what I said. It''s just that the promises I make are twisted.'' ''You''ve been poking me a lot lately. ''That''s true, if they make me travel through that hellish air. said Mirko with a distant look in his eyes. ''That was your fault. Patrick looks at him sideways, ''I wish you would have warned me before you did it. ''I wish you had warned me before you did it,'' says Mirko, leaking his true feelings. Mirko said, ''I wish you would have warned me before you did it. Patrick says that he is not kind. ''I''ll keep that in mind. ''Yeah, so what do we do with them? ''Ryan said don''t kill them if you can help it. ''That''s the point. It''s easy enough to control them, though. ''Do you want to climb over the fort and kill the leader like before? ''That''s fine, but I don''t want you to do the same thing after I''m gone. I want to break the heart of this whole village. ''Sir!???There are 20 goblins and 5 orcs chasing after them in the back! A voice comes from behind. ''This is a bad time. Destroy them quickly! As soon as Mirko gives the order.., ''!???I''ve got an idea!???We can kill two birds with one stone!???You guys!???Leave the goblins alive!???Just kill the orcs!'' Patrick shouted, letting out an evil laugh. The soldiers did not use their blades on the goblins, but instead kicked them and slashed only the orcs. The goblins were wounded, but still alive. The Orcs, on the other hand, have been wiped out and are now being dismembered. The goblins are surrounded by soldiers who are watching them to prevent them from escaping. If a goblin comes at you, kick it back to the center. ''We''ve dismantled it! The soldier reports, and Patrick hears it, ''Good!???Throw the organs, bones, and other useless things at the goblins! He gave the order. With a thud, the guts and bones of the orcs were thrown in front of the goblins. One of the goblins scurried around, checked to make sure that no humans were attacking, and then put the orc entrails in his mouth. One goblin began to eat, and the rest followed suit. The 20 goblins are now devouring the orc entrails with single-minded devotion, paying no attention to the humans. When they finish eating, two of the twenty goblins glow dimly. A cry of surprise escapes from the soldiers. The light gradually becomes stronger, but not so strong that they turn away. Then, as the light fades, a clearly larger goblin appears in its place. ''The probability of evolution is one in ten, or ...... more than I thought. Is it because it''s a goblin????Or is it the same for all demons????But Pu and Pei evolved together. I''ll have to do some more research to find out. Patrick muttered to himself. 232-a wickedness ''''My lord!???Is that the Goblin King?'' Mirko asks, looking at Patrick . ''It''s probably the King. It''s obviously doubled in size.'' ''Two kings occurring at the same time: ......'' Mirko looks at him in disbelief. ''Is this really the time to say that????I''m not sure what to do. A subordinate soldier said, ''Oh, here''s what we''re going to do. Patrick moved to a position where he could see the fort and the two kings in a straight line, unleashed his maximum killing power, and glared at the goblin kings. The two goblin kings stopped walking. They seem to be trembling slightly when they see Patrick. Incidentally, the other goblin is leaking urine. ''That stinks. Well, you can come at me if you want, but can you fight with that trembling body????Look, there''s a man in the fort over there who looks weaker than us.???Why don''t you stick with that? Patrick said, glaring at him. ''My lord????Did you understand the term goblin king?'' Mirko prods him, ''I don''t!???Pichan and the others understand my words, so I thought it might be possible. ''That''s absurd .......'' ''But it seems to have had some effect, huh? ''What?'' The two goblin kings face each other and grunt, and then grunt something at the other goblin. ''Hey there!???Try to open the way to the settlement.'' Patrick instructs his soldiers, and they clear the way. Then the two Goblin Kings and the other goblins start running towards the fort. ''See, it worked. ''What are we going to do????Are we going to get shot with bows and arrows before we reach the fort?'' ''You''re a king, aren''t you????When the goblins start destroying the fort and overrunning it, I''ll pretend to help them and ingratiate myself to them. Patrick said without a trace of guilt. ''As expected of a lord. You''re really evil. said Mirko in disgust, ''Don''t praise me like that. Patrick is a little embarrassed. ''I didn''t praise you at all...'' Mirko''s eyes narrowed. Patrick''s plan went as he expected. A few men from the village were killed by the Goblin King, but if they had fought Patrick and the others properly, it would have been more than a few. Of course, the two Goblin Kings and the small goblins were killed by Patrick and his men. The villagers thanked Patrick and his men and swore to help the kingdom, but I suppose there are some things in life that are better left unknown. The soldiers were strictly restrained by Patrick. Well, no one under Patrick''s command would be foolish enough to break his silence. 233-Patricks analysis Patrick and his party traveled north, along the border, and then west. This is in preparation for an open war with the Empire. It is important to understand the terrain, and there are people who live along the border. Most of them are criminals, though. The landscape changes from a mountainous area with many coniferous trees to a deep forest with many hardwood trees. I have them prepare a meal by the creek, and Patrick looks around with Mirko. ''Mirko, take a look at this. Patrick says, pointing to the sandy soil of the creek. ''That''s a footprint.'' Mirko nods in confirmation. ''Yeah, they''re still fresh. They''re bare feet walking on the sand, so the footprints are clear and easy to see. The width of his feet indicates that he is not a human. Probably an elf. The stride length suggests a woman or child, maybe two. Patrick analyzed. ''Should we look for them? Mirko asks, ''Searching for elves in the forest is quite difficult, but let''s try. The grass is down there, so that''s that way. Let''s go. So Patrick walks off. ''I still don''t see any footprints in the grass. If it''s broken at all, I can make it out. Mirko replies apologetically. Mirko follows Patrick as he walks in silence. Patrick stopped walking, opened his right hand and raised it to the side of his face. Mirko, who had been walking behind him, stopped walking immediately. It''s a signal to stop. He then points to an area with his finger and starts walking slowly. Mirko follows slowly. There was a woman and a child there. But Patrick''s prediction was half wrong. ''Dark Elves or ......'' Mirko said involuntarily. ''Who the hell is that? The dark elf woman responded to his voice. ''Don''t be alarmed, it''s not from the Empire. I''m from the Kingdom. Have you fled the Empire?'' Patrick appeared and asked in the gentlest voice possible. The dark elf woman showed a relieved expression. ''We mean you no harm, so why don''t you tell us why you are living here????Did you escape from the Empire?'' I asked again, ''Yes, we were living in a country further west of the empire, but we were defeated in a war with the empire and all but the human race were made slaves. We were brought to the east by a slaver''s wagon, but the wagon encountered a pterodactyl, and the merchant and his guards were killed, and everyone else scattered and ran for their lives. ''When did that happen? ''About a year ago, I don''t know the date, but the seasons have come and gone. ''I see. Is it that pterosaur????Oh well. Are you guys going to live here like this????Next year, this area should be entering the war with the Empire, if you''re willing, I can give you the option to work for us. ''There will be a war with the Empire? ''Yes, since the non-aggression pact between the Kingdom and the Empire will end next year. They''ll probably attack us. ''Is there any work we can do? Is she going to work too? ''There are plenty of jobs. How old is this girl, anyway????I don''t know how old dark elves are.'' ''He''s 50, which is about 10 in human terms. ''Hmm, well, I guess he looks the same. If he''s a child, he can at least clean the house, is that okay with you?'' ''What do you want me to do? ''Well, maybe a maid. ''Do you want me to do anything weird? ''No!???My wife would kill me if I did! ''Oh, you''re married, aren''t you? ''Oh, you''re married, aren''t you?'' I think I heard a small sound of regret. The woman''s name was Grace. Brown skin, long silver hair. Green eyes, assertive breasts. She says her child is called Noel. Back with the men, there is some surprise, but no one complains about what Patrick is doing. After a meal, they set off. Patrick tries to put a woman on his running dragon. She was able to get on easily, and he wanted to take the child as well, but the dragon did not want to take the child. ''Hmm????Aren''t they sister and brother? Patrick asks Grace, ''Oh, yes. We''re from the same village. ''Oh well, I guess I''ll carry her. Patrick starts to walk away with the child on his back, and the child is mumbling something. He says something about being touched on the buttocks. Patrick ignores him and moves on. What''s the fun in touching a boy''s ass, he wonders. 234-Kidnapping? Patrick and the others returned to the Snakes'' territory. ''Welcome back, my lord...'' A voice could be heard from above the watchtower of the mansion. Patrick looked up and saw Kusnatz in the armor of the Snakes'' frontier family. ''Oh!???That''s quite a look for you, Kusnatz. Keep your eyes open!'' Patrick shouted, ''Of course, sir! Kuznats replied with a salute. ''If you slack off, I''ll fix you again! Patrick said with a wicked grin, and immediately, ''Oh, please don''t do that! Patrick responds to Cnut''s tragic cry with a raised hand and enters the house. He entered the mansion and told the butler, Santino, that he was hiring two dark elves, ''You may hire them, but what is your intention? He asked me, ''We have elves and beastmen, but no dark elves, right? ''Yes, sir. We are an ethnic minority to begin with. ''That''s a good way to show that we''re not racist. It''s good publicity for the meritocratic Snakes.'' ''Well, sure. ''Also, if we leave them alone in that forest, they''ll definitely get in the way of their military duties. There''s water there, too, so it''s a good place to hide.'' ''I see. So, are you sure you want to work as a maid and a cleaner? ''Anything is fine, but just ask me what I can do and then assign me a job. I''ll leave that to you.'' ''Yes, sir.'' Santino bows his head. Then, as he was heading for his office, soft, slippery scales suddenly wrapped around his body. ''Oh, Pichan, I''m back!???Wait a minute!???Where are you taking mea?????''. Patrick is wrapped around me and I''m taken away. Patrick''s voice echoed in the hallway, and the servants'' faces broke into grimaces. You''re taken to a place where there are a lot of eggs. ''Oh, maybe it''s time? When I asked Pichan, she shook her head violently. ''Hey! Is anyone there?'' Patrick shouted, ''Yes!???Master. What is it? The caretaker of Patrick''s beast of burden comes running up. It''s the man who showed Pichan to Cousnut before. His name is Gallus, and he''s a burly, skinheaded, evil-looking man. ''It''s about to be born from an egg, so bring me a lot of meat!???Cut it into the right size! ''Yes, sir! Gallus runs off in a hurry. Afterwards, Patrick looks at the eggs and thanks Gullus for bringing a large amount of sliced meat. When a slit appears in one egg, more slits start appearing one after another. The little crocodiles, or water dragons, that come out of their shells are so cute. But, well, they are born, and they are born in great numbers. Black-eyed water dragons with gray scales start walking around. There''s only one water dragon among them that I can recognize. I''m not sure if it''s an albino or not. It''s an albino.???You''re Po-chan! Patrick lifts up a 40-centimeter crocodile, or water dragon, and feeds it meat while patting its head. Of course, he also feeds the other water dragons, but is it my imagination that he only feeds the one he named Po more? After that, the water dragons will be called Po''s brothers for a while until Patrick learns to recognize them. 235-the affairs of the frontier count Now, let''s take a look back at the current Snakes territory. Brewing alcohol is a very important job in the Snakes'' territory. The brewing of alcohol is now under the direct control of the Snakes, and is run under strict supervision. However, the lack of craftsmen has been a source of concern, but now that we have enhanced the salary, we are finally getting a large number of young apprentices. In order to increase production, they started to secure a large amount of wheat some time ago. We bought not only wheat, but also other grains, potatoes, fruits, and anything else that could be made into alcohol. The merchants usually exported the surplus food to foreign countries, but most of it was bought up in the Snakes'' territory. Merchants would rather sell their products in their own country, even at a slight discount, than risk being attacked by bandits or demons, considering the cost and effort involved. As for the liquors of the Snakes'' territory, new fruit liquors have been made, and the variety of soju has increased to include barley soju and buckwheat soju. We have also made fruit vinegar, which is used for cooking or diluted with water as a drink for children. Soba noodles are of course eaten as noodles, but since we do not have bonito broth, we decided to use chicken soup made from green chicken. Naturally, there is also udon. In the territory of the Snakes'' aristocracy, well, Wylie and Van Pelt, fried chicken made from green chicken, a specialty of the territory, and goat cheese go well with liquor, and the demand for them is rising. The demand for woolen winter clothes for military use is also booming. Fruit wine has attracted new customers in the form of women, generating further profits. The new liquor was spread from the main store and branches of Barth Nakes, and in addition to the bar style, the company also started a stylish restaurant style store so that women could easily enter. This was very popular with the wealthy. He also started a teppanyaki restaurant. It took some time to make the sauce, but he popularized okonomiyaki and yaki udon, and the number of commoners who drank sake while eating them increased. These sauces spread in the western territories, and a sauce culture developed. Since he declared that he would only sell to the surrounding noble lords, the merchants made efforts to get the sauces from the surrounding noble lords, and the noble lords made efforts to get to Patrick for the sauces. The flag of the western nobility is steadily turning into the color of the Snakes. Patrick also makes a high-grade mayonnaise using green chicken eggs, which is very popular and can only be eaten at Patrick''s directly managed stores, helping to differentiate it from similar stores. There are also high-class restaurants where women serve drinks, and cabaret clubs for the general public. On the other hand, there are also stores where men entertain women, and Patrick is very careful in developing wholesale customers for alcohol. All of the stores are under Patrick''s direct management, and the employees are under the control of Ayn and Mulder, who are constantly gathering information. Money and information come to Patrick. 236-sound of footsteps Now, back to food, there''s a nation that''s in trouble because they can no longer export the food they used to export. It is our neighbor, the Zabine Empire. The Zabine Empire has a large land area, but its food self-sufficiency rate is not high due to the many deserts in its central region. Although the nations do not get along well, the Mental Kingdom, or rather the Mental Royal Family, has not stopped the merchants from exporting food. Rather, it is the best way to extort money from the Empire. In particular, it was more convenient to export fruits and leafy vegetables, which cannot be preserved, to the empire and convert them into money rather than letting them rot, since the country would receive taxes. At present, however, wheat and other grains, as well as potatoes and other long-lasting potatoes, are not flowing to the Empire because Patrick is buying up all the fruit. As for leafy greens, cabbage is in short supply because Patrick has popularized okonomiyaki, and flour, which used to be used only for bread and pasta, is now used for okonomiyaki. They started using other leafy vegetables as substitutes for cabbage, which also did not flow to the Empire. This left the Empire with the most troublesome problem of maintaining a country: food shortages. In fact, the country where Grace and the others lived was exposed to the ravages of war because of the shortage of food in the Empire. The country Grace and the others lived in was a multi-racial nation, but it was a rich country with a high food self-sufficiency rate, and it exported food to the Empire. The Empire was under a non-aggression pact with the neighboring Mental Kingdom, so in order to solve the food shortage, they attacked the neighboring country opposite to the Mental Kingdom. At first, the Empire demanded an increase in the amount of food imported, but since the Empire refused to export food while starving its own people, it decided to take in the entire country, which is smaller than the Mental Kingdom. This is similar to the time when the Mental Kingdom took in the northern mountainous regions to prepare for war with the Empire, only for a different reason. Such is the nature of national convenience. The result was a victory for the Empire, so the food shortage was somewhat alleviated, but the war had ruined the fields, so the harvest for next season would be reduced. Even if we try to wage more wars against the neighboring countries, the countries ahead are large elven kingdoms with lush greenery and a large population of wizards. Elves are not allowed to use offensive magic for invasion due to their religion, but they have no problem using offensive magic in warfare for the defense of their country, making it a very formidable country. So the Empire can''t be attacked. The means of obtaining more food are limited. The sounds of war are steadily approaching. 237-recruits Patrick returns to King''s Landing, leaving Pee-chan, Po, and their brothers at home. He goes to observe the training of the new recruits of the 8th and 2nd armies. Among the many recruits, Patrick sees a familiar face. ''Huh????Isn''t that you, Kevin?'' Patrick calls out to him, ''Yes, sir!???Lieutenant General Snakes!???I''m Sergeant Kevin Dixon!???I''ve been assigned to the Eighth Army!???Nice to meet you! Kevin Dixon said with a cheerful salute. ''Yes, sir!???Good luck with your duties!???By the way, whose unit did you get? ''Sergeant Arlen Kanaan''s unit, sir! The Canaan family''s third son, Arlen, enlisted last year and is in the 8th Army. ''Well, that''s going to be tough. Patrick said, ''It''s a bit, but it''s fine. Kevin replies. Why is it hard? Because Kevin Dixon is now engaged to Aisha, Arlen''s sister. Rumor has it that Aisha pushed him over the edge and made it a fait accompli, resulting in the engagement. This was unusual for a child of a noble family. Perhaps it''s because of the looseness of the Canaanites and the seriousness of the Dixons. A typical example of a carnivorous girl and a herbivorous boy. Incidentally, Aisha has lost weight remarkably. It was not like a Canaanite woman, but she must have made a serious effort to lose Kevin. She was in a delicate position, being the younger brother of the woman who was to become his wife. ''Okay!???Then I''ll personally train the new recruits today! Patrick said abruptly, ''Hey!???Are you trying to kill the recruits? Wayne interrupts from the side. ''Why the hell not! Patrick complains to Wayne, ''I don''t think the new recruits are physically up to it yet. ''You''ve done your basic training, right? ''Basic training is just the normal range!???It''s not tailored to your training! ''Then it''s a good opportunity for you to know your limits. ''You''ll collapse before you know it! ''I''ll be fine. Besides, it''ll give me a chance to see firsthand how great the older guys are!???All right!???Let''s go for a run in the 8th Army''s famous full gear! Patrick didn''t listen to me. After that, the training camp was filled with the sorrowful voices of the 8th Army recruits and the veterans who were helping the collapsed recruits. Seeing the 8th Army recruits collapsing after their run, ''I''m glad I''m not assigned to the 8th Army. ......'' I''m glad I''m not assigned to the 8th Army,'' said a recruit from the 2nd Army. Patrick, who was walking without any sign of them, heard this and said, ''Then I''ll let you guys experience it tomorrow. He said with a laugh. The recruits of the second army jumped up and down in surprise at Patrick''s sudden appearance. The next day, Patrick laughed as he carried out the full-gear running of the second army. I''ve heard that Patrick the Grim Reaper has been called from within the military,......, and I''ve realized it. I thought it was from the commoners who saw Pichan. ......'' In Kevin''s words, I''m sure you''ve heard of it. I wonder if the rigors of the military have changed him.???I thought he was going to die at first.???I thought I was going to die at first, too. While saying this, Kevin and Arlen, whipping their sore muscles from the previous day''s run, carried the collapsed recruit of the second army on their shoulders to the rest area. 238-Pooh and Peh armour In the office of Snakes Mansion in King''s Landing, next to the main desk, there is another small desk. A woman sits there. ''Do you think this is a good design????Then choose the material. ......'' The seated Thornalis is mumbling. Just then, the door to the office opens, and the head of the room walks in, ''What''s that? Patrick looks at an object on the desk and asks Sona. ''It''s Pooh and Peh''s armor. It''s to distinguish them from the wild! Sona shows him a piece of paper on which she has drawn a design. ''Oh, that''s what Pooh and Peh were talking about in the fort when they were wyverns, what does it look like? Patrick looks at the design drawing. ''It''s like this here, leather here, red fabric here. ...... Pointing to the drawing, Sonali explains. ''Doesn''t this interfere with Pooh and Peh''s vision? ''Yeah????Then change it like this? Thorinaris draws a new face in the blank space next to the drawing. When Patrick saw it, he said, ''Oh!???That''s a good idea! He calls out to her. After that, Patrick and Sonalith exchanged ideas and talked until dinner. A month later, at the Snakes'' mansion in the Snakes'' territory, Patrick and Thorinaris talk to Pooh and Peh and have them put on the armor made by Thorinaris. ''And this is what we''ve got? ......'' When Mirko saw Pu and Pei being fitted with the armor, she said with some dismay. ''Isn''t that cool!???It''s different from the illustrations in the book I read a long time ago, but it looks like a dragon knight! The one who said that was Kusunatsu, who had heard the rumor and came all the way here to see it even though he was off duty. His head is covered with a leather mask, from which the reins extend. On his back is a saddle with a basket that can hold a small amount of luggage, and the leather straps that hold the saddle in place are fastened at the base of his arms and legs. The abdomen is covered with a crimson dyed cloth, fastened to the strap by a button, and bears the large crest of the Snakes. On the legs, leather and thin metal shin guards. Patrick was reminded by Kusnatz''s words of a movie he had seen in Japan. The story of the dragon knight riding a dragon. He remembered that the dragon knight in that story was fighting with a long lance. I asked him, ''Sona, what kind of weapon do you use when you fight on a pu? I asked, ''Is that really necessary????I don''t think there''s any aerial combat? He replied, He replied, ''You might have to fight a wild wyvern! To which I reply, ''I see. But if we want to use weapons that won''t interfere with Pooh and Phe, we can''t use swords or spears.???They have to be long enough to hit the enemy, but they''re too heavy to carry at that length. He said calmly. ''No, I want to carry a lance for the sake of style! Patrick said selfishly, ''If that''s what you want, I can make one for you. ......'' Sonaris reluctantly agrees. ''Yes! Patrick, looking unusually pleased, raised his hands in joy. 239-Mulders depression In a certain room of a certain house, there were two men. ''What did the lord say? ''He''s leaving it to you. ''It''s great that you trust us, but it''s not easy to live up to that trust. ''But if you do so and make a good record, he will give you a knighthood like me. I was a commoner''s maid, and now I''m a knight????It still seems like a dream. ''I''m the son of a nobleman who helped the rebellion, and they''re hiring me, I''m so grateful I''m crying. You can probably guess who''s who in this conversation, Ayn of the Dark Serpent Squad and Mulder, the manager of Bath Nakes. ''You can''t measure the size of a lord''s heart, you know. Sometimes it gets a little small, though.'' Ein said, ''You''re talking about Mirko-dono, right????I''m sorry to hear that, but it''s Mirko-dono''s fault for flirting in the carriage to the point of irritating the lord. Mulder said, laughing. ''Oh well. So, back to the matter at hand, how do we manage the stores? ''It''s good that we have more stores, but there are too many for me to keep track of them all by myself. For the time being, I''ll take care of the main store and branches in the capital, but I think it would be better to assign four branch managers in the east, west, south, and north to manage them. Currently, there are three Bath Nakes in the capital and 20 in the kingdom outside the capital. They are mainly located in the territories of dukes, marquises and counts, and there will be more. If that''s the case, shall we do the same with the Dark Serpent and have it surveyed region by region? I''m sure they won''t do it, but there''s no guarantee that the person who became the branch chief won''t betray us by selling information to other houses.'''' ''Well, I am indebted to the lord, but the others are not as indebted as I am.'' ''Contact me when you''ve decided on a candidate, and I''ll reexamine. ''Yes. If you borrow money from an unknown source and are in debt, you might sell the information. ''If you lived modestly, you wouldn''t have to borrow money. ''When you''re young, you tend to be vain, pay tribute to women, and use alcohol to cover up unpleasant things. ''I''m still young, but I''m not vain. I''m still young, but I''m not vain.'' As the lord said, alcohol, money, and women are the three most important elements that can destroy a man, though I''m sure Lord Ein is fine. It''s my job to keep that in check and gather information. ''I should contribute to the manor and reassure the family as soon as possible. Your wife is still a little scared of you, isn''t she? ''Well, you know, on the estate, well, the former estate. I was there, so I saw the lord''s battle firsthand, but my wife also comes from a noble family and knows what happens to noble families that go under. ''The nobles were able to get by because they were working in the position of nobility, but when they became commoners, they almost fell into debt slavery. ''Yeah, I''m happy that I can live a normal life with a small house. Besides, the lord is very generous to those who swear allegiance to him. As I said this, there was a knock at the door, ''What is it?'' Mulder said, and the door opened, ''Dinner''s ready. There''s one for you too, Mr. Ein. My daughter will be waiting. Mulder''s wife entered the room and said. ''Thank you for everything, and I''m sorry to be a frequent guest. Ayn bowed to Mulder''s wife, ''No, no, my daughter Sarah asks me every day when you''re coming, so you''re always welcome. He said with a smile. Yes, Mulder''s daughter has been asking him that too. When will you be here again? Mulder''s daughter is fourteen. She''s probably, no, definitely in love with Ayn. He''s a bachelor and a nobleman with a knighthood. He''s younger than Mulder, but he''s also Mulder''s boss in a way. Ayn would deny it, but Mulder thinks so. (What would be my position if my boss and my daughter got married? Mulder''s depression will continue for a while. 240-Kevin and Aishas worries. The mansion in the royal capital of the Canaan barons, many people were gathered there that day. The Canaanns were an ancient bloodline, but they had long remained barons. Well, it was proof that the kingdom was at peace. However, due to the rebellion of the second prince Henry, the Canaan family was made a viscount thanks to the contribution of the former head of the family. And the house was taken over by the new head of the family who became the first wizard of the human race. A new mansion has been purchased in the capital, and the wedding ceremony between the new head of the family, DeCourse von Kanaan, and Clarice Simon, the third daughter of the Marquis Simon, is being held there right now. The first human wizard in the kingdom, DeCourse Von Canaan, a royal court magician, and his wedding would have attracted many people even if the other party was not the daughter of a marquis. However, with the marriage to the daughter of a marquis, and the fact that she is the cousin of the Earl of Snakes Frontier, the Barony of Canaan in the royal capital is full of people for the first time in the history of the Canaan family. Of course, the nobles of the Marquess Simon''s faction are here, and although the number of the Snakes'' faction is still small, there are many families that have relations with them even if they are not part of their faction, and the Abbott''s faction that is allied with them are also here. In addition, the Marquesses of Dixon, the family of Kevin Dixon, the fianc?? of Decourse''s sister Aisha, and their faction are also here. A long time ago, the Kanaan family was a baronial family that had nothing to do with factions, but now they have become a viscountial family surrounded by large factions. The family that came to this wedding is called the Snakes Frontier Count Acceptance Faction. This is because a new faction, the Snakes Frontier Count Deniers, has been formed. It was formed independently of the Royalists and the Neutrals, and it has turned the simple factional struggle into a complicated and complicated one. To return to the topic at hand, the fact that the ceremony was so lavish for a Viscount was probably due to the advice of the various families. When you take a wife from a marquis family, you will be criticized for lacking ambition if your family''s rank is appropriate. But if she was a count, she would be ridiculed for being vain. In such an aristocratic society, the Canaan Viscount family, who held their ceremony at just the right time, can be said to have successfully survived. ''Congratulations again, Brother Decourse!???Mrs. Clarice, please take good care of Brother Decourse. Patrick greeted the bride and groom with a smile. ''Pat!???Thank you. Thanks to you, I was able to come and say hello to you then, and I''m here now. DeCourse replied to Patrick, ''Now that you''ve asked me, Count Snakes, I''ll take it! Mrs. Clarice replied in a good mood. Her beard is tied up in a bow, which shows that she is in a good mood. Aisha watches from the family table. ''Mr. Kevin, we''re not the patriarchs, so we can be a little more modest, can''t we? She asked Kevin Dixon, who was sitting next to her as her fianc??, ''Yes. I''m the third son and I''m independent from the family, so I''d say a knighthood at most. Kevin replied. ''But I''m sure there''s not as many people as this, but it''s a lot. Your family''s faction and Brother Pat''s faction will probably be there. ......'' ''Maybe the Simon Marquesses will come, too. ''Do you have enough money?'' ''I''ll borrow it from my father. The sergeant''s salary is not enough.'''' ''I didn''t think Brother Decourse was getting married, and I didn''t have to worry about it then. Their wedding was scheduled for two months later. 241-Food Merchants Association There were two men in the office of the Snakes'' mansion in the Snakes'' territory. ''Mulder''s got some information from the store. Ayn tells Patrick. ''The new barons, who became barons at the same time as Baron Wylie and the others, and who belong to the anti-Snakes faction, have formed an alliance. ''Oh.'' Patrick said, sounding a little impressed. ''It seems that the barons, especially those from the territories that have stopped the distribution of alcohol, are worried that the dwarves will leave, and are planning to reach out to the merchants in the territories where alcohol is distributed and hold them up. ''Dwarves have a weakness for alcohol. Patrick sounded a little distracted. ''Yes, if the dwarves leave, there will be inconveniences in building and blacksmithing, and they are eager to get rid of them. ''Well, that''s understandable. In order to cope with this, we have immediately stopped the distribution of liquor to the merchants that we are currently aware of, but we have received complaints from merchants who are unhappy about this. Patrick reported, ''Why don''t you tell them that if they don''t sell to us, we''ll distribute to them? Patrick asks in a slightly questioning tone. ''That''s right, but they made a formal objection through the Food Merchants Union, and they insisted that the Union should decide where to distribute the products, and that if they wanted to distribute them, they should distribute them in bulk to the Union. I''m sure you''re not the only one. ''You''ve got to be kidding me. I don''t care where I distribute it!???Are you trying to pick a fight with me? Patrick''s voice becomes a little rough. ''If you don''t accept our terms, we won''t distribute other foodstuffs to the Snakes'' territory. If it''s just food for our people, we can provide it in our own territory, but it will interfere with the purchase of raw materials for alcohol, so I''m not sure what to do. ''So they are still coming in now? ''Yes, that was yesterday. ''Hmm, does the Food Merchant''s Association want to die? ''I think they''re hoping they won''t get killed. ''We''ve been giving them a sweet face because they''re so convenient, but they''ve gotten carried away. ''What should we do? ''It''s obvious. I''m going to destroy the Food Merchants Association! The Food Merchant''s Association, where merchants dealing in all kinds of food are registered, is in charge of granting permission to open stores on behalf of the state. This means that noblemen do not need permission to open their own stores in their territories or the capital. However, when a noble opens a store in the territory of another family, or when a commoner opens a store, it is necessary. The union is also involved in a wide range of other activities, such as mediating disputes between merchants, lending carriages for distribution, and lending money for purchases, making it one of the most powerful unions in the kingdom. Of course, it''s not enough to interfere with the royal family, but the barons, who are struggling to manage their territories, can''t stop thinking about it. In times of hardship, he may be able to provide food at a reasonable price. Incidentally, Barth Nakes is also a member of the Food Merchant''s Guild. The owner is registered as a commoner, Mulder, so he needs to belong to the association to get permission to open a store. If Patrick is the owner, the anti-Snakes aristocrats will not come. However, some nobles are aware of this. The Food Merchants Association is not monolithic, but the power of the newcomers, the Bath Neks, is not yet great. They already have a certain amount of say, but not enough to move the organization. This is an organization where the old, established stores and big stores have the power. ''I don''t care if it''s old wounds or weaknesses of the organization''s executives. Go check it out!'' Patrick instructs Ein. ''What do we do until we find out? ''Pretend you''re listening to them, and give them the booze wholesale!???We''ll beat them when they get carried away! I said to Patrick, ''Ha! Ayn replied with a salute. 242-Its not good to hide. ''I''ve received a reply from the Snakes, they''re wholesaling the liquor to the union in bulk.'' A subordinate reported, ''That''s right, that''s right, we can''t go against the Food Merchant''s Guild, we won''t be able to buy potatoes and fruit. We need the ingredients for the sake. I was right, wasn''t I? The local nobility can''t win against the food merchants'' guild, even with the Snakes. Now we can sell it to the other baronies, and our union''s power will increase even more! '' he said, slumped over. ''That''s right, even if the Snakes want to open their own liquor stores, they''ll need permission from our union! The subordinate man flattered his boss. The owner of a certain large store is his adopted son-in-law. It was a good thing that he was favored by his predecessor and welcomed as a son-in-law his only daughter, but the only daughter was not good. She was a typical young lady who was selfish and threw a tantrum when things did not go her way. There was no way he could get along with such a woman, and within a few years, the man found another woman. This is what is called an affair. He has been very careful not to let his wife find out. Today is the day I''m going to see him. I set a regular day and told my wife that it was a day to check the books, so she would not find out even if I came home late. After work, he walks down a back alley with an indifferent face and knocks on the door of a house. A small, frail-looking woman comes out of the house, smiles and welcomes him, and he enters the house. ''Yes, one for me. The man who had been following him muttered with a laugh. There is a restaurant frequented by the only daughter of a large store. In that restaurant, the staff members sit next to each other on sofas and make and serve cocktails. I spend a lot of money with the man who is the No. 1 pick in the store. It is a high-class place where it is not uncommon to spend dozens of silver coins for a glass of expensive liquor. She wants the man to like her so much that she orders expensive sake and then asks him to hold her in his arms, which makes him happy, so she orders more expensive sake. The store also sells sake on credit, so even if you don''t have any cash that day, you can still drink. That''s why the girl is in debt. The amount of money she owes is already quite large, but she doesn''t stop coming to the store because she wants the man to hug her. But one day, the man at the store told her she had to pay it this week. The amount was.., 100 gold coinsa?????''. ''Oh, I''d like you to pay me soon, wouldn''t you? ''No, I don''t have that much money! ''Do you think you can get away without it????If you don''t have it, you''ll have to work in a place like that. ''No! ''Then pay. Can''t you just tell your parents? ''Even your father can''t get 100 cards right away! ''There''s no condition to wait, but I''ll tell your parents about it. ......'' A man raises his mouth in front of a woman who looks like she''s chewing on a bitter bug. ''Yes, this one fell, too. He muttered. Other people who had gambled their way into debt, or who had cheated their way up the ladder when they were building up the store, were already on the list. Now that these things were happening all over the place, who were these people following? Who owned this host club-like establishment? I don''t have to tell you, but one man''s name has already popped into my head. 243-no-confidence motion While the union president was arrogantly distributing the liquor to the baron, Mulder was working tirelessly. Already one of the directors of the Food Merchants Association, Mulder had lobbied the officers of the Association and submitted a motion of no confidence in the President. When the union president found out about it, he said, ''Huh!???You''re a newcomer to the board of directors!???Don''t you know the power I have? Don''t you know my power? I''m the one who runs the bar!???I''m the one who controls the liquor business now! If you run a bar and don''t even know that, your bar will eventually go under. After all, I''m not going to be running the liquor! The day of the vote of confidence or non-confidence arrived with a tense attitude. Thirteen members of the union''s board of directors and the president were allowed to vote. The president also serves as the union president. The president has two votes. Voting is done by name. The first vote was cast for Mr. Wilson, the man who is both chairman of the board and president of the union. He is an associate baronet of the royal family. ''Mr. Wilson, two votes of confidence. The vote taker says, showing everyone the form. Wilson nods and looks at it. ''And Mr. Mulder, no confidence. Wilson glares viciously at Mulder, which is to be expected, since he is the one who passed the vote of no confidence. ''And Mr. Guibard, no confidence. He heard the voice, ''No!???Why????Mr. Geward. Wilson yells at Geward. ''Chancellor!???Quiet!???We''re still in the middle of the vote counting! Mulder says to Wilson, smirking, ''You bastard!???You bought us! ''Well????What do you mean????You know I don''t have the money to buy Mr. Guibard, don''t you????Someone has been raising the price of alcohol and selling it to me. ''You must have borrowed it from somewhere! ''Well, I wonder...'' ''Hmm!???Bribing one person won''t change the outcome, what a waste!???Guybird!???Remember me when you''re done! I was ranting, ''And now, Mr. Lawtower, no confidence. ''What?'' ''Mr. Erin, no confidence.'' ''What? ''No confidence'' ''No confidence'' ''No confidence'' ''No confidence'' ...... ''Two votes of confidence and 13 votes of no confidence. With these results, the motion passed. Therefore, Mr. Wilson''s positions as president and union president are terminated. To be continued: ......'' Wilson interrupted the facilitator, ''You people!???How much did you get paid to betray me and follow Mulder here? He yells. ''I didn''t even give you a single copper coin, sir. ''You''re lying!???If that''s the case, why did you follow me and then flip around like this, when all you have is money! ''Chancellor, or maybe I''m just a board member now, okay????Do you know who you''ve been fighting with? ''I didn''t sell it to anyone! ''Well, there are some fools who can''t be helped. ''Who''s the idiot? ''You, of course. Let me explain it to you in a way that even you, an idiot, can understand. 244-Mulders description ''Who was in control of the liquor distribution before you took over?'' Mulder asked Wilson, ''Well, the direct sales were done by Count Snakes, but the wholesale sales were originally done by me!???Besides, the frontiersman was willing to accept my proposal. That''s probably because the frontier count thought it would be better for the food merchants'' association to control it. The merchants are responsible for the distribution of food,'' Wilson said. Wilson said, ''You''re willing to sell large quantities of food to a nobleman hostile to the Earl of Snakes Frontier for the benefit of his family????That''s impossible. Then, did you ever threaten to stop the flow of potatoes and fruits to the Snakes territory if they don''t comply?'''' Mulder asks, his eyes narrowing slightly. ''That''s called negotiating. Wilson says thickly. ''Well, I''d call it a threat. ''What''s in it for you, anyway????If you can control the distribution of liquor, your store will be able to stock plenty of liquor!???You don''t have to bow to the frontier count! Wilson shouted. ''Hmm, that''s why I hate fools. They don''t know who owns my store. What''s the name of our store again?'' ''You''re the owner, and the store''s name is Bath Nakes! ''Well, technically, yes!???Then try removing the bar from the name of the store. ''The bar????''Bar, s-nakes. ''Do you understand? ''Bar,nex......x......????No waya?????'' ''So you finally got it through your rotten head. Oh dear. That''s right, our owner is the frontiersman Snakes. I''m just a field manager pretending to be the owner. The booze usually comes straight to my store. From the owner. I don''t see what''s in it for me to interfere with that. ''You!???You''re his dog! ''Well, that''s true. I owe him my life, so if he asks me to be his dog, I''ll gladly do it! ''Hmph!???Then I''ll tell all the nobles about this!???I can''t wait to see how many branches will be destroyed when they find out that your store is owned by Count Snakes!???After all, he hates me! Wilson said with a grin, ''Oh????You''ve got more worms in your rotten head, haven''t you????You think you''re going to get out of this room alive and walk around outside? Mulder said, a dazed look on his face. ''What? Wilson asked back. Just then, the door opened with a bang and several men avalanched in, hitting Wilson in the face with their fists and forcing him into a burlap sack filled with wheat. They break the bones of the limbs that get in the way. Mulder made sure the mouth of the sack was tied shut, ''Do as the lord says and dispose of it in the Snakes'' territory, where the demons won''t dig it up. With that, he approaches the men. ''Yes, sir. And a message for you. He hands Mulder a piece of paper. Mulder looks at it, ''Tell him I understand. He said. And with that, the men leave, carrying a bloodstained sack. Mulder watched them go, and then looked at the other directors, ''Well, we''ll have to decide on a new president and union president, but it''s too much trouble to vote. Anyone who has any objections to my appointment should leave this room. Those who remain will be considered to have confidence. Well, I can''t guarantee the lives of those who leave. And with that, he sat cross-legged in the chairman''s chair. None of the pale faces of the directors left the room. 245-a certain baron On that day, the owner of a large, long-established store in King''s Landing disappeared without a trace. His son took over the store, but the whereabouts of the owner were never known. Now... What happened to the newcomer barons of the anti-Snakes faction? ''The dwarves disappeared as soon as we gave them their wages! '' reported one of his men, ''What? He was surprised as if he had never heard of it. ''He said he couldn''t work for a lord who wouldn''t deliver the promised sake in less than a month and left. ''You dare to say such selfish things!???You don''t even know how hard I''ve been working to arrange it! ''But we haven''t been able to get it, and I promised the dwarves that I''d give them a barrel every night. Well, while most of the houses are in this situation, one house is, ''What about my house under construction? The lord asked the steward. ''I''m trying to find a craftsman, but he''s hard to find. We''ll have to suspend our search until we find one. The steward replied. ''And why is it that the wine has not come to our land? ''The new head of the food merchants'' guild won''t accept any of our requests and won''t give us even a single barrel! ''Get the other directors to grab the money and lobby the president! ''I''ve tried calling out to them, but none of them will accept any money at all! ''Why not!???If they were merchants, they''d be working for money! ''They won''t even accept a single copper coin!???It''s abnormal! ''What the hell happened in the Food Merchant Association????Was the sudden change of the president due to his disappearance????Or is the disappearance the result of a change? ''One of the directors told me a little about it, but only that he couldn''t go against the current president. ''Isn''t he the guy who opens bars all over the place????Is he making that much money?'' ''I''m sure it''s something like that, but I''m not sure. ''We don''t have any taverns in our territory, do we? ''It seems that they mainly open stores in the territories of counts and above. ''Only in the territories of the higher nobility? Well, I can understand why they''d want to open a shop in a place with a lot of people. ''Yes, sir. ''More importantly, let''s get back to the construction of the mansion!???We have to do something about it. Can you get the Merchants Guild to talk to the Food Merchants Guild? ''The Merchant''s Guild is the upper body of each merchant association, but they can''t tell the associations what to do, only in name. They''ll just tell you to go to the Food Merchants Guild for food.'' ''Is there anywhere you can send dwarves to ......? ''There are some merchant associations that will send you construction workers. ......'' ''What!???Don''t tell me that!???Where are youa?????'' ''It''s the Snakes Staffing Agency .......'' ''Isn''t that his place! ''Yes, .......'' ''Is there anyone else? ''No, sir.'' ''Mmmm. What should we do? ...... We can''t turn our backs on him. ...... We have no choice. I hate to make him rich, but we have to finish the building. If we stay in this shabby house forever, the other barons will take advantage of us! ''Would you like to make a request? ''Yes, I have no choice. 246-hahaha This is a building under construction. The exterior of the building is almost finished, and the only thing left to do is to finish the interior. ''It''s being built at an incredible speed. His Excellency the Earl of Sneaks'' craftsmen are monsters! said a certain Baron, ''It was done too fast and in too few days, so it ended up being cheaper. But was it worth it????Defying the alliance and joining the Snakes Frontier Counts. You''ve received letters of insulation from other houses. The butler asks. ''I don''t care!???It''s more beneficial to have a stronger group that accepts the frontiersman than that bunch of barons!???I was a neutral member of the Royalist faction, but I switched to the Dauphin''s faction at the right time, and I''m now a supporter of Count Snakes'' frontier. Besides, thanks to His Excellency Snakes, who told the dwarves that he would supply us with liquor, the dwarves are coming back, and there are many good things happening! This man was a hardcore Royalist who had been granted a quasi-baronet by the Royalists and had become a baronet after his success in the last rebellion. The reason he was a neutral member of the royalist faction was because he was torn between which side to take, and the reason he was an anti-Snakes member was simply because he was jealous of a young man younger than himself who had risen to become a frontier count. But now he''s calling Patrick "sir" and pretending to be a member of the Snakes frontiersmen. That''s quite a flip-flop! He went all the way to Patrick''s mansion in the Snakes territory to ask the Snakes Recruitment Agency to dispatch some dwarves, and bowed down to them and asked for a set of dwarves and alcohol. The lord himself! At this point, he''s ready to make a move. It''s not just a woman''s heart and the autumn sky. What kind of change of heart did he have? If you leave the Anti-Snakes League, tell me everything you know, and swear not to cross me in the future, I might consider adding you to the end of my faction. At Patrick''s words, he immediately made up his mind and blabbered on, as he had originally intended to get close to him. Well, this house was fortunate. We were able to decide to change who we were wagging our tails at. What????The other house????Do I have to tell you? You wanna know????I don''t have a choice. Meanwhile, in the other houses, no dwarves would stay in a territory where there was no wine, and the food merchants'' guild was being controlled by Mulder, so the food supply was gradually being reduced. Frustrated by the lack of food, all but the farmers are gradually fleeing to other lands. The only ones left are the lords who cannot pay the taxes that are calculated according to the size of their territory, and the debts that are piling up. They will not be able to compete with Patrick. Taxes from crops alone will not be enough to pay for the territory. Tax revenue is based on human economic activity. Incidentally, the majority of the people who fled the lands of the anti-Snake barons moved to the Snakes Frontier. Or rather, it was because there were a number of large carriages running around that would take them to the Snakes'' frontier for free. And then there were the loan sharks who offered to lend money to the failing barons. The interest rate is one percent per ten days. A debt with no hope of repayment will only grow and grow. Everything is going according to someone''s plan. ''Is the Baron de Halsey''s house finished? Patrick''s words were met by the dwarf in charge of the construction of Baron de Halsey''s mansion, ''Yes, sir. The building was completed the other day. And the trick is working perfectly. He replied. ''My lord????What is the trick? Santino, the steward of the main residence, asks Patrick. ''Hmm????I had some parts of the house set up in case you betrayed us. If you break one stone with a hammer, the house will physically collapse!???Ahahaha! Santino looked at Patrick, who was laughing with amusement, ''It''s just like the lord to be so relentless as ever. He smiled. 247-Kevin and Aisha are dumbfounded. People gathered in the church, smiles on their faces, watching the two young men take their vows. One is a slender woman with a long head of brown hair tied up in twin tails. With her large, brown eyes, she would be considered beautiful by anyone who saw her. However, she is a rather strong woman with an air of a predator. One is a slender man with a golden head of hair brushed all back. He has a neutral face and green eyes. To the uninitiated, he could be mistaken for a woman. However, he seems to be a kind man with a strong core. ??? The area around the two men is filled with people celebrating them. The sheer number of people who could not believe that it was the wedding of the third son of a marquis family and the eldest daughter of a viscount family showed the good character and importance of the two people. The younger brother of the Dauphin''s wife and the younger sister of the first wizard of the human race. But it''s not a political marriage, it''s pure love. The woman who used some forceful tactics may have heard words of disapproval from the women who were aiming for the man, but I''m sure those women were planning similar things behind the scenes. Now, even though he was the son of a marquis, he was the third son. He is not a commoner, but he is not a member of a noble family either, he is just an aristocrat. With the full backing of the Marquess of Dixon, the venue was large and there were many people in attendance. This was the Marquis of Dixon''s intention to emphasize the connection with his son''s wedding. He knew that his son had been preparing for the knighthood, but he had arranged it behind his back without telling his son. On the day of the event, they abducted him, or rather, took him, or rather, brought him out in a carriage, whether he was there or not. My son was dumbfounded, ''It''s a gift of independence from me. He managed to convince his stunned son that it was a gift of independence from me. However, the bride, Aisha, somehow knew what was going on. Because Aisha''s father, Trolla, was not very good at hiding things from her, ''This outfit doesn''t fit the scale. Aisha''s father, Trolla, was not good at hiding the fact that he was going to a royal wedding.???This was because they had prepared costumes that looked like they were going to a royal wedding. But I didn''t expect it to be so gorgeous. And to top it all off, there were drinks and food brought in from the Snakes Frontier Counts. Deep fried green chicken, grilled udon noodles, goat cheese, mutton Genghis Khan, teriyaki burger, and many other dishes that the nobles of the capital had never eaten before. The Dixons and the Snakes must have had a plan in advance. Otherwise, they wouldn''t have been able to prepare this amount of food and drink. ''If you know about this, you should at least say something. Aisha said, ''Your father is your father, but Count Snake is also Count Snake. It''s completely turned into a venue to sell the local specialty of the Snakes Frontier Counties. Well, it''s delicious, though. Kevin said as he took a bite of the food in front of him. In the distance, you can hear the drunken Marquis Simon engaging with DeCourse. He''s asking if he and his daughter have had children yet, and if he''ll have grandchildren soon. ''You know what????We''re supposed to be the stars of the show, aren''t we?'' Aisha says to Kevin, ''We should be, but there are a lot of people with strong personalities. ...... Besides, these hamburgers are really good!???Aisha, you should try it. I''ve never seen a hamburger steak before,'' he said, offering it to Aisha. ''Oh my!???It''s really delicious!???It''s so soft and the juices flow when you bite into it! Aisha said, ''Is it good????I made this dish! '' says a voice. ''Oh, Brother Pat! ''My Lord!???You made it, sir?'' ''Yes!???I made all the food for you two!???It''s my way of celebrating. You''ve never had it before, have you?'' Patrick smiles. ''It''s delicious, but I think I''ll get fat. Aisha says, ''If you eat too much sometimes, just eat less the next day and you''ll be fine. Besides, I heard that if you''re too skinny, it''s hard to have a baby, so be careful. Patrick said, ''Oh, shut up!???You''re dirty!???Get away from me! Aisha got angry. ''Oh!???I''m scared!???Well, Kevin, good luck tonight! With that, Patrick ran off. ''You know, you can be a bit of an old man sometimes ......'' Kevin said, but he had no way of knowing that Patrick was already over fifty years old, including his memories of his previous life. 248-the clanging of a bell by a cussnut Cnut rings a bell. On the watchtower of the Snakes'' main residence. The ringing of the bell is not the sound of an emergency. Upon hearing the sound, the workers at the main residence look to the sky and leave the area. A distant flying object is approaching rapidly. Two pterodactyls land softly near the main entrance of the main residence. On their backs are the master of this estate, Count Patrick von Snakes, and his wife, Sonalis Snakes. Kuznats looks at the pterosaur from the top of the building and his mouth drops. ''It''s still cool. It''s a good thing I work here. Says his colleague next to him, ''I think it''s more scary than cool. I''ve gotten used to it, but I don''t want to go near it. I don''t want to go near it. Well, that''s what a normal person would say. ''Is that so????Well, maybe so. It''s usually an object of fear. ''Yeah, it''s a disaster-grade demon. ''It''s amazing that the lord can control it. ''I strongly agree with that! ''I mean, aren''t our knights amazing too? ''Yeah, Baron Wylie and Baron Van Pelt are spear masters, Ein-dono sends his men all over the kingdom to gather information, Captain Elvis is in charge of maintaining security in the crowded Snakes territory, and the best of all, Mirko-dono. He''s still alive and accompanying that lord! They both laughed when he said he was alive. But after that, Cousnuts took over the guard duty with a replacement and went downstairs to eat in the dining hall, remembering the words of the "alive". Since he started working here, he had heard many stories from the soldiers and servants. The first orc king the lord encountered after joining the army. A demon that normally would have died. Then the troll. I''d say it''s some kind of fairy tale that he and his men killed that thing. A Cyclops killed by himself????What kind of hero are you? And then there''s the wyvern. That''s outrageous. But I can force myself to accept that he''s still a lord. But his men... I''ve heard rumors that Lord Wayne is one of the top five in the kingdom, but Baron Wylie and Baron Van Pelt have survived to a lesser extent. I knew those two were capable when I saw them when they came to this territory. But Lord Mirko is one or two ranks below them in strength. And yet he survives. And he''s been in the same place since the lord was sergeant! Lord Colton, who often talks to me, is also in the same unit, but I heard that Lord Colton was not there at the time of the wyvern. ''Life and death are so close together. Or is it fate????Well, it''s a strange thing that I''m working here. I''ll just do the best I can and be recognized.'' When I said that, ''Yeah. I think that''s good. I heard a voice behind me. When I turned around in surprise, Elvis was there. ''Captain!???Don''t startle me!???At least make some footsteps! Cousnut said to Elvis, ''If you don''t train yourself not to make footsteps on a regular basis, the enemy will find you when the time comes! Elvis said a little louder. ''That''s true, but you''d better call out to them as you come. '' said Kusnatz, still speaking, ''Don''t be shy, eat up!???The master wants to see you! With that, Kusnats had no words to reply. He just swallowed his meal. 249-Preparation ''You''re here.'' Patrick said as he saw Cusnut being brought in by Elvis. ''Yes, my lord!???I have come at your request! Cusnut saluted with his heels together. ''Mm!???Then I hand in my resignation!???Kusnatz, you are hereby appointed as the chief of the surveillance department of the main residence guard!???Keep up the good work! '''' he said to Patrick, ''Yes, sir!???I''ll do my best to keep up with my duties! Kuznats replied in a loud voice. ''Good!???Keep up the good work! ''Of course, sir! After this exchange, Kusnats left the room with Elvis, ''Well????I can understand the main residence security force, but what is the surveillance department????Who''s the chief? He asks Elvis. ''The Surveillance Department is a new department that was established today, and it''s the department to which the people who monitor the area around the main residence belong!???There''s also a security department and an equipment department. ''A new department????And what''s a chief? ''A person who is mainly in charge of a job is called a chief, shortened to chief. It means the head of the department. You''re in charge of the surveillance department, which means you''re in charge of all the guards. ''Whata????? The captain''s been doing it all this time!???Why again????I''m still a newcomer, you know? Kusunatsu''s voice grew louder. ''I''ve been doing all the work until now, but there are too many people and I''ve reached my limit!???I''m responsible for the security of the territory, guarding the mansion, and training the new recruits. There''s so much to do!???So I''ve decided to put you in charge of each department and leave you to it!???I recommended you because you''re good with people and get along well with your colleagues. Good for you!???You''re moving up in the world! Elvis said with a bit of truth in his voice. ''Thanks, but I''m not sure that''s a good idea. ''It''s fine!???There''s no one in my family who would go against the lord''s decision! ''That''s for sure! While talking like this, the soldiers working in the mansion were informed about their chiefs. A few days later, ''Elvis, how are the ones you made chief afterwards? Patrick asked Elvis, ''They''re all in a state of limbo, but I think they''re doing pretty well. Cousnuts, as a former slum boss, is especially good at winning people''s hearts. He buys his subordinates food and drinks, and listens to their honest opinions at the bar to make improvements. And since you have the guts to complete the infinite running from the beginning, you might be able to handle the entire security force of the main residence, though we''ll have to wait and see. Elvis reported to Patrick. ''Then that''s the way I want it. I need you to do your best in the war against the Empire. I would like to transfer the responsibility for the security of the territory and the house to someone else as soon as possible. ''We need to train our territorial soldiers, especially the new recruits. ''Yes, since we don''t know how large the Imperial Guard will be. ''Yes, we''re preparing in coordination with the Western Army, but there''s no such thing as too much, so we''ll do what we can. ''Yeah, leave the spare weapons, food, potions, and anything else that can be solved with money to me. You take care of the human resources. Said Patrick, ''You asked for it! Elvis replied with a little smile. 250-turning point One day, about two months later, Patrick returned to his residence in the royal capital and received a report from Ein. ''So, what''s going on? Patrick sat on the sofa, ''I have two things to report. Ein sits down across from him and starts talking. ''Hmm, let''s hear them. ''So, first of all, the barons who became nobles at the same time as Wylie-dono and Van Pelt-dono, some of the Snakes'' denialist houses, are finally unable to run their estates. ''Hou......'' ''The main reasons are the unsustainability of the territorial army and the backlash from the remaining peasants. At any rate, we can''t even get rid of the demons anymore, and the crops are so damaged that even the farmers are starting to emigrate. It seems that they''re offering to help the head of the faction somehow, but that''s also a house that doesn''t trade with us, so I''m afraid their internal situation is difficult. ''Well, I suppose so. ''Yes, how do we get around them and how do we act? We''re trying to find out if they''re going to cooperate with the other houses and set a trap for us. ''If they do, suggest to some of them that they turn on us for money or food aid. That''ll split them up. Cooperation will end then.'' They might. I''ll keep my eyes open.'' ''Yeah, do that. And the other one? Patrick said, urging him on. ''The Prime Minister is acting strangely. Ayn said, ''Hmm?'' Patrick''s brow furrows. ''We''ve already reported that he''s been using money from the treasury to build a new fort on the Abbott frontier, but there''s something suspicious about the flow of that money. ''They don''t even send us a single gold coin, but they''re putting it in their pockets? ''It''s not in his pocket, it''s probably for the Third Prince McClane. ''What? ''''Currently, His Majesty is slowly transferring the duties of the office to His Royal Highness Prince William. There is no room for the Third Prince McClane there.'''' ''Of course not. It would complicate things. ''Yes, sir. You''re right. And yet, the diplomatic corps is being dominated by aristocrats of the Third Prince McClane''s camp.'' ''What????How is that possible????There must be more aristocrats of Prince William''s court.'' ''One of the diplomats who came to Mulder''s store slipped up, and it seems that the money that came from the Prime Minister is being used to buy off the aristocrats of the court, so that even though they are ostensibly for Prince William, behind the scenes they are for the Third Prince McClane, and the colors are changing. ''The relationship between the Prime Minister and the third prince Maclean is certainly .......'' ''It seems that the engagement between the Prime Minister''s youngest daughter and the Third Prince McClane is being finalized. Since the destruction of the anti-royalist faction during the second prince''s rebellion, His Majesty has made it clear that he will respect the wishes of the two parties involved in the marriage, so if the third prince McClane wants to get married, I''m sure His Majesty will allow it. ''So you''re saying that you want Prince McClane III to be the king and the Prime Minister to be the father of the king''s wife? ''Or rather, it''s possible that he''s planning to put Prince McClane III on the throne as his puppet and rule the country from behind. ''I''ve met him many times, but he never seemed like that. ''A customer who came into Mulder''s store said that things had changed since he hired a new butler a few months ago. Many of the servants have been fired.'' ''A new butler????Did he put you up to this????Does the Keselowski''s know about that?'' ''But it seems the Keselowski''s are in on it. ''What? ''Lord Kyle''s fianc??e is the second daughter of the Prime Minister.'' ''Oh, no. This is going to be rough. 251-mistake Patrick and Ein''s conversation continued. ''Since we haven''t taken any action yet, we can''t do anything about it, and if we were to make a suggestion to the investigation department, the Keselowski''s would squash it and His Majesty wouldn''t hear about it, and even if the House were to make a suggestion to His Majesty, we wouldn''t have any proof. Ein said, ''Well. We''ll just have to wait and see, won''t we? Patrick responds, crossing his arms and pondering. ''I guess we should be on our guard. ''His Royal Highness, Prince William, is a gentleman, and it''s very doubtful that he would believe me if I told him. But we can''t not report it, can we? ''There''s something a little strange going on over there, too. ''Hmm? ''The Prime Minister is also getting close to His Highness the Crown Prince. ''''What? Patrick''s eyes widened. ''Actually, Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Elizabeth is expecting a child. ''Really????Well, congratulations. ''Yes, I believe the announcement will only be made once she is in a stable phase. However, the fact that she is pregnant means that the ban on side rooms will be lifted. ''Oh, I see what you mean. You''re planning to force your daughter into the side room.'' ''Yes. He''s trying to force his older daughter into Prince William''s household. ''In the past, it would have been impossible to give wives to the two heirs to the throne due to the balance between the families, but now it is possible????Do you think His Majesty will allow it? ''As was mentioned earlier, the prince''s engagement was said to be his own intention ......''. ''That''s not good.'' ''I can only see a future where the Prime Minister''s power will increase.'' ''I guess so. Which one of us is going to be the king????That''s pretty awful. And he''s going to let our money be used to defend the west and cut it down to solidify his own family''s power. But what the hell is the Prime Minister up to? A daughter in the crown prince''s side will accomplish his goal to some extent. There''s still a chance she''ll be king even if she''s not his wife''s child. The first child born won''t necessarily be a boy. Isn''t possibility enough for you????No, wait.???Are you planning to collapse the Dauphin''s house from the inside and pretend to save him, and in return have the throne transferred to the third prince?'''' ''It''s possible! ''How much money is likely to be flowing?'' ''The figure listed for the construction of the fort has been cross-checked with the Abbott frontier count''s spies, and it''s probably about a tenth going to the third prince, McClane. ''That''s a lot of money. Have you reported it to Lord Abbott? ''I''ve shared the information with my contacts over there, so I''m sure they''ve heard. What do you want me to do? ''Would you be able to get a handle on the finer details of the money flow????Who it went to and how much. I''ll report back to you with those numbers.'' ''Yes, then I''ll need a little more time. After all, the finance department and diplomats are tight-lipped. ''Normally, I''d say they''re tight-lipped and trustworthy. ''As expected, if the Prime Minister finds out that we tortured him, he''ll destroy the evidence, so we can''t do that. ''Well, that''s true. When we know the details, we should report it to His Royal Highness Prince William together with His Majesty, and ask him to be on the lookout. ''Then I will inform the Abbot family of your thoughts. ''Yes, do that. No, wait, I forgot that Lord Ryan''s wife, Lady Crozier, is the third prince''s sister!???Make no further reports and keep an eye on the Abbotts'' movements.'' ''Yes, sir. At this point, Patrick should have told him to torture her to get her to talk. Because... His Majesty the King of Mental died. Twenty days later, Patrick heard the news in the Snakes'' domain. 252-Patrick is surprised. ''My lord!???It''s important! Ein, who was supposed to be in the royal capital, rushed into the office of the Snakes'' mansion in a panic. ''What''s going on????It''s not like you to not even knock. Patrick blamed him, ''My lord, there''s no time for that!???His Majesty has passed away! Ein shouts loudly. What????It''s true. Patrick''s eyes widen and he asks Ein back, ''Yes! And it''s the rebellion of the Third Prince McClane! And the third prince McClane has rebelled!'' came a more shocking report from Ein''s mouth. That''s absurd.???His Royal Highness Prince William will bea?????'' ''With the help of the Dauphin''s Kingsguard and the Royal Mages of Canaan, he has succeeded in escaping to the Dixon realm with the Crown Princess Elizabeth and the Queen, and is safe! ''My brother Decourse, you did it! Patrick shouted. ''A state of emergency is currently in effect in King''s Landing. The aristocrats of the Third Prince''s faction, led by Lieutenant General Ganash of the Third Army, and the aristocrats of the Dauphin''s faction, led by the Simon family, are in a state of conflict. What''s the situationa?????? ''We''re currently in a standoff. The anti-Snake baronial alliance that we reported earlier has taken advantage of the situation and attacked the mansion in the capital, but the viper squad that was packed in the mansion has repelled them. However, as a result of this, the safety of those working at the Royal Capital''s House of Snake and their families was our top priority, and we took everyone with us to evacuate to Snake territory. I''ve taken out most of the documents as instructed by Lord Astria!???Right now, Astria is working with her butler, Santino, to find a place for everyone to stay. Ein said at once. ''Did the small fry see this as a chance to destroy us? Patrick said with a vicious expression, ''Also, the noblemen who are under the Prime Minister''s control have marched their territorial army to the south, and a joint force of Dixon''s and Kanaan''s soldiers is currently confronting them, resulting in a stalemate. Prince McClane has declared that Prince William has abandoned the country and fled, and that I will succeed to the throne. ''That''s absurd. That little brat forgot the favor I did for him when he was the second prince Henry, and now he''s talking nonsense!???How is the 8th Army doing?'''' ''''On Captain Mirko''s orders, the running dragon squad led by Major Van Pelt and some of the wagon squad went to Dixon territory for support. The horse troop led by Major Wylie, along with some wagon troops, is deploying in Viscount Connor''s territory to stop the anti-Snake''s Alliance troops from coming west. Captain Mirko will be gathering weapons with the rest of the wagons before heading this way. ''You''re the man, Mirko. Patrick complimented Mirko, who was not present. 253-humming ''Also, we''ve received word from one of our diplomats that the Plum Kingdom to the south is acting suspiciously. They seem to be massing their forces along the border. Perhaps the diplomats of the Third Prince McClane''s faction have been making various moves to coordinate their actions. Ein continued. ''McClane''s brat, he''s planning to involve the Kingdom of Plum and collaborate with the beasts to crush the Dixon and Kanaan familiesa????? No, he was planning to use them as a force for rebellion before that????The commander of the southern army is one of his faction. That''s not good. Patrick muttered as he put a hand to his forehead. ''What should we do, sir? ''For now, leave King''s Landing to General Simon and Wayne and the others, and I''ll fly south!???If we don''t control the Plum Kingdom, if we''re caught in the middle, we''ll have to protect His Royal Highness Prince William, or even His Majesty William now!???It''ll be tough to protect him!???I''ll leave this to Mirko, who should be on his way here now! Patrick said to Ein, ''Then I''ll let you know as soon as Mirko-dono arrives. Ein asked. ''Tell him to move, just in case I''m humming! Patrick said, ''Ha!???That''s the diabolical version. ''No,'' said Ein, ''No, that''s the normal attack version. ''No, that''s the normal version,'' said Patrick, who looked like he didn''t know what he was talking about. ''What? Ein asked back, ''What? Patrick asks back. ''When the lord is humming, it''s quite egregious, isn''t it????It''s like she''s ruthless or something. Ein says, ''I''m just humming so I don''t think about anything else, you know????I''m just humming so I don''t have to think. Patrick replied, ''So you''re saying it''s unconscious evil, right????If it''s unconscious, it''s not kind, so I''m pretty sure it''s diabolical. Ein insists that it is definitely diabolical. ''Oh well,'' says Patrick, giving up on the argument, ''Well, I''ll leave it to you anyway. Patrick said to Ein. ''Yes, sir. ''And what about the Abbott frontier family in the north????Any movement? ''We haven''t been able to contact the Abbotts yet, and they don''t seem to be making any significant moves. Ayn reported, ''Ryan-dono''s wife, Crozier-sama, is the sister of McClane''s kid. ''Is there any chance of movement? ''With Abbott here, I don''t think he''ll betray us just because of Crozier, but I can''t say he won''t. In any case, I''d have to side with one of them. Send a spies who doesn''t know the Abbot family. ''Yes, sir. 254-William and Descourses Let''s go back in time a little. A gorgeous coffin in the audience room of the castle. In it is the corpse of a slightly emaciated king. A man and a woman stand in front of the coffin as many people look on. Before closing the lid of the coffin, their final farewell speech was interrupted by a word. ''Brother, die! It was something that Prince William, the man he called brother, could not have expected. The voice that raised his sword was that of the Third Prince Maclean. Although he was half-brother, he was his own brother, and Prince William had thought that they had a good relationship. Prince William is unable to move due to the suddenness of the situation. It was all he could do to protect his wife. The moment Prince McClane was about to swing his sword, ''Fireball! shouted the royal sorcerer, Decourse von Kanaan. Decourse had been training so hard that he had finally succeeded in activating the spell by omitting the preamble and using only the spell''s name. The power of the spell was only about 10% of that of a full chant. The fireball, which was only about the size of a ping-pong ball, struck the sword held by the Third Prince McClane, and the blown sword rolled on the floor. ''d*mn it! How dare you, Canaan! Prince McClane glared at DeCourse, but DeCourse kept his eyes on Prince McClane, ''Your Highness, please run! I''ll hold them off here! Kingsguard! Protect your highnesses! Get out of here! At Decourse''s cry, ''Mm, thank God, Kanaan. You''ll be right behind me, won''t you?'' To William''s words, ''Of course I will. I''m a wizard, remember? I''m not going to die early. Please go! Turning slightly, Decourse looked Prince William in the eye and shouted. ''I''m sorry! With that, Dauphin William and the others ran off, escorted by their bodyguards. Shoot it from my palm: ......'' I''m not sure what to make of that, I''m not sure what to do. The real fireball is coming! '' shouted one of Prince McClane''s bodyguards. ''d*mn you, Kanaan! Everyone! Fall back, go around and get William! Prince McClane said as he ran away from William and the others through another door. Decourse is left alone in the audience hall after the third prince McClane''s group disappears. ''Pat ......, how would you get through this crisis? Now, let''s go after His Highness. With that, DeCourse opened the door through which Prince William had left and ran out. 255-William, run away. A carriage of the Royal Court''s Kingsguard was riding south along the street, guarded by members of the Dauphin''s Kingsguard on horseback. Riding in the carriage were Prince William and his wife, the First Queen, and Knight Commander Andretti of the Kingsguard. They were headed for Dixon, the home of his wife''s family. The reason is that it was Lieutenant General Ganash and his men who attacked Prince William as he left the castle. Lieutenant-General Ganash was the uncle of the third prince of Maclean, and was a close friend of the Prime Minister. Prince William managed to avoid the attack of Lieutenant General Ganash and his men, and escaped to the Captain of the Royal Guard Andretti, who explained the situation and contacted General Simon. As a result, the forces of King''s Landing are in a standoff between Simon''s faction of Prince William and Lieutenant General Ganash''s faction of the Third Prince McClane. In the capital, Prince William and the other princes are facing a problem in securing their safety, and at the suggestion of the Commander of the Royal Guard, Andretti, they have decided to take refuge with his wife''s family, the Marquesses of Dixon. ''I''m sorry, everyone, I''ve been so inadequate that I haven''t even been able to attend my father''s funeral. He apologized to Prince William in the carriage, ''There''s nothing wrong with you, Your Royal Highness. The one who said that was Major General Andretti, Commander of the Royal Household Guard. ''It''s probably the Prime Minister rather than McClane. It''s rumored that his daughter and McClane are already close. They''re like husband and wife, they just haven''t had a formal ceremony. He thinks McClane will be able to take power once he''s on the throne. The Prime Minister asked me to take his daughter as a concubine as soon as he found out she was pregnant. And my father refused because the Prime Minister has been acting a little strange lately. Prince William said, ''I wonder if my pregnancy is the trigger. ...... Crown Princess Elizabeth said in a depressed voice. ''No, of course not, you''re carrying a wanted child,'' said William''s mother. said the Queen, William''s mother. ''That''s right. I don''t know if His Highness McClane was convinced by Bendrick or if he''s been waiting for his chance all along, but Ganache looked a little disgruntled when I resigned as general and Lieutenant General Snakes took command of the Second and Eighth Armies, and I thought he wanted to put his nephew on the throne and take the general''s place. I thought he was trying to get his nephew on the throne to become a general. Andretti, the Knight Commander of the Kingsguard, followed up. ''I wonder if Canaan has managed to escape? Prince William said with concern, ''Lord Decourse is the first wizard of the human race! He''ll be fine. He is not only skilled in magic, but also in spears and swords, which he trained during his time in the Kingsguard! Andretti, the Commander of the Kingsguard, relieved Prince William''s anxiety by saying so. 256-character introduction Patrick Rigsby The main character of this work. A local reincarnation with Japanese memories. He has black hair and black eyes, which is unusual in this world. He will change his name to Patrick von Snakes. Wayne Kimball The protagonist''s friend and subordinate. He is a handsome man with blond hair and blue eyes, who seems to have an aura about him. Became Wayne Simon by marriage. Mirko The protagonist''s subordinate from the time he became a sergeant. He is a hard worker who is knighted by the hero. Colton The protagonist''s subordinate since he became a sergeant. A big, dumb-looking man who is good at archery, but Patrick trusts him. Colonel Leadon Patrick''s superior when he was a recruit. Scott Pagenaud A kingdom soldier who is jealous of the hero. Kevin Dixon The third son of the Marquess of Dixon. He was saved by Patrick and respects him. He was targeted by Aisha and attacked. Carlos Kevin''s caretaker. Ray Hall The commander of Dixon''s army. Letterman Cavalryman of Dixon''s army Marquis of Dixon Kevin''s father. A man of character. James von Mental King of the Mental Kingdom. Loves Patrick and gives him the Viscount Snakes in a desperate attempt to destroy the Rigsby family. General Andretti General Andretti is in command of the army. Later, he is demoted to Major General and becomes Commander of the Kingsguard. Lieutenant General Simon Commander of the Kingdom''s Second Army. Later becomes a general. Emilia Simon Daughter of Lieutenant General Simon. Wife of Wayne. Marquis of Westin Marquis of the western border. Betrayed the kingdom and worked for the empire. Viscount Harter. Baron Curley. Baron Ager. A house that betrayed the kingdom at the behest of Westin. Rudolph van Zabeen Third prince of the empire. Captured by Patrick. Inspector Josh The man responsible for keeping an eye on Patrick. Mike Von Rigsby Lord of Baron Rigsby. The father of the main character in this world. Killed by Patrick. Marianne Rigsby Mike''s real wife. Not Patrick''s mother. Killed by Patrick. Patrick''s two brothers. Marianne''s children. No names given, so you know. Aisha Kanaan. Patrick''s cousin. She''s the one who loves Kevin. Decourse Kanaan. Patrick''s cousin. The first wizard of his race to become a royal sorcerer. Trolla von Kanaan The head of a baronial family and father of Decourse and Aisha. A member of the Knights of the Kingsguard. Brose Kanane Cousin of Patrick. Commander of the Canaanite army. Arlen Kanaan Cousin of Patrick. Later in the 8th Army. Sonaris Mental. The third princess of the Mental Kingdom. The woman who will become Patrick''s wife. The heroine. A reincarnation. 257-Prime Minister Bendrick Meanwhile, in a room in the royal castle, ''It seems that William has escaped. said a man. The man was a dark-skinned elf with a fine face. ''Oh, you useless bastards! McClane should have just stabbed him, but he took the trouble to shout at him. '' said the man who had returned from the audience hall. ''I suppose His Highness McClane is still a child. If you can''t kill a man without shouting to rouse yourself, you''re not fit to be king. But, my Lord Bentric, it is easier to manipulate him, so I think we should use it to our advantage. Says the dark elf man. ''Arnold, I know. I need McClane alive. Not until she gives birth to a boy! In fact, I wanted to marry my daughter to William and have a baby boy there as well, but William refused me in a roundabout way after only meeting me a few times, and the king wouldn''t listen to me unless he wanted to, and I''m glad I managed to get McClane, but he''s a very annoying family. And he called the dark elf man Arnold, Prime Minister Bentick. The focus of his eyes was a bit odd. It''s a good thing, because if McClane becomes king, this country will be at your mercy. The dark elf man called Arnold says happily. The man, dressed in a butler''s uniform, loosens his mouth. ''In truth, we had planned for the king to live a little longer, but he objected to the marriage, so we had him leave early. But the poison you have procured is very effective. Just a drop of it in the wine I drink with dinner every day is enough to make me look so thin. ''It''s a special potion only the wizards of my family can make. I spent a lot of money to get it, but it was very effective, wasn''t it?'' ''Yes! And that last potion is special too, isn''t it? It works a few hours after you take it, so it''s a good alibi.'' ''That one is even more expensive, but it suddenly stops the heartbeat, it''s a great drug for assassination! ''Right! Even if they suspect you, there''s no way to prove it, so it''s perfect. Prime Minister Bendrick praised Arnold. The trick is working. Things went smoothly and we assassinated the king, but then things got a little out of hand. Well, I''m going to have to face William anyway. We''re going to take over the kingdom and get back at the Empire. I''ll show them how angry I was when they crushed me! Arnold shouted in his mind as he thought this. I''ll crush the Empire! He closed his right hand tightly and made a fist. 258-Person Introduction 2 Santino. Steward of the Snakes Main House Leena Head maid of the Snakes'' main house. She was also Patrick''s mother''s maid. Newgarden. A pig who was the number two clerk in the Royal Army. He was reduced from a nobleman to a commoner after a series of misadventures, but he''s still a fool for doing it again. Astria. A handsome elf and steward of the Snakes'' palace in King''s Landing. Kyle Keselowski Eldest son of a baronet. Belongs to the Research Department. Earl of Abbot The head of an earldom in the north. House allied with the Snakes. Ryan Abbott The eldest son of the Earls of Abbot. Serious, hardworking, and single-minded. He is a hard man. Conan. Conan is a mole in the employ of the Earl of Abbott. He is a skilled and mature man, but dislikes the Snakes for one reason or another. Pichan A snake demon that was picked up by Patrick when it was an egg and kept by him. He later earned the title of man-eating snake. It has no hands. Pamira A maid at Snakes'' Palace in the capital. She is a wolf beast with big tits. Lieutenant General Ganash Commander of the Third Army of King''s Landing, brother of Prince McClane''s mother. Prime Minister Bendrick Marquis of the court nobility. He is also the King''s advisor. Attorney General Gibbs An old man who controls the kingdom''s judicial affairs. Wylie Captain of the Horse Guards of the Eighth Army of the Kingdom. He was knighted by Patrick. His family is a viscounty. Van Pelt Captain of the dragon troop in the 8th Royal Army. Awarded a knighthood by Patrick. His family is baronial. Ein Captain of the Dark Serpent Squadron, an investigative unit of the House of Snakes. Elvis A soldier of House Snakes, captain of the elite Viper Squad. He is also the commander of the Territorial Guard. William Mental Crown Prince of the Mental Kingdom. Elizabeth Mental Dauphine who married William. Daughter of the Marquess of Dixon. Henry Mental Second Prince of the Kingdom of Mental. A fool. Maclaine Mental. Third prince of the Mental Kingdom. He is afraid of Patrick. Commander of the Royal Guard of the Reapers. A traitor who aided Prince Henry the Second. Marquis of Raven Maternal grandfather of Prince Henry the Second. An old man who let his ambition get the better of him. Mulder Raven. Eldest son of the Marquesses of Raven. Picked up by Patrick. Philia Mental The second queen of the Mental Kingdom. Sophia Mental The second princess of the Mental Kingdom. Hontas Captain of the Eighth Military Carriage of the Kingdom. Chubby Uncle. Amelia Sonaris''s maid of honor. She is beautiful but has no knowledge of the world. 259-to fly Patrick flew out of his territory. He literally flew out. Riding on the back of a pu, with phe in tow. The goal is to reach the southern border of the Plum Kingdom. We''re going straight for the southern army''s fort from the west. Because the commander of the Southern Army, Major General Wilson, is a member of the Third Prince McClane faction, so we need to remove his concerns first. If the soldiers of Prime Minister Bendrick''s faction and the Southern Army attack the Dixon territory, the life of Prince William will be in danger. We have to avoid that. ''It''s cold ......''. Patrick was shivering on Pu''s back. Thanks to his military uniform, which looked like a coat, it was a little better, but it didn''t cover his face or hands, and the collar was designed and made so that the solaris couldn''t be closed, so cold air was coming in through his neck. And the speed at which Pu and Pei fly makes the temperature feel even lower. ''I should have at least brought my gloves ......''. Patrick said, but there was no way he could go back for them now, so he had to be patient. When the fort finally came into view in the distance, Patrick had Pooh lower the altitude and saw a division-sized force about to depart from the fort. ''That was bad. That was close enough. Patrick said to himself as he grabbed Pooh''s reins. , ''Pooh, stop above that unit. Keep the altitude where the arrows can''t reach! He instructed. ~~~~! Major General Wilson, the commander of the southern army, was astride his horse to depart for the Marquess of Dixon''s territory, when the soldiers under him became noisy, ''You people! What are you doing? I shouted at my men, but they shouted back, ''Major General! There''s no time for that! Get that thing! The soldier pointed skyward. The soldier pointed in the direction the finger was pointing. Major General Wilson turns his head in the direction the finger is pointing, ''Aye! Wyverns! You missed two of them from the Eastern Front! At this critical moment! He frowned. ''Major General, there''s something strange for a wyvern. ......'' ''What is it? In the meantime, get the ballista ready or you''ll be killed!'' ''I can see an arm on the wyvern that shouldn''t be there. ''What?'' ''Also, I can see horns on its head. ......'' ''Whata????? Are you kidding me? ''To top it off, it looks like it has armor. ...... Speaking of pterosaurs with armor, ......'' With that being said, Major General Wilson took a closer look at the creature flying above. ''Aha! It''s got arms and horns! It''s a pterosaur! And it''s got armor! It''s the Grim Reaper! Get everyone to the fort! Prepare the ballista immediately! Major General Wilson shouted out loud in panic, and I could see the impatience on his face. 260-to take refuge The southern army flocked to the gates and fled into the fort, but Pooh approached at a considerable speed with Patrick on his back. ''Huh? Pooh, isn''t the height too low? Patrick asked, wondering about the lower altitude, ''Gah gah gah gah. ''You want to scare me and then gain altitude? Where did you get that idea?'' Gagga. ''Oh, you''re Sona, aren''t you? ...... You know, if you listen to Sona too much, you''ll turn into a nerd dragon. Patrick said to Pooh, who was flying right next to him, ''Gah Gah Gah Gah! ''Oh, it''s too late. ''Oh, it''s getting late. ......'' Pei''s cry told Patrick to give up. Phoo flew through the streets stretching from the gate of the southern army''s fort to the ground, grabbed one of the horses that had failed to enter the fort with his arm, and soared up. A bow and arrow was fired from the fort, but it was not high enough to reach. And from the fort, ''Release! At the same time, more than a dozen ballista arrows flew toward Pu and Peh. But.., Gah! Gee! At the sound of the two cries, the ballista arrows were sucked into the jet-black blur in front of Pu, and the ice slab in front of Pei bounced the ballista arrows away. ''That''s brilliant. That''s what I call a pterosaur. Patrick praised the two, ''The southern army! I am Patrick von Snakes, Lieutenant General of the Royal City Army! Your mission is to guard the fort and maintain security in the southern region! I''m sure you understand that, but where were you planning to go with a large force? Especially your commanding officer, Major General Wilson! You''re not headed for Dixon territory, are you? Also, I''m going to pretend that you didn''t know it was me when you attacked me, and I''m going to let it go unchallenged. Keep that in mind! Patrick''s piercing voice echoed. Munch munch. ''Wow, I just heard that Dixon territory is in trouble, so I thought I''d head over there to help maintain the peace. ......'' Rear Admiral Wilson replied with trepidation. ''Kutcha kutcha. ''Hmm. So you''re leaving the McClane faction, is that correct?'' ''No, whether to leave or not is not something to think about right now, but for the time being, we need to maintain security. ......'' Crunch! In the event that you''re planning to make excuses for how you mistakenly defeated Dixon''s soldiers in the place you went, let him eat you like the horse he''s eating now, okay? Yes, I think I heard the chewing sound from earlier, and Pu was eating the horse he caught while flying. And at that time, Pooh bit off its neck and its head fell down. At the place where the horse''s head fell, there was Major General Wilson. The horse''s head fell with a thud in front of Major General Wilson''s eyes, and a little later, the horse''s blood fell and stained the Major General''s face red. 261-Major General Wilson When the Major General didn''t say anything, Patrick said, ''Hey! Why don''t you say something? Patrick shouted at him, but he didn''t respond. ''You! You don''t say anything when it''s inconvenient! I shouted at him again, but he didn''t respond. ''Hmm, are you going to ignore me? Then I''ll attack you myself! I said, ''Oh, wait a minute, General! An old man beside Wilson shouted. ''What is it?'' Patrick said, ''Yes, it''s Major General Wilson. ''What''s wrong with Major General Wilson? ''He''s passed out on his feet, sir. ......'' ''What?'' ''Fainting, with a blank stare.'' ''Another dexterous move. ......'' Patrick was dumbfounded. ''Does anyone have the will to fight? I''ll take you on.'' He lowered his altitude a little and asked the southern army, ''I surrender, sir! '' shouted the old man. ''Then roll up that scum! And with that, he instructed Pu to descend into the fort. a?¡éa?|???a?¡éa?|???a?¡é ''So, did you guys hear that the Marquis of Dixon has rebelled and is holed up with Prince William as a hostage? Patrick confirmed, ''Yes, sir. We were told it was a rescue mission. Colonel Cubes, the Major General''s second-in-command, replied. ''I see, well then kick this unconscious scum in the side of the head to wake him up! Patrick ordered the soldiers present, ''Yes, sir! He kicked the soldier in a reserved manner, ''That kick won''t wake me up! Kick him like you want to kill him! Patrick yells. ''Yes, sir! There''s a good thud, ''Ugh! Major General Wilson wakes up, coughing. ''Oh. Why am I tied up? Untie me! '' he says to the soldier in front of him, groggily. ''Shut up! You scum! You think the Marquis of Dixon betrayed us and rebelled against us? Do you know what will happen to you? Patrick shouted, ''Huh! Major General Wilson, a little frightened. ''What were the arrangements after you left here? Let the fort be released and lead the Plum Kingdom soldiers into the country and invade the capital? What did you say to the Kingdom of Plum? Did you promise them some kind of reward? Money? Territory? I ask with a light touch of murderous intent, ''I don''t know! I don''t know anything! I don''t know anything!'' says Major General Wilson, stubbornly refusing to speak. ''You''re lying. I''m the one in charge here. We can''t just ignore you and move on. If you don''t want to say it, I''ll make you want to say it! With that, Patrick pulls out a folding knife from his pocket, sticks out the blade, and approaches Major General Wilson, who is lying on the ground, still wrapped in the mat. 262-ones A man''s scream echoed through the fort. The voice that echoed off the walls of the fort and into every corner was different from the voice an adult male would normally make. It was a plea for him to stop, and a scream of intense pain. Let''s rewind time a bit. Major General Wilson''s body has been untied from the ropes that bound him, and he is now pinned to a chair, with two soldiers holding his body at his side. Two soldiers are holding him down to prevent him from falling over. And another soldier is holding his left arm against the desk. Patrick slowly peeled off the nail on his left hand, inserting the knife between the nails of his little finger. Major General Wilson screams in pain. Whenever I prick the tip of the knife lightly with the tip of my left little finger, which has lost its nail and is now bare, Major General Wilson screams. Patrick laughs in amusement, and the soldiers in charge of holding him down turn pale at the sight. His second-in-command, Colonel Cubes, who had said he would see to Patrick''s interrogation, remained motionless as he stared directly at his clawless little finger. After the pinkie, Patrick went on to the ring finger, performing the same task. His middle finger, index finger, thumb, and all the other fingernails on his left hand have been removed, and his fingertips are shredded from the stab of the knife. ''Are you ready to talk?'' Patrick asks Major General Wilson, ''I don''t ...... know. I don''t know,'' said Major General Wilson, squeezing his voice out. ''Oh, right! Then let''s continue. With a light heart, he folded the knife and put it in his pocket, grabbed the machete on his right hip with his right hand, held down Major General Wilson''s left hand with his left, placed the machete on his shredded fingertips, swung it up quickly, and then slammed it down on his fingertips. The sound of the machete hitting the wooden desk echoed, and the shredded flesh of his fingertips rolled on the desk. Patrick, who didn''t seem to care about Major General Wilson''s screams, raised the machete again and dropped it. The little finger of Major General Wilson''s left hand is being cut off with the sword, millimeter by millimeter, from the tip of the finger. More and more objects like bamboo rings stuffed with cucumbers appear on the desk. I don''t want to eat a bamboo ring with tomato sauce on it. The little finger and ring finger of his left hand were already missing down to the root. And just as the sword machete was about to swing down on the tip of my middle finger, ''It''s Princess Sofia! I''ve been promised that Princess Sophia II will be taken as a slave to the Kingdom of Plum! Major General Wilson shouted as if he had given up. ''Using the imprisoned Princess Sophia II as a bargaining chip, McClane''s gone downhill, hasn''t he? ''It''s not His Highness McClane! It''s the Prime Minister! His Highness McClane would never suggest such a devilish thing! ''Shut up! McClane would have approved it! It''s the same thing! ''''Ugh.'''' ''''When will the Plum Kingdom set foot in the Kingdom?'''' ''Tomorrow, from the north side of the fort: ......'' ''I see. Then let''s give them a run for their money. ''If you do that, you''ll ruin our friendship with the Plum Kingdom! ''If you promise to take the princess as a slave and then call it friendship, I''ll crush you! I''m not sure if it''s my imagination or not, but Patrick''s dark eyes seemed to get even darker as he shouted that. 263-Colonel Cybeth. ??¡¥????????-??£¤?????1?¡è¡ì??????????????|????????a?????¡¥???, ''??-??£¤?????1?¡è¡ì?????? ??|??¡ê????????3?¡ã??¡ã?a?|a?|?????????????¡ã??¡ã???¡ì??¡¥????????a. ??|??¡ê????????3?????¡é?????£¤?????|??3¨¦?????¨¨|???¦Ì??????. ?-???a????????a?????? ???¨¦????¡ì??????????????a???'' ??¡§,¨¨¡§???¡ê???????? ???,??-??£¤?????1?¡è¡ì?????????¨¨???o??????a???. ''??-??£¤?????1?¡è¡ì???,???????????????'' ????????a?????¡¥?????-??£¤?????1?¡è¡ì??????¨¦?????¨¨|????¨¨??????? ????? ???, ''?????¡è???????? ???'' ??¡§,?¡ã??????a?¡ê¡ã??¡ì????????|?????????????????a?????¡¥. ''??1????????¡¥??1??-?¡ã?,??-??£¤?????1?¡è¡ì?????¡¥????????????????????¡ì??????'' ??|??¡ê????????3??????????????¡è?????|????????¦Ì???,????????a?????¡¥??????????????????. ?¡ã????¨¦?????¨¦??????????|?????????,??????????????a?¡ã?¨¦????¡ì??¡¥??????. ????????a?????¡¥??¡¥,??????????????|????????¦Ì???¨¨|???¡è?????|, ''??????¨¦???????????????¡¥???|???'' ??¡§,¨¨?|???????????a??????????????????. ??a?????????,???????????¡è?????-???¨¨???????????. ''???????????-??£¤?????1?¡è¡ì???. ?? ?????????????o??????¡¥????????a???,?2??????-??£¤?????1???'' ??¡§,?¡è¡ì??????¨¨¡è?????¡ì¡ã??????. ''??????,??3?¡èa????????¡¥¨¨a????????????? ???????????¡ì????????a???¨¦¡§??????¡ì?????????,??????¨¦???????????????¡¥?????????¡§???,??a?????a?????????????? '' ''??¡§??£¤??¡¥?o??????¡ì,?¡¥???|??a?????¡§??¡ã??¡ê??|??????????????¡ì. ?????£¤???¨¦|?¨¨????¡ì?¡¥??????¡§,???¨¨¡§??????|?????????????????????'' ''????????¦Ì???????¡è¡ì?????a?????????'' ''??????,????????a????????¡ì???????????????¨¦???????a???????????????,??????¨¨??????¡è¡ì?????¡ì??????'' ''?????????????????a??????'' ????????a?????¡¥?????-??£¤?????1?¡è¡ì??????¨¨???????o????????|,??????¨¨|?????????????????? ??¡ê???. ??????????????? ?¡ê??????-???¨¨o????¨¦? ???,????????¡ì????????¡ê?oo??¦Ì?¡ê?¨¦??. ??¡ã??¡¥1??????¨¨????????. ''?????????¨¦???? . ¨¦?2¨¨??¨¦???¡ì??? ???'' ???????? ????????¦Ì??????????????¡ì??????,????-?????????¡¤?????????¨¨¡§???¡ê??|,¨¦?¡§¨¦?????¨¦?2¨¨?????????¡èo??????. ??¡§??|?-???¦Ì?? ???,??¡ê?oo???¨¨o????¨¨???????¡¥¨¦??????????¡ì,¨¦|???a??????????????????¨¦?????¨¨¦Ì¡ã????o??????¡ì??????. ????????????¨¦|???¡¥???????¡À???a???. ¨¦¡ê??3¡ì???¨¦?????¨¦|?¨¨??????? ???¨¦|?????¡À????????????a???????? . ?¡ê??????¡§??????¨¦¡ê???3?o¡è???????????¡ê?oo???,??£¤?????1??¡§??a???,???¨¨???????|??????. ??????¨¨?3???¨¦?????????3??????¡ê?oo???,????3??????¡ê?oo. ??????????????????????????¡ê?oo?????????. ???¨¨|??????a????????¡ê?oo¨¦?????,?????¦Ì??¡§??¡¥¨¦??????????1???¨¨?-????????-??¡ê????????????. ''????¡§??? ??? ????¡§????¨¨???????????????????? ¨¨-|????????????'' ''????????a? ¡ä?????¡ì????¡§???? ??¡ã¨¦????????'' ??¡ã¨¦????¡§??¡¥,??o???¨¦¡ê???1??a????????¡è¨¨?3???????? . ¨¨a-¨¨???????????????????????¨¨a????????????a???,??3??¡é?????a??a????????2???15????????????????????????????¡ì???????????¦Ì??????1??|??2??????. ?????????¨¦ -¨¦?¡§????o???????¨¨¡ì???????????????¡ã?????¡ì?? . ''??????,??o??????¨¨?-?????????. ??¡¥??¡è????????3?????¡§???'' ''??a?????¡ê??? ?????3????????????????¡ê???????????????o?????|???????????¡ê??? ?¡¤?????????o?3¡§?????¡ê???'' ''¨¨?-??????¨¨???????¡ì?????? ??????????????¡§??¡ê???'' ''??a?????¡ê???'' ?????????????????|¨¦????????????????????. ?¡ê??????¡§??????¨¦??¨¦????????,??¡¥??¡ê??????¨¨|???????. ?????????2??1?????????????¡ì??????? 264-Pay, attack. It''s also a pterodactyl wearing armor. ''What the hell is that? The commander of the Lion Tribe shouted. As if in response to his voice, a voice comes from the sky. ''Lieutenant General of the Royal Capital Army of the Mental Kingdom! Commander of the 2nd Eighth Army! This is Patrick von Snakes! This is Patrick von Snakes! If you advance any further, we will consider this a territorial invasion and attack! Turn back immediately! I repeat! Turn back immediately! If you cannot accept this, march on! The treaty of friendship is considered abrogated and the attack will commence in five minutes! The man who called himself Patrick Von Snakes shouted, then disappeared high into the sky with two pterodactyls. ''Pterodactylsa????? I didn''t hear that! shouted the commander of the Lion tribe. ''Lieutenant! What should we do? Should we keep going? A nearby soldier asks the commander. ''No matter what we do, His Majesty has ordered us to make the Third Prince McClane of the Mental Kingdom the king and get the Second Princess. If we leave without doing anything, it will be us who will be punished, we have to go.'' ''Then, should we run in all directions? ''Yes, if they are scattered individually, the two of them might not be able to handle it. ''Then! ''Ah! Everyone, move in as fast as you can! And with that, he sent the soldiers charging. ???????????? ''Oh no. I warned you about this, but you wasted your life. Patrick (made by a dwarf) was watching with binoculars from above. ''Peh, attack now! You can do whatever you want.'' Patrick said, looking at Peh. ''Giggle! As soon as Peh made that sound, the horns of Peh''s head began to glow faintly blue. And countless ice arrows formed around Peh. How many, no, how many thousands of arrows were there? The arrows all fell towards the ground at once. The arrows that fall are blocked by the trees in the forest, but some of them reach the ground without being blocked. The beasts run forward to get through the forest. They can''t run while looking up. And the arrows that fall pierce the bodies of the beasts. One, two, ten, a hundred, maybe a thousand fell. Moans could be heard from the ground. Patrick and Pooh above, listening in silence. And Pei is not there. At the same time as he drops the arrow, Peh lowers his altitude and spits water from his mouth at the beasts that have advanced to the border. It was like a firefight. Even if they could avoid the icy arrows, they could not avoid the splashing water. The beasts didn''t seem to mind that it was just water. However, the lead ape beastman suddenly fell from the tree. His wet clothes looked a little white. The moment the body of the fallen beastman hit the ground, it shattered as if an ice slab had been slammed into the ground. As if on cue, the beastmen froze and hardened one after another. Not only the beastmen, but also the trees froze. A certain Viscount had once described the pterosaur as a disaster-grade demon, and it seemed to be a reproduction of a natural disaster blizzard. ''Hey, Pooh. Is Pei angry about something? He''s relentless, isn''t he?'' Patrick asks Pooh, ''Caggaa, giggle, giggle, giggle. ''Have you been getting upset a lot lately? I wonder why? I''ve been playing with you, haven''t I? Caw. ''Well, I guess it''s best not to go against Pei, Pu. He''ll freeze you.'' Gah! ''Well, let''s go get the one who looks the most important. Pooh! Let''s go get that big golden guy! Gee gee gee! Pooh squealed as it descended in altitude. 265-What is a pterosaur? The commander, a man of the Lion tribe, was in a hurry. He had heard rumors that there was a wizard who used wyverns in the Mental Kingdom, but he had never heard of pterodactyls. And I know the story of the pterosaur in the fairy tale. A pterosaur of the wind that calls up storms and turns cities to dust. The flame-spewing pterosaur that flies from a fire-breathing mountain. There are many legends, but they are all just rumors, and this is the first time I''ve seen a pterosaur in the flesh. So I thought it would be stronger than the wyverns, but now I was regretting that I had ordered them to march in. I didn''t expect them to be this strong! The troops in the front were frozen by the ice pterodactyl''s attack, and were almost completely destroyed. Just as he was about to shout for retreat, he noticed that a black blur was forming around him. A jet-black pterosaur. The dark dragon of darkness that appeared in the fairy tales I read when I was little. A city crumbling and being sucked in by the all-consuming darkness and the echoes generated by the darkness. At the end of the story, all the urban civilization is sucked into the world, and only the continent of wasteland exists. I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not. Am I going to be swallowed up and die?'' The lion man muttered as he was enveloped in a black blur, unable to see more than a few tens of centimeters ahead. ''Do you want to die? He suddenly heard a voice, ''Who wants to die? Of course I want to live! The lion man shouted on the spot. ''Then withdraw your troops. And lead the way to Plum''s palace. If you accept my terms, I''ll call off the attack. I heard a quiet, but strong tone of voice, ''The royal palace! What do you think you''re doing? I shouted back. ''What, I need to give King Plum a little lecture, a little chastisement, a little pain, to make me feel better. ''His Majesty will not meet you! ''Then I''ll think of something else then. Are you going to lead us or not? Do you want to die with your troops? I''ll wipe you out so you won''t be alone in the afterlife.'' The voice sounded like an ultimatum. ''Can you guarantee the lives of the soldiers? The lion man felt bad for the soldiers who had already died, but he wanted to avoid annihilation. ''Only if you guide them. If you don''t hurry, more and more of them will freeze to death. I haven''t stopped them yet.'' It looks like they''re still killing us. ''All right, please stop the ice pterodactyl! We have to stop it now! That''s what I thought and immediately pleaded. ''I guess we have a deal. A few seconds later, when the black blur disappeared, I saw the dark dragon''s terrifyingly cold eyes staring at the lion man. It was a cold gaze, reminiscent of death. 266-Pram Palace Two pterodactyls fly over the Plum Kingdom. On the back of the jet-black pterosaur is a man. On the blue pterosaur''s leg is a golden lion man strapped to a log. I''m not sure what to do. The lion man, who had been screaming just a moment ago, spoke to Patrick, though it was hard to tell whether he had become accustomed to the situation or had given up. ''Are you in a position to say that? You''re wasting your time, so I let you live instead of letting you lead the way. If you want, you can kill him and search for the royal palace while destroying the city of Plum Kingdom. Patrick said, looking at the man, ''Please don''t do that. He pleads. ''Then don''t complain! ''Okay.'' ''Are you sure you want to keep going straight?'' ''Yeah, at this speed, we''ll be in sight in an hour. ''Hmm, no problem then. ???????????????????????????????????? The Royal Palace of Plum. It''s a not-so-luxurious castle made of stone, but it looks solid. In one of the rooms, a man of the lion tribe, accompanied by many women, was having a meal. He is the king of this country, Leonardo Dis Plum. The golden hair on his head is a color peculiar to the royal lion family. While ordinary lionesses have brown hair, only those with royal blood have golden hair. He is a big man of about 190 centimeters, dressed in luxurious clothes, grabbing thick meat with his hands and carrying it in his mouth. ''Is it time for Antony''s guy to enter the mental kingdom? Leonardo asks the man standing by his side. ''Probably. The man who was asked replies. ''If he succeeds in bringing the princess, fine. If he fails, we can blame Antony and execute him. You''ve come at the right time. ''There have been quite a few complaints lately from those who adore Antony. His Majesty and Antony are the only men of the royal family now. With Antony gone, there will be fewer people to complain to.'' ''It would be best if Antony died in battle and the princess was brought back by his men! ''I hope you''re right! As he was about to put the meat in his mouth again, a wolf soldier hurriedly entered the room. ''I''m reporting it! Two pterodactyls have appeared in the sky above us, and the one riding on the back of the pterodactyls is clamoring to bring His Majesty to us! What should we do? At those words, ''What! The one who rides on the back of a pterosaur? You''re not dreaming, are you? The man at Leonardo''s side asks the soldier back. ''Not only me, but all the soldiers are seeing it! The soldier from the wolf tribe replies, ''Mm, who can ride a pterosaur, a messenger of God or a messenger of the devil? What color is the pterosaur that he rides? ''Jet black, sir. ''Jet-black, in the fairy tale of the dark dragon, was it a dragon that brought destruction? As if in response, Leonardo said, ''Have you come to destroy my kingdom? I don''t see how two pterodactyls can destroy the Plum Kingdom! I''ll just go out and watch the pterodactyls for now! With that, Leonardo left his seat. 267-crumpled When King Leonardo walked out onto the terrace of the castle, he saw two pterodactyls flapping their wings in the sky. The presence of the two pterodactyls caused King Leonardo to take a step backward. However, he regained his strength and moved forward, ''I am the king of this country! I am Leonardo Displume! It''s rude of you to look down on me from above! Come down! '' he shouted. The two pterodactyls must have heard his voice, for they circled back and lowered their altitude. But they stopped their descent a little higher than King Leonardo''s line of sight, ''Hmm, don''t they look like you? Antony? Patrick, riding on the back of the jet-black pterodactyl Pu, said. ''Well, he''s my brother, so I guess he does. The man called Antony is tied with ropes to a log that Pooh grabs with his feet. Yes, he''s the commander of the Plum Kingdom army. ''What? You''re royalty?'' ''I''m the king''s brother. ''Why is the King''s brother on an expedition? ''Because my brother hates me. ''Why?'' ''I told him to think more about the people, and here we are.'' ''Is your brother an idiot? Patrick and Antony ignored Leonardo, the King of Plum, who was right in front of them, and talked. ''You guys have the nerve to ignore me and then call me an idiot when I have nothing to say. King Lionel said, ''You demanded the princess of a neighboring country as a slave, and you want to be thought of as an intellectual? Are you really that stupid? Patrick was taken aback. ''d*mn you! I came all the way out here to help you! And the slaves are the ones Prince McClane told me about! King Leonardo shouted. ''Oh well, so. Surrender if you don''t want to die. Patrick suddenly pressed him to surrender. ''What? King Leonardo couldn''t help but say. ''What, you can''t even understand a word I''m saying? Antony, you must have had a hard time with this bastard as king. ''Of course I did. Antony affirmed. ''Shut up! You''ve been calling me stupid, you''ve been calling me a bastard, you''ve been calling me a bastard! I''ll kill you!'' ''I''ll kill you!'' exclaimed King Leonardo. ''I''m going to kill you'' is a word only someone who is ready to be killed can say, are you ready? Patrick''s eyes narrowed as he said. ''I will not be defeated by you! '' said the confident King Leonardo. ''No, you''re dealing with a pterosaur. Patrick said, raising his right eyebrow in a slightly mocking manner. ''Huh, not fair! I don''t know who you are, but you use a dragon to fight a king, shameless! Fight him fair and square, one on one!'' King Leonardo shouted, ''Oh, you didn''t tell me your name? Well, let''s make this simple. I''m Patrick von Snakes, frontier count of the Mental Kingdom and lieutenant general of the national army. I''d be surprised if a coward who''s been unjustly trying to invade our territory has any sense of fairness! I said, King Leonardo replied, ''That''s your country''s idea, isn''t it? King Leonardo replied. ''You traitor! Patrick shouted, a little deadly. ''Ugh! King Leonardo was at a loss for words. ''You''re a coward if you know what I''m talking about! ''Shut up! I''m not going to do it. No pterodactyls! ''Well, fine.'' Hearing Patrick''s words, King Leonardo thought he had won. The physical ability of beastmen was higher than that of humans. Royalty is even higher. Because they''ve been receiving superior blood. But there was more to Patrick''s words. ''What did you think I was going to say? Crush him! ''What? ......'' Leonardo didn''t get to finish his sentence. Gush! 268-a coward ''All right! The matter is settled!'' Patrick declared, feeling refreshed, ''Wait a minute! What are you going to do with this country? ''You''ll be king! ''Why don''t you be the king, Antony? Of course, you''ll have to do it on the condition that you don''t defy me! ''No, I''m tied to a log and there''s nothing I can do about it. ''You''ll have to accept my terms, won''t you?'' Patrick asked with a wicked smile, ''That''s a dirty way to go about it. Antony spat out the words with a dumbfounded expression. ''Don''t give me that compliment. Patrick smiles. ''I didn''t give you a single compliment! Antony gives him a pouting look. ''Really? Well, okay. So, do you want to accept the terms? Do you want to die now?'' ''You promised to spare the lives of the soldiers, didn''t you? ''You''re not a soldier, you''re royalty! ''''That''s just a theory! I''m a lieutenant general in the Plum Kingdom army, I''m a fine soldier! ''You may be a soldier, but you''re still royalty. But you''re still royalty. This is the right way to look at things. ''It''s not right! I don''t have a choice! I don''t feel like I can win, and I don''t want to die, so I''ll drink! ''Oh, you''ve made a wise choice! ''Shut up! You''re a coward! ''So don''t praise me like that! You''re embarrassing me.'' ''I didn''t praise you at all! Antony''s heartbreaking cry echoed. ???????????????????????????????????? ''I wonder what''s going on in the Plum Kingdom right now? A few hours after Patrick flew away, Colonel Cubes put former Major General Wilson in jail at the southern fort, and after cleaning up the mess, he muttered to himself. ''It''s a pterodactyl, after all, so even the strongest Plum Kingdom soldier can''t do anything about it. The soldier next to him said to Colonel Cubes, ''No, that''s probably true. What I''m trying to say is whether the Plum Kingdom will survive or not. A pterosaur is a monster of disaster proportions. The country could be blown to bits! I hope the innocent people won''t suffer at least, but I wonder if that cruel lieutenant general will do anything about it. ''Ah! Certainly! It''s possible that the Plum Kingdom could be crushed . Even physically.'''' ''Wouldn''t it? That brutality. I''ve never been knocked unconscious with my eyes open before. I never thought I''d experience anything like that at my age. ''General Snakes seems to think you were asleep, sir. '' said the soldier with a little smile on his face, ''He doesn''t have the nerve to sleep through all that screaming! Colonel Cubes''s voice became louder. ''Even the rock Cubes has lost his shape. ''How did you guys hold on to Wilson? Colonel Cubes praises the soldiers for not fainting. ''We didn''t see any fingers roll in front of us! The soldier says that was a bad idea. ''That was really hard! ''I bet it was. ''I guess the Grim Reaper''s name wasn''t so bad after all. 269-provisional Talking about such things , ''Report! Two pterodactyls with armor approaching from above! I think it''s Lord Snakes! A soldier came running in and reported to Colonel Cubes. ''What? It''s been less than a day. Did you forget something? Or did something urgent happen and you had to turn back?'' Colonel Cubes asked the soldier who had reported back, ''I don''t know, sir, since they haven''t arrived yet. I thought I''d report to the Colonel for now, so I came running! ''All right, I''m on my way. With that, Colonel Cubes left his seat and headed for the central square of the fort, where Pooh and Pei were just descending. Patrick was riding on Pooh''s back, but Peh''s legs were not holding anything. Colonel Cubes saw this and said, ''Lieutenant General Snakes, is there a problem with your return so soon? Or did you forget something? Patrick asks. ''No, it''s done! Patrick replied succinctly. ''What? Colonel Cubes asks back. ''The matter of the Plum Kingdom is settled. ''Well, in such a short time? ''Oh!'' ''It''s just my simple curiosity, but if you don''t mind, may I ask how it was settled? ''''King of the Plum Kingdom, Leonardo, right? I killed him! So I decided to make his brother, Antony, king and made him swear absolute obedience to me! ''Huh? ''Hmm?'' ''You defeated that King Leonardo? That mighty king?'' ''Ah! Oh, I didn''t do it, okay? I had Pei crush him with a snap! ''Squish? It''s not like it''s a bug. ......'' ''It was like squishing a dirty tomato. ''Ugh, I can just imagine ......''. Colonel Cubes pressed his mouth. ''You look a little pale, are you okay? ''A little nauseous. ......'' ''That''s not good, you shouldn''t sleep too much, you know? I heard from the other soldiers during the interrogation that Cubes wasn''t supposed to be sleeping, but you should get some sleep. You''re going to be in charge of the southern army as a provisional major general, you know! ''No, lack of sleep has nothing to do with it,'' he said, ''but what? Major General? No, no, no, the appointment can only be made by His Majesty the General, sir. Colonel Cubes said, When the crown prince ascends to the throne, he''ll be asked to officially resign, but right now it''s an emergency. Colonel Cubes is the only colonel in the southern army, right? Then it''s decided! ''Huh? Is that so absurd? ''We have no choice but to do it, even if it''s reckless! We need to resolve McClane''s rebellion as soon as possible, and for now, I''ll have you go to the rescue of His Royal Highness Prince William, who is staying in Dixon territory. The Plum Kingdom is not going to attack us, so leave the minimum number of soldiers at the fort to maintain security, and get ready to head to Dixon territory! We were supposed to go there originally, can we do it now? ''That''s true, but what are you going to do? ''I''m going to fly to the Dixon territory and get some information. Colonel Cubes stared at Patrick as he rode off on the back of Pooh again, ''I''ve never heard of a provisional major general before, is that a good idea ......? The soldier beside him muttered, A soldier beside him said, ''But we can''t afford not to go. The Crown Prince is in trouble. Since His Excellency Snakes is a member of the Dauphin''s faction, Prince William will win in all likelihood. If we don''t cooperate, the Southern Army will be in a bad position. I said. ''That''s true. All right, hurry up and get them ready! ''Ha! The southern fort started to move in a hurry. 270-Bendrick vs. Dixon A mixed force of the Count of Ganash''s army of the Bendrick Prime Minister''s faction and soldiers of the Ganash faction nobility, deployed on the border of the Dixon territory on the side of the royal capital. The mixed forces of the Marquess of Dixon''s army and the Viscount of Kanaan''s army are deployed to prevent that. In the event that you''ve got a lot of money, you''ll be able to take advantage of the fact that you''ll be able to use it to buy a lot of things. The Bendrick''s Prime Minister''s troops were unable to respond at all, losing about a hundred soldiers as they entered by a steep route that only a running dragon could take. As the two sides continued to stare each other down for a long time, one of the recruits, who could no longer stand the waiting, fired a bow and arrow at the other side, setting off a fierce battle. Arrows from both sides poured down like rain. The pouring arrows pierced the bodies of the soldiers one after another. As one soldier after another fell, medics carried the wounded to the rear on their backs (soldiers who could treat the wounded). When the arrows run out, the soldiers with spears on both sides start running at once. The spearmen formed a line of battle and moved forward. It was the soldiers of the 8th Army with long spears for wyverns deployed in the Eastern Army that showed their strength here. The long spear was made by Snakes'' family forger under Patrick''s direction, and of course it was introduced to the 8th army and Snakes'' territory army on a trial basis. The long spear, which is more than twice as long as a normal spear, is inconvenient to handle, but it can be swung down as if striking, and attack from a distance that the opponent cannot reach! Longer distance is a great advantage. The long spears of the 8th Army were sure to reap the lives of the soldiers of Prime Minister Bendrick''s faction. The soldiers fell in a daze. Some of the soldiers were able to evade the long spears, but the strength of each soldier was so different that the 8th Army was said to be the best. A soldier of Prime Minister Bendrick''s faction who collapsed and rushed in was no match for the elite 8th Army, and the 8th Army would aim precisely at the neck or heart of the opponent, so potions would not work on the fallen soldier. On the contrary, they were not even carried to the rear. This is probably because the medics of Prime Minister Bendrick''s faction are knocked down before they can be carried out. The fallen and trampled soldiers would surely have gone through the portal to Hades. The Marquess of Dixon''s troops gradually reduced the Bendrick Prime Minister''s troops, and when the battle situation became favorable, two large creatures descended rapidly from far above. They are pterodactyls clad in armor. 271-Williams determination One of the two, after spraying the center of the Bendrick Prime Minister''s army with water, soared upward. The other, a pterodactyl with a man on its back, came to an abrupt halt in the sky, out of reach of the bow and arrow. Needless to say, it was Pooh, carrying Patrick. From atop Pooh''s back, Patrick shouts. ''I am Patrick von Snakes! Surrender unless you want to die! I repeat! Surrender! Soldiers of Prime Minister Bendrick''s faction! The Plum Kingdom army you''ve been counting on is not coming here! And the southern army is on its way to help the Dixons. You don''t stand a chance! I say again! Surrender! The soldiers who could hear those words were happy. The soldiers who were sprayed with water by Pei were already frozen to death. ???????????????????????????????????? ''Patrick! Thank you for coming!'' Prince William, who had taken refuge in the Dixon territory, called out to Patrick. Prince William has been calling him Patrick since Patrick''s marriage to Thornaris. ''Your Highness! I''m glad you''re safe. My apologies for the delay.'' Patrick said, ''Thanks to the Canaanese court mages, we were able to escape safely. So what did you mean when you said earlier about the Plum Kingdom army? Prince William said, looking at Decourse standing beside him. ''Actually...'' Patrick explained the situation, ''What? Did McClane make a secret agreement with the Kingdom of Plum for such a thing? Prince William is indignant. ''Yes, we couldn''t bear to be caught in the middle, so we suppressed the Plum Kingdom first. I had heard from the reports that our Van Pelt and the others were going to join the Dixon and Canaan armies, so I moved on my own, thinking that it would be safe for a while. Please forgive me. ''Of course! You''ve done a great job holding back the Plum Kingdom! ''For now, I''ve instructed the southern army to head this way. The fort doesn''t need to worry about the Plum Kingdom, so all but the necessary personnel will head this way.'''' ''Then we can keep the surrendered soldiers in custody. Yes, the soldiers of Prime Minister Bendrick''s faction had surrendered just as Pei''s attack was about to finish them off. With the pterodactyls outnumbered, morale would be lost. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m not the only one who has a problem with this. If you want, I can fly to King''s Landing and destroy the Ganash Faction? ''No, if I keep relying on Patrick for everything, there will be problems with my rule when I take the throne. I''ve made up my mind. McClane''s life is in my hands. I''m sorry, but I need your help! William looked into Patrick''s eyes and said. ''Your Highness, no, brother-in-law. Are you serious?'' Patrick asks again. ''Yes, because of my nature, isn''t it? Both last time and this time. If we don''t prevent any more nobles from thinking of rebellion, this country will not be able to hold together. I understand. Then let''s cooperate. 272-Abbottially Patrick took off immediately. First, he heads toward the Southern Army and finds a division of the Southern Army marching toward Dixon territory. He disembarks, reports his recognition as Provisional Major General, tells them that the Dauphin is waiting for them in Dixon territory, and flies north. The goal is Abbott''s territory. Having experienced firsthand the full speed of the Pu, Patrick felt the need to attach a safety belt to his saddle. At any rate, he flew to the border and observed the movements of the uncontacted Abbott territory from a considerable altitude with a custom-made telescope. This was a measure to prevent the Abbotts from recognizing Patrick''s presence. In the northern mountainous region, we see a good number of soldiers in the new northern fort under construction, and turn around to check the old northern fort. The old fort also had a large number of soldiers, so we infer that it is not particularly active at present. We turned around and flew back to the Abbot''s main territory (the original territory, which is a flight from the mountainous region, so the mountainous region is called Abbot''s territory and the original territory is called Abbot''s main territory), ''Pooh, we''re going down to that house. Turn at a distance that arrows can''t reach.'' Patrick instructed Pooh, saying so. a?|???a?¡éa?|???a?¡é ''Sir! We''re in trouble! The guards of the Abbott frontier count''s mansion came running in with a loud voice. ''What''s going on? The Abbott frontiersman answered the guards, ''There''s a black pterodactyl circling above! ''What? Does that pterosaur have armor? ''Yes, sir! There''s an armor with the family crest of the Snakes! ''Hmm, they''re getting impatient since we haven''t contacted them. Abbott said, ''What can I do for you? Ryan asks his father, the Abbott frontiersman. ''I''ll meet you in the courtyard! Clear the courtyard! Abbott orders the guards. ''Yes, sir! The guards salute and run off. A jet-black pterodactyl landed softly in the courtyard of the Abbott frontier count''s house, ''I''ve heard of it, but it''s terrifying to see it up close. I''ve heard of them, but they''re terrifying up close,'' Abbott said to Patrick, who jumped off the dragon''s back, ''Welcome to the Abbott residence! ''Welcome to Abbott''s! ''Mr. Abbott, I have some things to say and some things to ask you, but first I want to ask you this. Do you want to keep the alliance or break it? Answer me! Patrick shouted at him, ''Keep it! We need to discuss these matters inside the compound for now! The Abbott frontiersman answered loudly. ''All right! Pu, use your tail on any soldiers that come near. And don''t kill them if you can help it.'' Instructed Patrick, ''You guys, stay away from them! You''ll die for sure! The Abbott frontiersman warned the soldiers. 273-Ryans cry. ''So? Why don''t you start by telling me why you haven''t contacted me?'' Patrick started, ''I received a letter from His Highness MacLean asking me to help with the rebellion, but when I replied that I couldn''t move because of the preparations in the north, he threatened me to cut off all contact with the Snakes if my son''s wife, Crozier''s mother, and thus the Third Queen, Alicia, were important to me. The Abbot explained the reason. ''Is that kid crazy enough to take his own mother hostage? But even so, you could at least get a spouse, right? Patrick said, ''I sent a few spies secretly, but they were all captured, and your spies also came, but I didn''t know their faces, so I couldn''t decide whether they were really spies of the Snakes or whether the McClane side was pretending to be spies of the Snakes. If she entrusted him with a letter or something and he took it away, Queen Alicia the Third''s life would be in danger. I was wondering if there was anything I could do. I''ve been wondering if there''s anything I can do about it,'' said Abbott with a mysterious look on his face. ''Why has there been no word from you for some time? Ryan asked, referring to the fact that he hadn''t been able to reach him since before the rebellion, ''McClane''s bodyguards have been guarding my wife, Crozier, for several months now, and they''ve been keeping a constant watch on the house, so I haven''t been able to move. If anything happens to my wife, the child in my belly will be in danger. He gave the reason. ''Oh, you''re pregnant! Congratulations! Patrick said, looking at Ryan''s face. ''That''s why I''ve been stuck. I was wondering if there was any way we could help Queen Alicia the Third? '' said Abbott, the frontiersman, ''Hmm, if we knew where she was being held, it might be possible, but not necessarily at the royal castle, would it? Patrick said. ''Yeah, it could be a faction nobleman''s mansion. The Abbott frontiersman replies. ''If we could just find out where they are first. Patrick said, crossing his arms behind his head, ''At least we know it''s not to the west or north. The Abbott frontiersman reported the results of his investigation, though he was unable to move. ''Then east, south, or the mansion in King''s Landing. All right, I''ll check here as well. I''ll use someone I know to contact you. Patrick said, ''I''m counting on you! If you can get Queen Alicia the Third out of there, we can move! Ryan bowed his head. ''Speaking of which, are there no guards now?'' Patrick asked, ''They left yesterday, but it''s not impossible that they''re hiding. Abbott, the frontiersman. ''Then he might have found out about me. I''m leaving here as soon as possible! I''ll call you if I hear anything! Goodbye!'' Patrick said as he left his seat, ''Sir, please! Ryan shouted. 274-McClane Patrick will once again ride on Pooh''s back into the sky. He''s headed west to the Snakes'' territory. When he returns at maximum speed, he calls Ein and gives him an order. ''Track down the whereabouts of the Third Queen, Lady Alicia. Find out where she''s trapped. Have Mulder look for her too! Patrick''s strong words, ''Yes, sir! Ein responded with a salute. ''I''m flying south, report to the south. ''Ha! ???????????????????????????????????? At the same time, King''s Landing was the scene of a standoff between the Simonist soldiers surrounding the Royal Castle and the people holed up in the castle who were cooperating with the Third Prince McClane. The Simonists were unable to attack the castle due to its solidity, while McClane''s side only attacked with bows and arrows, and showed no signs of fighting properly. ''How long is it going to take for the southern army and the Plum Kingdom army to arrive? The Third Prince McClane asked aloud. ''It''ll take about ten days for the Dixon territory to fall, so let''s hold out for about twenty days and save our men. It was Lieutenant General Ganash who said. ''Then, I''m going to visit my sister. McClane said and stood up. McClane entered the room of the second queen, who was under house arrest in a remote part of the royal castle, ''Hello, Sister. I''m going to marry into the Kingdom of Plum in about a month, are you ready? Are you ready for that? ''It''s not a marriage, but a sale, isn''t it? The Second Princess Sofia glared at the Third Prince McClane and said back. ''Well, that''s quite a way of putting it, sister. How dare you say that to the person who is indebted to you for letting your sister, who is under house arrest and cannot leave this place, out into the world? '' said the third prince McClane, mockingly. ''You just want to banish a useless princess to the Plum Kingdom on a convenient pretext, don''t you? ''Well, you''re not wrong. Your sister, brother William, and Thornaris. The three of them are a hindrance to me. I''m going to ask Brother William and Thorinaris to disappear, but you should be grateful that I''m letting you live! ''You can''t do that! McClane, are you forgetting about that man? The Grim Reaper! Said the Second Princess Sofia, ''Don''t talk about him! The 3rd Prince McClane punched the 2nd Princess Sofia, saying. ''Because of that man, my first job will be cracking down on shoddy tax evasion, and because I''m beholden to Brother William, the Dauphin''s faction will gain power and my faction will be disrespected. I want him dead! That''s what the 3rd Prince McClane said. 275-Pterosaur of the Death Snakes ''Do you think you can defeat the pterodactyl of the Death God Snakes?'' The Second Princess Sofia said as she glared at the Third Prince McClane, ''It''s only a big wyvern! I''ll turn you into a beehive with my ballista! I''m not a big fan of snakes, but I can handle them! The Third Prince McClane loosened his mouth. ''McClane, don''t you know how strong a pterosaur is? Princess Sofia II asks Prince McClane, her eyes widening slightly. ''''If you believe in those storybook fairy tales, your sister''s head must be quite the flower garden! McClane looks down at the 2nd Princess Sophia''s face with a foolish expression, ''''You don''t believe me, do you? The Second Princess Sofia looked a little dumbfounded. ''It''s impossible for a single pterosaur to turn the continent into a wasteland! It seems that your sister is not familiar with the common sense of the world. This wide land won''t be turned into a wasteland by just one or two dragons! It''s only a village at most! With that, McClane left the room. ''Even if you don''t know the world, you know that lore is meant to tell the truth. Stupid brother.'' The Second Princess Sofia muttered in a quiet voice. ???????????????????????????????????? A tavern in King''s Landing. There was not a single customer, a testament to the chaos in King''s Landing right now. They were in no condition to go out for a drink. Mulder was dusting the counter against the entrance door, The door opened. The sound of the door opening and the tolling of the bell above the door rang almost simultaneously. ''Welcome, sir. Mulder called out as he turned around, ''Master, no, Mulder, I want to make a deal. A man comes up to him. He seems to know Mulder''s identity. ''A deal? Hmm, please have a seat. Let''s talk about it.'' With that, Mulder walks over to the counter, fills a glass with whiskey, and sets it on the counter over ice. ''If you help my grandson, I will tell you the whereabouts of Queen Alicia the Third. To the man who said that, ''Well, I guess I''ll call you Marquis Gibbs now. How dare you help your grandson? And how did you know we were looking for Queen Alicia the Third? Mulder''s eyes narrowed slightly. ''My grandson was taken as a hostage by His Highness McClane. As for Queen Alicia the Third, I''m still a Marquis. As Attorney General, I''ve got a good ear and the brains to guess from the words of those who try to probe me. The Marquis Gibbs said to Mulder with a weak smile. 276-Gibbs wish The Marquis of Gibbs continued. ''He''s the son of my eldest son, my precious grandson, the heir to my family. He said he would return unharmed if I did what he said, but there is no way McClane can win! There is no way he can win against the Snakes! You can''t help a prince who doesn''t understand that! Please! Put me through to Sir Patrick! If anyone from McClane''s side sees me leave King''s Landing, they''ll be watching me at the gates. It will definitely be taken as betrayal! Mulder could see the fire of anger in the Marquis Gibbs'' eyes as he said this, as if he could see the fire of anger towards the Third Prince McClane. ''What are Prince McClane''s orders?'' Mulder asked quietly, ''That if we don''t cooperate, we should sit tight. We''re noblemen of the court, we don''t have soldiers. I don''t think they''re part of the army. The Marquis of Gibbs shouts weakly. The court nobles have no territory to protect, so they are only allowed to have soldiers to guard their residences. ''I see, do you know where your grandson is? And what is your grandson''s name? Mulder asked, ''It''s a mansion on Ganash''s estate. My grandson''s name is Kent. Kent Gibbs.'' The Marquis Gibbs replied immediately. ''Very well. I''ll contact my lord. And where is Queen Alicia the Third? ''East, in the mansion of Baron Curial. That''s where Ganache''s youngest daughter is married.'''' ''Oh, you mean the famous glitterati? I could see the disgust on Mulder''s face. ''There was talk of Mulder getting a wife at one point, wasn''t there? ''Yeah, I turned it down because I didn''t like him and I couldn''t keep up with his jeweled fashion. ''She''s always been known for her rough spending. ''Enough about that woman! Then, I will contact the palace immediately, and as soon as I hear back, I will inform you in private.'''' ''Please! The Marquis Gibbs grabbed a glass on the counter, gulped down the drink in one gulp, and left the table. Mulder watched the Marquis walk away, ''Well, you heard the man, right? ''Yes,'' he said to the back of the store. ''Yes, sir. A man emerged from the back. ''Nick, go tell the manor at once! Mulder''s voice got a little louder. ''Have you reported to Lord Ein? The man called Nick asked Mulder, ''I''ll send someone else to report to him. At any rate, you''d better report to the lord as soon as possible!'' At the strength in Mulder''s voice, Nick said, ''I''ll run as soon as I can! He said seriously, and quickly headed for the store door. ''Come on!'' With Mulder''s voice behind him, ''Yes, sir! '' Nick replied without turning around and started running. 277-Nick Nick arrives at the Dark Serpent Squad''s hideout and mounts one of their horses. Heading south of King''s Landing. ''Is it Dixon territory for now? I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do that, but I''m sure I''ll be able to do it. He muttered and kicked the horse in the stomach with both feet. He kicked the horse''s belly with both feet, and the horse galloped quickly through the gates of the royal capital. Nick took a bite of the same rations that the Snakes'' army carried, drank water from a canteen, and rode along the streets without sleeping except when the horses were resting. Two days later, Nick arrives in Dixon territory. He visits the house of the Marquess of Dixon, ''I''m Nick, a member of the Dark Serpent Squad of the House of Snakes. Is the lord staying here? I asked the gatekeeper, ''His Excellency, the Count of the Frontier is not here at the moment. Baron Van Pelt is staying. Would you like me to take care of him? Nick was told, ''Yes, please. Nick bowed his head. ''Please wait here for a moment. With that, the gatekeeper disappeared into the house and came out a few moments later with Van Pelt. ''Oh, it''s Nick. Thanks for coming. The master isn''t here right now, do you want to wait here? Van Pelt said, Van Pelt said, ''Which way did the manor stand? Nick asked, ''I honestly don''t know. He flew away on Master Pooh''s back.'' ''When did that happen? ''The day before yesterday. ''Then, may I wait here? If we release the signal arrows in a timely manner, Master Pu should be able to notice us if we are flying nearby. ''Oh, that inaudible arrow. ''Yes, it''s an arrow that even we humans and elves can''t hear, but the dragon kind can. ''It''s faster than moving around. Leave the horse and get some rest. You look a little pale, Nick. You''re not sleeping, are you? ''No, I''m not going to sleep until I tell the manor that Mr. Mulder has sent word! ''Then at least eat some food.'' ''Karori Biscuits seem to be nutritious, but they don''t taste very good, so I''d appreciate some food. ''Karoribisuket, it makes me thirsty.'' Van Pelt muttered in disgust. After that, every hour or so, Nick would fire an arrow into the sky. Twenty minutes after he fired his fourth arrow, a jet-black pterodactyl returned to the Marquis of Dixon''s mansion with a sound that cut through the air. a?|???a?¡éa?|???a?¡é ''So it''s the Baroness Curial of the East. Patrick muttered to himself after hearing Nick''s report. ''Yes, it''s the Marquis Gibbs'' story, and my grandson''s life is at stake, so I''m sure he''s not lying, but I haven''t done any confirmation. He wants a report first.'' Nick told him, ''Let''s just trust his character for now and get Queen Alicia out of there first, then we''ll go to Attorney General Gibbs'' grandson. With that, Patrick jumped onto Pooh''s back again. ''Nick, you stay here! Sleep for now! All right! Patrick said, ''Yes! Nick replied. 278-poison The Barony of Curial was in chaos as the pterodactyl circled in the sky above. The people in the territory run away screaming and running into the buildings. Directly below where the jet-black pterodactyl was circling was the mansion of Baron Curial. Suddenly, the pterosaur swoops down, changes direction just before it is about to hit the mansion, rises, and starts turning again. It''s a great way to make sure you''re getting the most out of your vacation. ???????????????????????????????????? Patrick walked noiselessly across the roof of Baron Curial''s noisy mansion, jumped down to the terrace, and inspected the large sweeping windows. The door is locked. Patrick inserted a wire into the keyhole of the window and dexterously moved it, Click! There was a pleasant sound. The sound was drowned out by the shouts of the servants of the house. Patrick walks unconcernedly into the room he has entered. He bypassed the empty room, opened the door, stepped out into the hallway, and began to walk at a steady pace. No one has noticed his presence. The servants who lean out of the windows and terraces to watch the pterodactyl in the sky are not looking at the inside of the house. No, even if they did, they probably wouldn''t notice. They searched the room where he was hiding. Well, they found it quickly. Standing in front of the door is a large man in metal armor. A knight of the ganache faction. He opens the lid of the vial, dips the needle into the liquid inside, and dips it into the unarmored part of the metal-armored knight''s knee, Pssst. He stabbed the knight in the back of the knee. ''Ugh! The knight kneels on the spot and picks his throat. The knight''s head armor is removed and thrown away, and after his mouth begins to chatter, he collapses with the whites of his eyes and draws his last breath. Patrick rummaged through the body of the fallen Kingsguard, but found no keys. ''It can''t be helped. He muttered and drew the sword on his left hip noiselessly and slashed the underside of the door twice. There was not even a sound of cutting, but Con and Patrick kicked his foot, and an isosceles triangle-shaped hole appeared in the lower half of the door with a quiet slam. When they entered the room through the hole in the door, they found a slightly lightly dressed Queen Alicia the Third kneeling on the floor with her hands folded and her eyes closed, ''I will gladly give up my body if my death will reduce the chance of success of the rebellion. O God, use my soul to bring peace and tranquility to your mental kingdom. He prayed aloud to God. Hearing this, Patrick approached slowly, trying not to make a sound, ''Queen Alicia the Third, I''ve come to help you. He whispered in Queen Alicia the Third''s ear. 279-scream ''Heeeeeeeeeee! She let out a loud shout, jumped up a little, then prevented herself from falling forward with her arms, and turned her face towards the direction of the voice, to Queen Alicia the Third, ''It''s Snakes, I''m here to help,'' Patrick said again. Patrick said again. ''You should have thought about that! I thought my heart was going to jump out of my mouth! '' shouted Queen Alicia the Third, ''Queen Alicia, your voice is too loud! People are coming! And your character is changing! Patrick warned. ''You''ll get louder and your character will fall apart! Oh, my God! So? How are you going to escape? You can do it on your own, but you can''t do it while fighting with me, can you? said Queen Alicia the Third, who had changed her character midway. ''It''s easy, there''s a window here too. Patrick said, opening the window, ''Pooh! There it is! Here! Before the people in the house who heard Queen Alicia the Third''s shout and Patrick''s call for Pooh could reach the room where he was under house arrest, Pooh came down to the window at breakneck speed. ''Pooh, stay in the air with Queen Alicia. Okay? Gah. ''Alright, good boy.'' With that, Patrick threw the frightened Third Queen Alicia onto Pooh''s back after forcibly carrying her as a princess. ''Aaagh! Queen Alicia the Third, who had been moved through the air, fell into the basket behind the saddle on Pooh''s back. And after Pooh rose with Queen Alicia the Third on his back, the soldiers and Baron Curial arrived in the room. ''Hey, why are you here! Snakes! '' Baron Curial said with a surprised expression. ''You''re missing the Count of the Frontier, Curial! You''re a mere baron! How dare you help the rebellion, and put Queen Alicia the Third under house arrest? I''ve been given full authority by His Royal Highness the Dauphin, and I, Snakes, will take care of this crime! Patrick said with a stern face. Of course, I don''t have carte blanche from Prince William. I just wanted to say it. However, the skill of the soldiers of Baron Curial was not very good, and in the small house, only a few of them could charge at each other, and Patrick had to cut them down in turn. After slaying all who came at him, Baron Curial turned his back and ran away, but a shuriken from Patrick''s hand pierced the back of Baron Curial''s neck, causing him to let out a gasp and collapse. ''Well, I guess I''ll just take the head home. Oh, and what about my family? Patrick pondered for a moment. ''I''ll just look for them. With that, he began to move. 280-rejection Patrick goes from room to room, searching for people. He leaves the obvious servants alone and takes into custody the suspicious ones. People who are old enough to fit the description of his wife and children. Well, he couldn''t go wrong with his wife. Finding a woman who looked like his wife hiding in the master''s room, Patrick was convinced by her attire. ''That''s not something you wear at night. Patrick said. The jewels on her nightgown shone here and there. Gorgeous embroidery with gold thread and a family crest. ''You''re sure it''s Madame Curial? Patrick said, ''No! I''m just a servant! I''m just a servant!'' The woman replied. ''What kind of servant wears such a gorgeous nightgown? Patrick retorts. ''I borrowed it! '' says the woman, ''I don''t believe you! And she says the obvious, ''It''s true! The woman shouted, and Patrick got tired of it, ''If you''re just a servant, I''ll cut you off right here and now! Then he put his hand on the sword machete on his right hip, ''No! I''m not a servant! Don''t kill me! ''You should have said so from the beginning, you scum! Where''s my son? ''He''s with the servants'' children. ''d*mn you for your wiles.'' As she says this, she ties the woman''s wrists with a rope behind her waist and walks her forward to her son. When she finds him, she throws her and her son into the Baron Curial''s carriage, wrapping them up, ''POOF! Come down here! He calls out to Pooh in a loud voice. Queen Alicia the Third shrinks in the basket on Pooh''s back as he lands in the garden. Queen Alicia the Third is trembling, and Patrick.., ''Oh? What''s wrong? Patrick asks, ''No matter what, there''s no way I''m fine on top of a pterosaur flying at such a high speed in the sky! Queen Alicia the Third shouted at me. ''No, I had no other choice. Patrick said, scratching his head, ''Well, thank you for your help, but ......'' ''But?'' ''I won''t forget this horrible grudge! '' said Queen Alicia the Third, glaring at Patrick, ''Well, I''m sorry to tell you this, but we''re going to start now. I''d like to ask Queen Alicia to take refuge in the Abbott frontier county to the north. ......'' Patrick said as he began to explain, ''No! Queen Alicia the Third refused. ''You don''t like your daughter''s place? ''No, I don''t want to go there! ''But I have no other choice. ''Why don''t you just go by carriage? ''That would take a long time, and we don''t have any allies! ''I definitely don''t want to be in the sky again! The half-conscious Queen Alicia the Third complained. 281-complicated Viscount Wylie''s Domain. This is a territory in the east, and is the family home of Baron Wylie. Although it is a country estate in the east, it is a reasonably prosperous and peaceful estate. On that day, that peaceful countryside was struck by chaos and terror. A flying jet-black pterodactyl. The Viscount Wylie''s people know it''s a beast sent by Patrick Von Snakes. But the people don''t know. The people flee, the livestock make noise. A jet-black pterodactyl swoops down toward Viscount Wylie''s mansion. It must have looked as if it was going to attack Viscount Wylie''s house. It is unclear whether anyone was suspicious of the carriage that was grabbed by the pterosaur''s legs. Viscount Wylie, hearing the shouts of those working in the villa, came out into the garden to see what was going on. A jet-black pterosaur landed in front of him. And the man with black hair and black eyes who alighted from the back of the pterosaur. ''His Excellency the Earl of Snakes Frontier! You''ve suddenly made a huge appearance! How is my son? Viscount Wylie''s voice was a little slurred. Patrick pointed to the carriage being held by the pterodactyl''s legs, ''Viscount Wylie, I apologize for this sudden visit. This is a matter of national importance, so please forgive me. In that carriage are Queen Alicia the Third and the families of the Barons Curial who participated in the rebellion. I need you to protect Queen Alicia the Third and lend me soldiers to take the Curial family away. When I said that I would put Queen Alicia on the back of Pooh and fly directly to the north, Queen Alicia vehemently opposed the idea, and after much deliberation, I came to Viscount Wylie, who was closest to me, to ask for his help, even though it would cause me trouble. Also, Baron Wylie is fine! Patrick began to explain. He listened to the whole explanation, ''I see, I understand the situation. I''ll help you. Viscount Wylie readily agreed. After that, they managed to rescue Queen Alicia the Third from the half-crushed carriage, and threw the members of the Curial family into another carriage without any special treatment, as they were slightly injured but seemed to be in good health. ''Then, after Queen Alicia the Third has spent the night here, I''ll take her north to the Abbott frontier county without passing through the capital,'' I promised Patrick. Viscount Wylie, who promised Patrick. ''Please do. I''ll be flying to King''s Landing after I investigate Baron Curial''s house, so I''ll be leaving here immediately. Take care of the rest! And with that, Patrick disappeared into the sky on the back of Pooh, ''How can my son serve a man like that? I can''t. The power of the pterosaur alone is overwhelming.'' I can''t do it.'' said Viscount Wylie, I''ve been carried up into the sky. And the second time in a ramshackle carriage! Queen Alicia the Third complained. ''I sympathize with you. Viscount Wylie bowed his head deeply. After returning to Baron Curial''s mansion and placing all the money and valuables in the mansion in a basket on Pooh''s back, ''Pooh, you can crush it. Patrick said to Pooh. The mansion of Baron Curial in the east has been destroyed. Physically. 282-J-J ?????¡è??????????????o??|?????a???,?????¡ê?????a?¡è??????o???¨¦¡ê???????¨¦???????????. ??????????????¡¥,¨¦???¡è?????o????¨¨?????¨¨a¡ã????????o¨¨|???????????o???a???,???????????¡¤??£¤??¡¥??¦Ì??????¨¦??????¡À???¡¤?????????,¨¦?3????????????????????|??????. ???????????¡¤??£¤??¡¥??¦Ì??????¨¦??????¡À???¡¤??¡¥,?o??????¡¤??¡ã???¨¨¡Àa¨¨?¡¥??a¨¦? ???. ?o????¨¨¡Àa¨¨?¡¥??a?o-?????¡¥,??o¨¦o???a¨¨?¡À????¡è????????????|??????. ???????o-???¨¨?¡À???????????o????????a??????,??¦Ì????????¡§¨¦???????|??£¤???????????¡¥?????¡ã????????????,??????????????o???¨¨?????????????¡ê???. ????????a?????¡¥?????????¨¨????????¨¦??????????|. ''?????|??¡§,??????????????¦Ì??£¤???????????a'' ??????¨¨¡§??????a??????????????a?????¡¥????-??????o???. ?o-???????¡À???¡¤????????????,?¡À???¡¤?????¡§????????|??-??|??-?????a??????,????????????¨¨|???¡è??????????????¡ê???,????????a?????¡¥??¡¥1??????¨¦??¨¦?????????????o???,???????????????????????2?????|¨¦?¦Ì??¡ä????????£¤??????. ????????¡ê????????¡ê??¡§¨¦??¨¦????????????????|??¡ã???. ????????¡ê??3??¡§?¡ã??¡ã???3¨¨?¡¥???¨¦?3???????????¡§,????????a?????¡¥????????¡é???????????????. ????????¡ê??¡ê??¡§¨¦?3????????|??|,????????¡ê????????¡é???¨¦????????. ?oo????¡ã?¨¦????????????o?????¡éo¨¨a????, ''??¡ê?|?????????|?????¡§?????????,???¨¦????¡ì??¡¥??a????????a??? ?o?¨¦???? ????????a'' ??????¨¨¡§????¨¨¡§??????a??????¨¦????¦Ì?????????. ??3¨¦? ??????¨¦????¦Ì????????????,?????¡ê?????a?????????¨¨|???¡è??????????????a?????¡¥. ????????a?????¡¥?????3????? ???,?¡ê???????????????¡ä????oo?????????. ¨¦-?¨¦????¡¤??¡§??a??¡ê???¨¨?????¨¨??¨¨?a??????????????¡ì??????. ????????????????¡ã??????a¨¨????-?????¡¥?????¡ì,??¡§???????????¡é??????????????¡è2?oo?????¡¤???¨¦??????¡éo¨¨a???????????????a?????¡¥. ''3¨¨??????????¡ì??¡è?????¡ì??¡è??¡§,??¡§?????3??????. ??o????????¡¥¨¨¡§3??a??????,?????|?????????????????a'' ??¡§,?¡ã???????????????|?-??????o???????????a?????¡¥. ''??a?????¡§?????3???'' ??¡§,?????¡ì??¡è?????¡ì??¡è????¡ê¡ã????????????. ''??a????? ????????¡ì??¡è?????¡ì??¡è'' ??¡§,??¡§?????3???¨¨?????. ''??o??????,????????¡ì¨¨?¡¥???????????a??????'' ''¨¨?¡¥????????a??????,???????????¡¤??£¤??-?¡ã????¨¦????????¨¨¡§3?????¡¥????????a????? ??????'' ''???????? ?????????. ??¡ì???????o???a???,??|??¡ê??a??¡é?? ????¡èa?-????????????????????????¡ê?????a???. ?13?¡ã??????o?????????,¨¦?¡¤?-????????????????¨¨?¡¥?????????????????????????? ?????a???'' ??¡§¨¨¡§???¡ê????????¡ì??¡è?????¡ì??¡è???, ''??o??¡¥?????¡¥????????3??????????????¡ê??|,?¡è?????????¡ê??|¨¨2¡ã????????¡ã,??o?????o??£¤?????¡ê??|¨¨3-?????????????????? ?????????????? ??¡§????????¡§????¡ã??¡ã???¡ì¨¦??????? . ?¡è¡ì?¡ã??????a??¡ê??|????????????¨¨2¡ä????¡ì???????¨¦¡§??¡ê???¦Ì¨¨2¡ã?????|??????'' ??¡§,??¡§?????3???¨¨?a??????¨¦??????????¡ê?????????. ''??1????????¡¥??1??-?¡ã?¨¦?¡ê???????????|????????????'' ''??????????-??£¤???¡¥?????????,?????¡¥????????3????????????????????¡¤??£¤??-?¡ã??? ??¡ê??|?-?????????????????????¡ê??|????? ?????? ??a????????¡ê??3??1????????????'' ??¡§??¡§?????3???¨¨¡§???¡ê???????? ???,?????????, ''?????¡ê??3??1??¡¥???????????a???'' ??¡§,¨¨?????¨¨|??????????????¡ê¡ã???. ''''??????'''' ?????¡ì??¡è?????¡ì??¡è??¡§??¡§?????3????¡ê¡ã????????¡ê??????, ''??|???'' ??¡§,??¡§?????3????¡ê¡ã???????????¡§?????????,??¡§?????3???¨¦|?????????-??a??¡§?????????¨¨?????,¨¦|????????¡è¡ì¨¦?????¨¨????2?????????????????|??????¨¦ ???????. 283-J-J2 ''Lieutenant General Snakes! As Johan''s body lay in the corridor, Jayjay''s eyes widened as he confirmed the presence of Patrick, who was standing behind him. In Patrick''s right hand, he held his favorite sword. ''Hey, Jay Jay. Your voice is getting louder. If you''re going with Prince William, unlock this door right now. You have three seconds!'' At the sound of Patrick''s slightly dull voice, Jayjay hurriedly took the key from the pocket of the fallen Johan, inserted it into the door''s keyhole and turned it. ''You''ve made a smart choice.'' With that, Patrick sheathed his sword in its sheath on his left hip, grabbed the doorknob, turned it and pushed open the door. In the small, simple room was a boy of about five and a maidservant. The room was dimly lit by a candle on a small table. The boy was sleeping in a small, crude bed, and the maidservant was sitting on a chair next to the bed, lying down on it. ''Is the maid a servant of Ganash?'' Patrick asked Jayjay, ''No, she''s a maid from the Gibbs family. Jayjay replied. Their voices are not loud, but they are not quiet either. But there was no sign that either the maid or the boy had reacted to their voices. ''Then we''ll have to take them both with us. Patrick said as he looked at them and began to ponder. ''Jayjay, is there anyone else who might betray Ganash? Patrick asks, looking at Jayjay''s face, ''I think most of them are reluctant to do so. He looked at Patrick with a serious face and replied quietly. ''Hmm, then take them and get out! We''re going to destroy this house! Patrick said, ''What? What about those two? J.J. asks, ''We''ll send them flying! Patrick said. ''How much time will you give us to escape? Jaijay asked, ''How much do you want? Patrick asked. ''Twenty minutes! No, 15 minutes at least! Jaijay reiterated. ''Okay, I''ll wait 15 minutes for now. But we can''t wait if they sense us, okay? You better get everyone out of here. I''ll call Pooh in the sky to pick them up, and when he comes down, time''s up. Run to the second or eighth army, raise the white flag and surrender. '''' Patrick instructed, looking at Jay Jay, ''Yes, sir! After saluting, Jayjay hurriedly ran out the door of the room. ''Hurry up. Patrick said quietly to the door as Jayjay walked out, but I wondered if Jayjay heard him. 284-flustered soldier Jay Jay runs down the hallway. Towards the soldiers'' quarters. The first words out of his mouth as he opened the door were, ''Everyone run! The Reaper is coming! The Reaper is coming! '''''''' What? Seriously? '''''''' The words of the soldiers present, all of whom knew Patrick, came together. The soldiers in Ganash''s compound looked puzzled, having heard the rumors but not really feeling it. J-Jay didn''t pay any attention to the soldiers of Ganash''s mansion, ''Yeah, they''ll let us go if we surrender to the 2nd or 8th Army! You guys know from your daily training that fighting the god of death is like challenging a god with a needle! I don''t want to die, so I''m surrendering! Only those who want to die should guard the house! Tell the others! I got 15 minutes! We''ve been running for over a minute! We''ve only got about 13 minutes left! If there''s anyone you want to help, tell them now and get out of here! I said, ''You! You''re trying to escape! A soldier from Ganash''s house grabbed me, saying, ''Shut up! You don''t know the horror of the Reaper! Get out of my way! He then struck the soldier with all his might and neutralized him. He kicked the soldier in the abdomen as if to finish him off as he fell to the floor, and then glared at the other Ganash soldiers, ''If you''re going to run, you''ll have to neutralize anyone who stands in your way, like this guy, before you run away! I can''t have you getting in my way! All right! I''ll tell the guys outside and then run! Then I''ll go first! With that, J-Jay runs out of the room. He must have run to the soldiers outside. The remaining soldiers in the room.., ''I''m surrendering! What do you mean, you have a plan? We''ve been infiltrated at the drop of a hat! They were swearing, ''No! I don''t even want to be in the same house right now! I don''t even want to be in the same house right now! I promised to marry the maid of honor here, what should I do? What should I do?'' said the one who was having a good time with the woman, ''Why don''t you just take her and run? And the neighbor hit him on the head. ''Hey, is this a good time to talk? The Reaper will kill you if you don''t hurry! Move now! At the same time, the soldiers in the room started running. ???????????????????????????????????? After Jaijay left the room, the house was quiet but definitely noisy, Patrick shook the sleeping maidservant by the shoulder to wake her up, who looked at Patrick with sleepy eyes, ''I''m here to help. I''m here to help you,'' he tells her. ''What? Who is it? The maid asks. ''Patrick von Snakes. A dauphinist nobleman.'' I say, ''Are you His Excellency Count Snakes of the Frontier? I beg your pardon. The maidservant stood up hurriedly and bowed. 285-to crumble ''Marquis Gibbs'' son, Kent, I believe? Wake up the Kent boy for now and prepare for a quick escape. Patrick opened a small window for ventilation. The window was not large enough for anyone to fit through, but it was 30 centimeters square and was really just for ventilation and light. Patrick stuck his head out the window and stared into the sky. He could see a slight black object circling in the black sky. ''What the hell are you preparing? '' asked the maidservant, turning her head back in through the window, ''Get dressed and pack a bag or something to take home. ''Yes! ''Yes, sir! The maidservant replied, then hurriedly shook Kent awake and helped him dress. Patrick peeked out the window again, ''Pooh, I''m here! Patrick looked out the window again and shouted, ''Pooh, I''m here! Pooh, who had seen Patrick''s face through the window, came down to the window, ''Pooh, break this wall,'' Patrick said to Pooh. Patrick says to Pooh. ''Gah! Patrick says to Pooh, ''Pooh, break this wall''. Pooh squeals and destroys the wall with his leg. Kent and the maids in the room scream, but Patrick doesn''t care and kicks the rubble away. The sound and vibration of the broken wall caused a commotion in the house. Voices can be heard everywhere. Patrick picks up the maidservant, who is carrying Kent-boy and a bag of goods in her arms, and throws them through a hole in the wall into a basket on the back of Pooh. They screamed, but were completely contained in the basket. Patrick then jumped onto Pooh''s back and heard him running towards him, ''I don''t want to get shot with an arrow. I''ll hold them off. Pooh, destroy this room for now. He ordered Pooh. Gah! At the same time, the blow of Pooh''s tail destroys not only the inside of the room, but also the room on the other side of the corridor. The old building, with its brick exterior walls and wooden interior walls, could no longer support the weight of the roof as the walls were destroyed to such an extent that it came crashing down. There was a scream, but that was nothing to worry about. Patrick told Pu to climb up and looked at the crushed house from the sky. From the first floor, among the rushing servants of the mansion, he saw a mother and her child dressed in luxurious bedclothes. ''Ganache''s wife and son? No, wife and grandson.'' Patrick''s mouth twisted into a grin. He jumped down from Pooh''s back, disappeared from sight, approached the mother and child, aimed at the child who was struggling to escape with his small body, and quickly held the child in his arms. ''Mommy! The child shouted, ''Anthony! '' the mother shouted as she saw her son in Patrick''s arms. ''You''re Ganash''s son''s wife, aren''t you?'' Patrick said, ''I want my son back! You bandit! '' said the mother, who did not seem to know Patrick''s face. ''Ho! How dare you, the wife of a rebellious family? Patrick said in disgust, ''I don''t know anything about rebellion! Hurry up and release my son! ''I don''t care about the rebellion! ''If you didn''t know, you wouldn''t need the police! ''I don''t know what the police do, but I had nothing to do with the rebellion! ''I don''t know what the police action is, but I had nothing to do with the rebellion!'' ''How can you use such an excuse when the family you married into is cooperating with the rebellion? ''What you don''t know, you don''t know! Do you have any idea who the bandits are talking to! Do you think you can live with the Marquis family as your enemy! ''Do you know who you''re talking to? I''ll give you a name! Patrick Von Snakes! Don''t tell me you''re a nobleman and don''t know it! ''Shh, Reaper! ''If you don''t want to die right now, be quiet! I''ll let Ganash choose between you and your son''s life. If you don''t man up, I''ll cut you down right here! Patrick said with a killing intent. ''Ow! With a small scream, the mother fell to the ground. Her son, who was being held by her side, had already fainted, leaking urine from being so close to the killer. 286-determination The mother and child are tied tightly with ropes to a wooden post found in the rubble, and the post is held in both of Pooh''s arms. In a basket on his back are the grandson of the Marquis Gibbs and his handmaiden. And Patrick. Even though two of the five are children, Pooh''s flight speed will be slow. While showing the inhabitants of the capital the jet-black pterodactyl, he lands at the Marquis Gibbs'' mansion and has a touching reunion with the Marquis Gibbs and his grandson, who have rushed out of the mansion. Patrick hugged his grandson to the Marquis Gibbs, Patrick told the Marquis Gibbs, who held his grandson in his arms, ''Seek protection from the Andretti family. The capital will be even more chaotic now. If you''re a nobleman without an army, the only place you can go if you get caught up is the afterlife. With that, Patrick took off. He flew at a lower altitude than usual, leaving behind a souvenir of the fear of the pterosaur for those who lived in the area where he flew. He arrived at the Abbott frontier family. Patrick and the Abbot frontiersmen on the sofa in the drawing room. ''So you''re saying that your mother is being escorted north by Viscount Wylie''s soldiers? Ryan''s wife, Crozier, asks. ''Yes, I offered to take her from the air, but she stubbornly refused,'' Patrick said. Patrick said, ''I know the feeling. ''I can understand that,'' says Abbott, the frontiersman. ''It''s a nice view, though. Patrick replies, ''I thought it was just the frontiersman,'' Ryan says. Ryan said, ''No, Sona usually walks in the sky with us. Patrick looked at Ryan and denied that he was the only one. ''I guess we''re just like each other. Ryan said with a bit of exasperation. ''Well, now that we''ve rescued you, you''ll have to make good on your promise,'' Patrick said. Patrick said, looking at the Abbott frontiersman. ''Of course! We will march our troops to King''s Landing. Once they arrive, they''ll be under the command of House Andretti. The Abbot looked Patrick in the eye and said. ''Take care of him. I will return to the estate. Patrick left his seat, ''Goodbye! Abbott, the frontiersman, also left his seat. ''Yeah, I''ll see you in King''s Landing! No need to see me off.'' Patrick said, shaking hands with Abbott and Ryan before leaving the reception room. Patrick rides away on the back of Pooh, heading west. Ryan and Frontier Abbott watch from the parlor window. ''Father.'' Ryan opens his mouth, staring at the jet-black pterodactyl flapping its wings in the western sky. ''What is it? Ryan. The Abbott frontiersman, also looking at the pterosaur in the sky, responds to his son''s question with a question. ''It''s a good thing we''re allies, isn''t it? ''Of course it was! There''s nothing but death for us against that thing! To rebel against them would be insane! ''Yes, sir. ''Well, I''m heading to King''s Landing. Ryan, you stay here and take care of the territory. ''I''ll have more men than you. ''You''re the heir to House Abbott. I can''t let you go to your death! ''Father! You''re not going to die, are you? Of course I''m not dying! But you never know what will happen in war. And this is a royal mess. Any move you make there will affect your family''s rank! I''d rather risk my life and make my grandson Marc''s life a little easier than survive with a stupid move. The Abbott frontiersman said, shifting his gaze to his sleeping grandson in the arms of Crozier, his son''s wife, who sat on the sofa. ''I want to survive so that Marc will have the memory of your father''s face,'' Ryan said. Ryan stared straight into his father''s face. ''Don''t worry! Count Snakes is coming! We''ll make it back alive. Then let''s get ready. Ryan stared at his father''s back as he walked away, ''I hope you have a safe trip. He murmured. 287-advice Soldiers from the local territorial armies gathered one after another in the royal capital, surrounding the royal castle. The Marquess of Dixon''s army in the south, the Viscount Canaan''s army, and the southern army led by Provisional Major General Cubes. To the north is the Abbot''s Army led by the Abbot Frontier Count. There are many soldiers from the mountainous regions here. To the east are the Viscount Wylie''s forces. To the west, of course, are the Snakes'' Frontier Counts. And then there''s Baron Wylie''s army, Baron Van Pelt''s army and Viscount Connor''s army. Not only the families with large armies, but also the nobles of the so-called Dauphin''s Realm had almost all gone to war, with some exceptions. The exceptions were the territories where the women and girls of the nobility took refuge to avoid being caught up in the fighting. Of course, there are soldiers from other houses in those territories to support them. The 3rd prince''s group, on the other hand, is preparing for a siege in the royal castle. Originally, a siege was a strategy that relied on reinforcements, and now that Patrick had crushed the reinforcements from the Kingdom of Plum, it was a foolish plan, but that had not yet been conveyed. The Third Prince McClane stares at the Dauphin''s army from the window of the surrounded castle. ''Hmph! They''re swarming like ants.'''' When Prince McClane said that, a jet-black pterodactyl flew noiselessly as if it was gliding in the sky. ''Open the gates now! Surrender now! I''ll save your life, McClane!'''' Patrick shouts from behind Pooh''s back. The nobles and soldiers surrounding the royal castle stare and listen quietly. ''Shut up! It''s all your fault! The Third Prince McClane shouts at Patrick as he rides on the back of Pooh. ''Why is it my fault? Patrick quickly replied, ''Ever since you became a nobleman, nothing good has happened in this country! My brother rebelled, the nobles revolted, I was supposed to take credit for it, and you took the liberty of destroying the forbidden House of Stein, and it''s all your fault! You''re to blame for all of this,'' shouted the Third Prince McClane, spitting in the air! ''The rebellion wasn''t my fault, you know! I saved your life during Henry''s rebellion, and you''re talking out of your ass, you little brat! ''Who''s a kid! It''s because of the fear I felt back then that I still can''t go to the bathroom alone at night! It''s your fault! ''I didn''t do anything to you back then! ''Anyone would have done so if they were exposed to that kind of deadly energy nearby! ''Except you! ''Sita and Angelica, my maidservants, said they couldn''t go to the bathroom at night! ''You''re a man, aren''t you? ''What does it matter if I''m a man or a woman? Sona can go by herself! ''Don''t lump me in with my crazy sister who''s marrying you! ''Don''t you dare talk bad about Sona! I''ll kill you! You''re the one who''s crazy, you were there when Henry was killed and now you''re the one who''s revolting again! ''I''m normal! Even Bendrick, Ganash, and Keselowski are helping me! Even Bendrick said so! Snakes is not the Grim Reaper, he''s a demon who will bring destruction to this country! Do you have any idea how many hundreds of people have had their lives ruined because of you? If it weren''t for you, many families wouldn''t have rebelled! Those who side with my brother! Think about it! Can you think of any noble families that rebelled because of your involvement with him? How many territories have been starved by merchants who were baited with wine and forced to flee their lands? How many territories where the dwarves disappeared? All the dwarves that disappeared are in his domain! You pestilence! The third prince of MacLane spoke a long line of words, but a certain number of people were convinced by his words. ''Shut up! I don''t care where I sell the sake I brewed! I''ll give you one night to discuss it with Bendrick and his retainers! Surrender now! All right! Patrick said as he left, ''I''ve never slept better because of him. I''m not surrendering! McClane spat. 288-butler Arnold Prime Minister Bendrick was shouting in his office. ''Why is the Southern Army besieging the castle with them! Why hasn''t Plum Kingdom come yet! What''s going on? Keselowski!'' Prime Minister Bendrick spat and screamed. ''I don''t know, sir. ''I don''t know,'' said Keselowski, ''You don''t understand! Bendrick yells at Keselowski. ''We haven''t received any information for ten days. I thought the last of my men would have returned by now. ''That''s enough! Back off!'' I said, making Keselowski step back, ''Hey, Arnold! What''s going on here? What''s going on? '' Prime Minister Bendrick shouts at the dark elf steward. ''No, we''ll just get the Snakes on our side. He was originally the third son of a baronet. Considering his upbringing, he''s probably filled with greed. It''s obvious from the way he''s rising now. The fact that he is steadily acquiring money and power is proof of that. We haven''t had a chance to contact him before, but now he''s right outside the castle. If we tell him that we''re going to give him everything west of the kingdom, it wouldn''t be surprising if he rolled over to us, right? Butler Arnold replies with a calm face. ''His wife is William''s sister, you know. '' says Prime Minister Bendrick, ''You should have assigned many beautiful women to her instead of that little prickly, unattractive one. Isn''t there a lot of beautiful women with big breasts, such as the second princess Sofia and the maidservant Sita, who are under house arrest in the villa? ''No, not Sita! Prime Minister Bendrick refused to use Sita. ''Why not? ''What''s no good is no good! ''Well, okay. Let''s use the second princess Sofia or another woman. A fief, a title, a woman... if we can win them over and make them betray us, they''ll collapse. After all, there''s a pterodactyl! ''Will it work? ''I have my magic. ''To control jealousy and greed, right? ''Yes, all human beings are more or less jealous all the time. He comes from a good family and is unfair. He''s rich and I''m jealous. It''s because of such feelings that you''ve risen in the world, so you must be very jealous. The more jealous you are, the easier it is for my magic to work. ''Like McClane? ''His Royal Highness McClane was so jealous that he was immediately affected. He wanted to be king, he wanted a woman. He wanted to be strong. Well, he also wanted to be like the Snakes. I didn''t understand what they meant, though. Now, have a cup of tea and calm down. Bendrick drank the tea that Arnold served him. As soon as he did, Prime Minister Bendrick''s eyes became unfocused, and the whites of his eyes began to bleed a little. The whites of his eyes began to bleed a little. ''Hmm, the medicine was running a little low. Watch out, watch out. I think I''ll add a little magic to it as well. Then he put his finger on Prime Minister Bendrick''s forehead and started muttering something, ''Thank you, God of Jealousy, for giving me this power. He then takes out a small gemstone and a knife with a blade as long as his little finger from his pocket, cuts the tip of his little finger with the knife, and soaks the gemstone with the dripping blood. The ochre-colored gem gradually turned black, and a black blur emerged from the gem, enveloping Bendrick. It then spread throughout the castle, enveloping McClane, Theta, and the others, and spreading thinly outside the castle. ''Kukkuk, my god''s power may be the strongest. Those affected by the spell will lose a bit of their reasoning and won''t be able to think properly, but that can''t be helped and will be taken care of. Empire. Watch me now! muttered Arnold, the butler. 289-to argue Meanwhile, outside the castle, the leaders have moved into their tents as the sun has set and are in the middle of a meeting. ''It''s true that there have been many rebellions since Snakes became a noble. This is the first time in the kingdom''s history that a series of royal rebellions have occurred. The head of a certain noble family said, ''It''s just a coincidence, isn''t it? The only thing that could be indirectly attributed to the Snakes Frontier Count is the riot over the kidnapping of Princess Thornalis. ''No,'' said Captain Andretti, commander of the Kingsguard. ''No, it''s true that many families were unable to run their estates because of the Snakes, and were forced to evade taxes and were punished by the royal family. Another nobleman said, Another nobleman said, ''All you have to do is borrow money from somewhere else to pay for the operation. It''s wrong to evade taxes without doing so. Besides, it''s because you''re fighting against Pat when you don''t have the skills to do so. said DeCourse Von Canaan, the Royal Mage. ''Royal Mage Kanaan, please keep your mouth shut! You are Snakes'' cousin. ''In the first place, the speed of his rise is extraordinary. Westin''s rebellion, isn''t it possible that he was behind it? ''Because the Rigsby family was also involved! ''A man who would cut off his own parents with his own hands in the first place. You don''t know what he''s thinking! '' they said to me. ''No, Patrick is not that kind of man! Prince William denied it, ''But Prince William, even so, his rise to power is too fast. Even if he was the king''s favorite, too many things have happened. The story about the plot to kidnap Princess Thornalis, that''s the story he reported to the king, isn''t it? Some of them even retorted to William. ''That''s the information we have! '' shouted Abbott, the frontiersman, ''The Abbott frontiersman is allied with him, isn''t he? I don''t believe you! ''You''re saying we''ve been lying to you? ''Many houses have been destroyed because of what the iron fox said. ''We only report the truth! ''''And where''s Snakes, the one who''s behind all this! Did he run away? The heads of the noble families who had gathered around William began to argue with him. ???????????????????????????????????? In the meantime, what about the royal castle? ''What about the reinforcements? Why haven''t they come yet? Why haven''t the reinforcements arrived yet? !'' The third prince, McClane, kicked the furniture in the room and took it out on him, The third prince kicked the furniture in the room and took it out on McClane, saying, ''Your Highness, why don''t you take a hot bath to calm down? Prime Minister Bendrick, whose eyes were out of focus, soothed the Third Prince McClane. ''Uh-huh. Yes, let''s do that. The Third Prince McClane exits the room. ''Good grief, he may be big, but he''s still a child. Prime Minister Bendrick says in a slightly disgusted voice. ''Indeed. He''s still a little young at heart. Baron Keselowski nodded. ''I hope the Kingdom of Plum will be here by tomorrow. '' said Prime Minister Bendrick, ''That''s right, sir, but I just received a report from one of my men in optical code (a kind of Morse code that uses lamps and is often used to communicate after dark) that the border gates were closed and they couldn''t even enter the Kingdom of Plum. The Snakes may have taken some kind of countermeasure. There is a possibility that the Plum Kingdom will not come. The grandson of the Marquis Gibbs, who was under house arrest at Prime Minister Bendrick''s house, has also been recaptured. Baron Keselowski said complacently. ''My house is shattered! That Snakes guy! ''What are you going to do now that there may be no reinforcements coming? ''Nothing, I still have a plan. I''ll leave it to you. ''We don''t have much time left. I''m counting on you. I''ll go give the orders to my men. Keselowski said, and left the room. 290-a wickedness After Keselowski left, ''To what extent does the magic work?'' Bendrick asked, ''A few hundred meters around the castle, if you''re jealous. I deployed the spell before nightfall, so the Dauphin''s men may already be under it. I''ll take care of everything. Arnold, the butler, returns. ''I thought that if I gave the greedy Snakes power, he would eventually take over the royal family and create a new mental kingdom, but he''s so obedient to the king that I''m disappointed. I told the king to give him the benefit of the doubt, but he''s so ungrateful! Arnold, I hope your magic turns him in our favor. The Mental Kingdom has grown too gentle. Or is it the Mental Kingdoms? I miss the good old days of war. For the sake of my ambition and the previous king''s, who wanted to crush the current royal family and revive the strong Mental Kingdom, or even the continent, the royal family must change. If the Snakes don''t come to us, we''ll crush the Andretti Dukes and the other houses with the right to the throne, and we''ll be the ones with the strongest royal blood in the Marquis family, and in the beginning of the Bendrick Dynasty of the Mental Kingdom, we''ll have our son push the Empire out of the way, and the Mental Kingdom will be the champion of the continent! That pterodactyl is a nuisance, but we can take it out with a sweep of the castle ballista! I could see the stagnant murk in Bendrick''s eyes as he said this. Meanwhile, in the bathroom of the royal castle, a maidservant washes McClane''s back as he cleanses himself. McClane''s hands are caressing the maidservant''s skin. ''Your Highness, is it today again? The maid of honor says, without refusal, as her bottom is stroked. ''My wife alone is not enough for me. When she is pregnant, I will take her as my second queen, don''t worry, Sita. Prince McClane said as he continued to stroke her ass, ''What if I''m pregnant first? Theta, the maid of honor, asks McClane with a wicked smile. ''Then you''ll be the first queen, Sita. Unable to see Theta''s face, McClane looks forward and replies to Theta. ''I''m glad!'' Theta hugged McClane''s back. And just like that, Theta and McClane, the third prince, are flirting. I''m amazed that you can''t grasp the situation so well after that exchange. You might be able to excuse it as the result of magic, but I''m not sure if there''s anyone you can excuse it to. And so, the dark eyes of the third prince of McClane and his maid of honor, Sita, watched from the shadows of the thick pillars in the large bathroom, hidden. ''Oh, that McClane guy can do whatever he wants, can''t he? But I can''t say I''m surprised. What''s a first queen in this situation? She''s pretty dumb too. Have fun with that. I''ll just go scratch around the castle for now. Patrick leaves, leaving graffiti on the door of the dressing room. ''Sita''s also sleeping with Prime Minister Bendrick,'' he says. and carved it firmly into the door with a knife. Later, through the doorway of Bendrick''s room, She slipped a letter through the door of Bendrick''s room that read, "Theta took a bath with McClane and had a good time, didn''t she? Keselowski''s room. And a letter to Keselowski''s room. Bendrick''s daughter is in the hands of his butler, Arnold. Are you sure? Is that okay? After that, he went around putting men''s underwear in women''s rooms and vice versa, throwing food on the floor, covering the corridors with sewage, finding a soldier from the 3rd Army, punching him in the back and looking down at him as he fell, ''Hey, you''ve got some nerve antagonizing me. Do you want to die? '' he would threaten. To the trembling soldier, ''If you don''t want to die, turn yourself in when we get into battle! All right!'' And with that, he''s gone. Even though he is invisible, Patrick can do whatever he wants. 291-declaration When Patrick returned to William''s office after finishing his work, a group of bleary-eyed nobles confronted him. ''You''re the one who plotted to overthrow the royal family! ''You plague god! One after another, the nobles shouted abuse at Patrick, ''What the hell are these people talking about? Patrick asks Wayne, who is standing nearby. ''Well, it looks like they believed McClane''s crap,'' Wayne said. Wayne says, ''That? Are they crazy? Patrick says, glancing at the cursing nobleman, ''Shut up! If it weren''t for you, the kingdom wouldn''t be in chaos! '' shouts one of the nobles. ''What if Henry''s guy had become king and messed things up? ''Even if you hadn''t come back, the guards might have taken care of him! ''No, this is no good. I can''t talk rationally! Hypotheticals are useless. Your brother-in-law, no, His Royal Highness Prince William, no, let''s call him His Majesty now. What are your thoughts? Patrick stopped dealing with the nobleman and turned to Prince William. ''I don''t think it''s Patrick. I don''t believe Patrick is the cause of this, and I don''t believe he''s lying about what he did to my brother Henry when he saved us from our feelings! Just ......'' ''Just?'' ''Thus many from my faction are saying that Patrick is the mastermind. It will take time to resolve this through discussion. Some of them even have opinions of my own. I don''t know what to do. Prince William looked puzzled. ''Oh, I see, I see. Your Majesty, I have not changed my mind about you, but this is an emergency. I would like your permission for my actions without saying a word.'' ''What are you doing? I''d prefer not to kill you if possible.'' ''No killing or ...... is that it? Okay, I''ll take the no-kill option.'' ''Then, trust Patrick, I give you permission! ''Thank you for the happiness. With that, Patrick bowed to William, then turned to the bleary-eyed nobleman, ''So, you''re satisfied that I''m gone from this country? He turned to the nobles and asked. Many of them nodded, and as if representing them, a certain Marquis said, ''Of course! '' said a certain Marquis. ''''Then we will become independent from this country. The Snakes Frontier Counties will now, from this moment on, call themselves the Kingdom of the Snakes! Then farewell! Patrick was about to walk away when three nobles drew their swords, ''You have revealed yourself! You treacherous bastard! Did you think you''d make it out alive? He then drew his sword from his left hip and spun around from the right side, turning around and slicing through the bodies of the nobles as if he were cutting a radish. Just one swing. With that one swing, he slashed all three at the same time. The lower half of his body remained standing while the upper half of his body fell to the ground one after another. ''You mouth-breathing scum! You should be ashamed in front of His Majesty! Did you think you could defeat me who has always fought against demons? You fools are just sitting there with your mouths open in disbelief! You''re lucky I don''t kill you all! Your Majesty, no! The Mental King! I''m sorry! I killed three of you. In self-defense, please forgive me. Now if you''ll excuse me. Poo! Come on! Pooh, who had been circling in the sky, descended at high speed and landed with a resounding thud. Riding on the back of Pooh, Patrick soared up into the sky, ''The territory of the Snakes Frontier Counts will now declare its independence as the Kingdom of the Snakes! And the Snakes Frontier Count Army will now be known as the Snakes Kingdom Army! Snakes Kingdom Army, return to the Kingdom of Snakes! I repeat! Snakes Kingdom Army, return to the Snakes Kingdom! If there are any Mental Kingdom soldiers blocking the way, cut them down! The 8th and 2nd Armies will be leaving my command, but they are welcome to defect to the Kingdom of Sneks! All others are welcome to defect as well! That''s all! With that, Patrick flies away. 292-withdrawal With those words, the forces of the Snakes Kingdom began to retreat one after another from around the Mental King''s Castle. And.., ''Then, Baron Van Pelt''s army, we will be incorporated into the Snakes Kingdom. Withdraw! '' Baron Van Pelt shouts. ''Abbott''s Frontier Counts, we''re leaving. ''Baron Wylie''s forces retreat! The Abbott Frontier Counts, Baron Wylie, and other noble families of the so-called Snakes'' group are retreating one after another. The noble families of the western territories have almost all returned with their troops, and a large force of the Abbott frontier count''s army has also retreated from the north. ''Viscount Canaan''s army: ......'' Decourse was about to say, ''Brother Decourse, wait! A voice whispered in DeCourse''s ear. ''Poof.'' Patrick interrupted DeCourse as he was about to speak up, ''Shh! Quiet! Brother Decourse, side with His Majesty William. Maybe Mister Andretti seemed decent, but you have to protect His Majesty William.'''' ''Are you sure about that? ''He''s Sona''s brother. Those nobles look like the symptoms of a jealousy control spell I heard about from the dark elves we hire. Their eyes are bloodshot, they can''t talk rationally, and their eyes are cloudy. That''s why I need my brother Decourse, who''s also a wizard, to protect me. We don''t know for sure, so don''t tell anyone yet. All right, then. I''ll go talk to Wayne. ''Okay, ...... if that''s okay with you Pat.'' ''Please do. Bye.'' With that, Patrick left. ''Wayne.'' Patrick spots Wayne and sneaks over to him. ''Pat, did you just fly away? Wayne whispers back to Patrick. ''I went right down and came back. Andretti''s grandfather seemed fine, but the look in the eyes of the nobles around him was strange. Probably magic. Go with Brother Decourse and protect His Majesty William. And since we''ve been stirring up trouble in the castle, we''re probably outnumbered. They''ll win without us. Tell His Majesty William, good luck! Good luck. Bye. Patrick patted Wayne on the shoulder. ''Hey! Patrick runs off with his hand raised in the air without looking back at Wayne''s voice. ???????????????????????????????????? ''Shouldn''t we be marching on the Snakes territory right now? ''Can we beat a pterosaur?'' ''Maybe one of those dragons. ''No, he''s got two of them! ''If we go after them now! He''s already killed three of us! ''We''ll never make it! They''re flying in the sky! The nobles are arguing with each other, and William looks on with a sense of shame. ''Patrick, I''m sorry. I''m sorry I''m not good enough. He muttered, ''Your Majesty, may I have a word? ''Hmm? Wayne Simon, what''s up?'' ''I have a message from Pat, no, from the Snakes. Actually, it''s .......'' I just got word from Wayne, ''Patrick, thank you. I''ll take care of McClane myself. Just like you promised! William''s eyes filled with determination and fight. 293-an ugly fight The next morning, in the royal castle, cursing was seen here and there, and even a fight broke out among the soldiers. In one room, ''You old man! Think of your age! How dare you lay a hand on the king''s maid! ''She was originally from my faction! I''ve had my eye on her for a long time! And you snatched her from the side! ''''Kidnapping is not a good idea! I was just asking the maidservant about it! ''That''s what you call kidnapping! How can I refuse an offer from the royal family? ''''Shut up! I told you to think about your age! How old are you? If you have a child, you''ll be dead by the time it comes of age! ''I''ll live at least another 20 years! ''You can''t even get it up! ''I''m still working! and an ugly fight broke out. In another room, ''You! You lied about a strategy meeting, and brought a woman into the room and cheated on her under these circumstances. ''Wait! You''re wrong! I didn''t do anything. Is this letter true? ''If I didn''t do anything, why did I find a woman''s underwear under my pillow? I don''t want to hear any more unsavory excuses! ''Wait, there''s no answer about Arnold! Put down that knife for now! Let''s talk about it calmly! We''ll talk about it! ''There''s nothing to talk about! I''ll kill you and I''ll die! ''Wait, wait, wait! All right, all right! I''ll forgive you if you cut off all ties with Arnold! Hey! It''s really a misunderstanding on my part! After running around the castle, the man opened the door of Bendrick''s office and ran away. ''What''s going on? The son of Baron Keselowski, I believe, Lord Kyle. Kyle Keselowski bursts into the room, and Arnold, Bendrick''s butler, interrogates him. And right after that, a woman bursts in. ''So talk and you''ll understand! Look, it''s your beloved Arnold! Kyle Keselowski hides behind Butler Arnold and pushes Arnold back, bringing him closer to the woman. ''Arnold! Get out of my way! You''re going to kill that man and I''m going to die!'' The woman shouted at Arnold. ''Hey! Don''t drag me into this! And so on, and Butler Arnold flees down the hallway. Kyle Keselowski follows. The woman says, ''Don''t run away, you cheater! The woman came running, holding a knife above her head with both hands. She then slipped in the sewage that someone had thrown in the hallway. The woman immediately threw the knife above her head and put her hands on the floor. She was able to avoid hitting the floor with her face. However, the knife he had thrown flew with great force. With tremendous speed. ''Ah! Kyle Keselowski pointed. ''What?'' Arnold looks back toward the direction Kyle is pointing. And then, Spat! A flying knife slashes the butler Arnold''s throat. The blood that spurted out stained the spot red. With a moan, Arnold''s hand, which had been holding his throat, slid down and he fell flat on his face. In that instant, the bloodshot-eyed people inside and outside the castle stopped moving for a moment. At the same time, a black blur rose up from each person and disappeared with the wind. It was not only the castle, but also the surrounding nobles of the Dauphin''s faction. And then.., ''Hey, hey, we''re not going to get killed for saying that to Snakes, are we? ''Oh, yeah. That could be bad! What do we do? ''Now that we''ve been let off the hook, we''ll go to the service of Prince William, or rather, His Majesty William, and ask him to protect us in case of emergency! I''m sure Snakes will listen to His Majesty''s words! ''Uh-huh! That''s the only way! ''Yes! and so on, hoping for a ray of hope. As for the Royal Castle.., ''Oh no! It''s really bad! We''re going up against the Snakes with their pterodactyls? Am I insane? '' said Keselowski, his head in his hands, ''Replacing the royal family? I can''t face my predecessors who have done so much for me! Bendrick lets go of his grip on McClane and drops to his knees on the floor. ''I don''t know why I listened to Bendrick''s sweet words. I could''ve done more. There was no way I could have beaten the Snakes. ......'' McClane also let go of Bendrick''s hand and felt nothing but regret. 294-William and McClane After that, before the battle begins, soldiers sneak away from the royal castle, and William''s soldiers capture them. Seeing that they have come to their senses and the number of soldiers has decreased, the nobles such as Bendrick and Keselowski surrender in desperation. Finally, McClane emerges from the castle. ''Brother. ''McClane''. The two princes face each other. ''I''ve done a lot of research on this matter. It was probably guided by the magic of a dark elf named Arnold. I found a broken magic crystal on his body. But rumor has it that you can''t act on what you don''t feel in your heart, and it seems that the jealousy deep down in everyone''s heart was controlled. Therefore, I am aware that I am not without responsibility. I could have taken responsibility and committed suicide, but that might have hindered the future operation of the Mental Kingdom. The one who solved the riot was probably Snakes. There is no one who can serve a king without power, so why don''t we have a fair fight with the sword? ''McClane, are you dying? You know my skill with a sword. ''I''m the best in the kingdom! I know. But you''re too kind to cut anyone. Then I think you have a chance.'' ''I made a promise to Patrick. I''ll take McClane''s head, and for once I''m not being nice.'' ''Then let''s see it. Show me your resolve. Come on! All right. Come on! And so, in front of everyone''s eyes, the one-on-one match began. William looked closely at McClane as he ran towards him. He narrowly avoids McClane''s two-handed sword swing to his right, and kicks McClane''s waiting hand with his left foot. McClane let out a slight gasp of pain. ''That''s sweet, McClane! You can''t beat me with that arm, can you?'' ''Isn''t it your brother who is naive? If you had slashed him with your sword instead of kicking him, the game would have been decided. After all, you can''t slay a man? ''Next time, I''ll kill him! ''Can you kill him? ''Yes, I can. I swore to Patrick.'' William shouted, sword at the ready. McClane ran at him again and swung his sword sideways at William''s stomach. William evaded the sword by taking a large step forward and ducking under it. He then swung his sword at McClane''s right knee, who was standing in front of him. As soon as he hears the sound, McClane''s right knee and below fly through the air. ''Ugh! He then fell to the ground in a prone position and rolled with such force that he finally stopped on his back. As he fell to the ground, McClane said, ''Guess I couldn''t beat my brother after all. But he''s ruined my life, hasn''t he? He destroyed Baron Stein''s house, which was supposed to be my first job, and my first job was to crack down on petty tax evasion. I thought that since I was the third prince, I would eventually get a knighthood and run the estate, but then my brother Henry was executed for treason and disappeared, and I became the second in line to the throne, so there was no more talk of me becoming independent and running the estate just in case. In the meantime, I''ve been asked to become a count of the court nobility, but I can''t accept that! I couldn''t sleep well at night because I was exposed to his deadly energy, and I was afraid of being exposed to people''s deadly energy up close, which made it impossible for me to take the lead in a battle, and everything I wanted to do was crushed. But then Bendrick said something sweet. I thought I had a chance to become king, but here I am. I don''t know what I did wrong. I just wanted to make my life better. It''s all her fault! If it weren''t for him, none of this would have happened! That godd*mn plague! McClane thinks back over the past few years. ''You should have just poisoned me. William says to McClane, ''Poisoning is painful, isn''t it? I didn''t want to see my half-blood brother, William, suffer. He was very good to me when I was little. I enjoyed those days. ''We all got along so well back then.'' ''I wonder when the three of us started to lose our rapport. ''When Henry was about ten years old. It was around the time when the Raven family flashed behind him.'''' ''Ah, those were the days. Brother Henry was growing up fast and had a lot of character. Factions didn''t matter to me at that time, but the people around me wouldn''t let me. If only my father had handed over the throne to my brother William as soon as possible. ...... It''s too late now. Now, brother, it''s time for you to deal with me. I''ve lost a lot of blood and I''m starting to feel faint. If possible, I''d like you to decapitate me so I don''t have to suffer. Can you do that? My brother''s skill with the sword is top-notch. ''He was a weak-minded prince who had never cut anyone before, but he had the skill. Farewell brother. I hope we can be brothers again when I am reborn! With that, William''s sword was raised. ''I''d like to be a good, commoner brother this time. As tears streamed from McClane''s eyes, William''s sword swung down, and McClane''s head fell away from his body without a sound. Droplets flowed from William''s eyes as he stared down at McClane''s head. After a few seconds, William looked up, ''The rebellious Third Prince McClane Mental has been defeated by William Mental! William raised his sword to the sky and shouted loudly. At the sound of his voice, the nobles and soldiers of the Dauphin''s faction.., ''Whoa! and shouted in praise of William. 295-change When Patrick returned to his estate, or rather, his country, he explained to his servants how things were going. ''So, the Snakes Frontier Realm will become the Kingdom of the Snakes! Perhaps Wylie, Van Pelt, and the other surrounding houses will follow our lead. The economy of the west would no longer be able to run without us. Patrick said confidently, as if he were sure of it. The servants in the mansion seem to be a little confused, but they are in a resigned mode, thinking that it is no use telling them now. ''That''s all well and good, but what about your brother William? Thorinaris asks Patrick. ''He''s been stirring up McClane and the others who were holed up in the royal castle, so they''re probably in trouble, and he might not be able to fight. Well, they''ve been threatening the soldiers too, so I don''t think the victory is certain. If you want, I can go check on them later. Patrick replied, looking at Thorinaris. ''That''s fine. He''s my brother, and I''m a little worried about him. You can sneak out and check on him later.'' ''Okay. And when they were done talking, Patrick turned his head towards the servants, ''Now, I''ll tell you what we''re going to do. After we have the Snakes Kingdom in order, we will attack the Zabeen Empire, albeit at short notice! The Zabeen Empire will attack next year anyway. We don''t have to wait for them! Hurry up and get weapons and food! Ein, send word to the Dark Serpents. Find out what''s going on in the Menthal Kingdom. If those foolish nobles are still out there and they''re coming for us, we''ll have to deal with them. Well, I''m sure His Majesty William, or rather the Mental King, will take care of them and won''t attack us, but he''s a little too kind and a little too lenient. Also, send Plum and Zabeen to investigate. ''Ha! Ein saluted, but the others looked uneasy as they were told of the battle. ???????????????????????????????????? The Mental Kingdom is in turmoil at the moment. McLean''s rebellion ended in failure, and William officially succeeded to the throne and became the new king. So far, so good. The problem is that the house that was involved in the rebellion must be purged, and the house that was at the center of the country was involved in the rebellion. The Marquesses of Bendrick, who served as Prime Minister, were noblemen of the court, and although they did not own any lands, they had a good position and power in the country. Even if it was due to the magical influence of the house''s steward, he could not be exonerated. The former Marquis of Bendrick will be beheaded for his crimes. The position of Prime Minister was assumed by the Marquess of Dixon, after some twists and turns. Baron Keselowski was in charge of an important department called the Kingdom Investigation Department. However, it was impossible to overlook this, and the head of the family was beheaded. The heads of the other noble families involved were beheaded without fail. The family was stripped of their titles, but their lives were not taken. Now, this is where King William is in trouble. Because the number of nobles had decreased due to the turmoil until now, and he had been dealing with the situation by adding new barons. Barons are the bottom of the aristocracy, but they still own land. A considerable number of villages and towns have lost their lords. New noblemen must be recruited to take charge of the territories, but the number of successful noblemen is small this time. Because of Patrick''s deception and McClane''s self-destruction. After much thought, King William came to the conclusion that he would appoint a knight-errant from a large faction''s house as a baron, and let the faction manage the territory with generous support. If Patrick were to hear this, he would have said, "It''s naive to make him a noble when he has no credit! Patrick would probably say. In fact, Dixon, Andretti, Simon and others advised him to be lenient. But when William asked them to come up with an alternative, they couldn''t come up with a good one. Therefore, a good number of knights were newly appointed as barons and increased in number, and they are now busy dealing with this crisis in order to overcome it. The Canaanns, for their efforts in helping King William escape, and then helping him in many other ways, as well as for the lack of lords due to the decrease in the number of nobles, have been made marquises. As a result, the south was almost completely occupied by the two families of the Marquises of Dixon and Kanaan. Wayne became the official head of the Simon Marquess family, and was appointed as the Commander of the Royal Kingsguard. The former Knight Commander of the Kingsguard, Andretti, was appointed to the position of Counselor of the National Guard, and the National Guard was reorganized, with the reduced number of the 2nd and 3rd armies merged into two new armies. 296-Kingdom of Snakes There are still some minor problems, but they will be taken care of in due course. The problem is the Snakes Frontier, or rather the Kingdom of the Snakes. Patrick von Snakes has declared his independence. Not only the nobles of the west, but also the Abbotts, the frontiersmen of the north, have joined the Snakes'' side. As a result, the territory of the Mental Kingdom was reduced by about a quarter. In addition, the west was a wheat-producing region and also controlled the kingdom''s liquor, while the northern mountainous regions and Abbott territory were iron-producing regions. In a meeting between Patrick von Snakes, King of the Snakes, and William von Mental, King of the Mental, a treaty of friendship was concluded, and it was agreed that liquor and wheat would be exported from the Snakes Kingdom, but the problem was iron. However, the problem was iron. The Abbott frontier families in the north, which were iron producers, were integrated into the Snakes Kingdom, and the nobles in the north along the border with the Xavian Empire also turned to the Snakes Kingdom. The houses between Abbot''s domain in the mountains and the original enclave, which was an enclave, also surrendered to the Kingdom of Snekes, as they could not survive being caught in the middle. The threat of the Xavian Empire was reduced, but a third of the iron-producing areas in the kingdom were lost. And the iron, ''We will not be able to export iron for the time being, as we need to prepare weapons for the expected war with the Xavian Empire. That''s why we can''t export iron for the time being,'' the Snakes diplomat said. Also, almost all of the former 8th Army and about half of the former 2nd Army''s single soldiers defected to the Kingdom of Sneks. Many of the Northern Army also defected to the Kingdom of Sneks. As a result, the number of soldiers in the Kingdom has also decreased. In the Western Army, the commanders of the major generals of the nobility and even the most junior soldiers defected to the Kingdom of Sneks. As a result, the nobles in the country began to talk about taking back the Snakes Kingdom in battle and annexing it, but due to MacLean''s rebellion and the rebellions before that, the soldiers were undeniably weakened, and since the strongest soldiers had defected to the Snakes Kingdom, they could not fight very well. It is better that we managed to persuade the nobles and avoid a war with the Snakes Kingdom by concluding a friendship treaty. If there is a war, we will have to deal with two pterodactyls. Two pterodactyls that have anecdotes of burning the continent to the ground. That''s what William personally wanted to avoid. At present, the western border is west of the former territory of the Viscount Connor, the current Earl of Connor of the Snakes, and the northern border is north of the former Count Abbott''s territory, the current Marquis Abbott of the Snakes. The north and west have been reduced by more than half. ''You''re here too? A soldier calls out to a familiar face who has newly defected. ''I can''t sleep at night without hearing that yelling. ''Are you a dominatrix? ''No, I''m not! You''ve been coming here too.'' ''That''s because I''ve become so strong that I can see it myself. If being under the Reaper might make me stronger, I''ll join him.'' ''Well, yeah! Besides, the pay is good for what it''s worth! ''No different! The conversation between the soldiers was in full bloom. 297-leadership group At the moment, the Kingdom of Sneks is running around reorganizing its forces and securing weapons. As for the weapons, many dwarves had already moved to the Snakes territory for the sake of alcohol. The dwarves, who normally drink and make noise at night, are working at night and are currently manufacturing weapons at full speed. Why? ''Wouldn''t you like to try some brandy for the nobility? I''ll give you a bottle of brandy for each dwarf involved, in addition to your reward, if you can get the required number by the deadline. This was the killer phrase Patrick used. It was an impossible order, but the dwarves were thrilled to hear it. As a result, they were able to secure weapons, but to secure food, the amount of alcohol produced was slightly reduced. The amount of alcohol made from wheat and rice, which can be used to preserve food, is decreasing, but the people are being lulled into believing that they are getting other cheaper wines and liquors. The dwarves, in particular, must not be allowed to notice. The end of a drink is the end of a relationship is one of the most famous Dwarven sayings. In the old main building of the Snakes, currently the Royal Castle of the Kingdom of the Snakes, the leaders are currently gathering for a meeting. ''Prime Minister Mirko, how is the military buildup going? Patrick asks Mirko. ''Ha! Thanks to the hard work of the dwarves and artisans, we''re about 80% of the way there. We should have them in about a month. Prime Minister Mirko replies. Yes, Mirko has been appointed Prime Minister of the Snakes Kingdom. His current title is Marquis. ''Good, things are going well. General Elvis! How''s the training of the national army?'''' ''''Yes! The Snakes'' Royal Guard is fine, sir! Currently, the training of the Marquis of Abbot''s troops, the 1st Fort''s troops (formerly the Western Army of the Western Fort), the Earl of Wylie and the Earl of Van Pelt''s troops (Wylie and Van Pelt are appointed as Earls) is being strengthened under the direction of Major General Rismo and Major General Toning. I''ve decided to use them as a security force, since the other houses'' territorial troops can''t keep up with them at all, except for the Earl of Connor''s troops. I''ve decided to use them as a security force,'' replied Count Elvis, who had been appointed as a general (his family name was Elvis). ''Well, it can''t be helped. So be it. Lieutenant General Wylie! How''s the fortification progress at Fort 1?'' ''Yes, sir! We''re currently installing a fence to connect the west and north forts, but we probably won''t make it in time.'' ''Well, I suppose so, how''s everything else going? ''Yes, the hidden fort is almost complete. ''Good! Lieutenant General Van Pelt, what is the status of the second fort in the north (the new fort that the Mental Kingdom was working on in the mountainous region)? ''The fence is the same as in the west. The rest is almost complete! The soldiers from the mountainous region have been brought in to replace the ones from the north, and are currently being trained under Abbott''s leadership. ''All right, I''ll give up on the fence from the north. Help me with the fence from the west. Major General Kusnatz, how is the reinforcement of our castle''s defenses progressing? ''Yes, sir! We''re repairing and improving the walls, but it''s going well.'' Major General Cusnut (Cusnut is his family name and his title is Viscount), the commander of the Royal Castle Guard, replied. ''Major General Ein, what are the movements of the Zabeen Empire and the Mental Kingdom? ''''Let''s start with the Mental Kingdom. We''re busy reorganizing the nobles in the Mental Kingdom and recruiting soldiers. Under the Marquis of Canaan, we''ve gathered several wizards from the human race and formed the Mental Kingdom''s Magic Corps, which is currently in training. Well, there are three of us, including Lord Decourse. Major General Ein (also a viscount, with Ein as his family name) answered. ''Oh, you found two of them? ''Yes, both of them are men who have just turned thirty this year in the countryside, and the conditions are the same, so it may be that the age of thirty is when the human race develops the ability to use magic. We are currently investigating the possibility of finding them in our country if we search with that in mind. The Snakes Mansion in the Mental Kingdom is being used as an embassy for the Snakes Kingdom, and we are exporting barley and wine to the Mental Kingdom from there. The other day, I had a meeting with the Ambassador of Plum Kingdom at the embassy. He readily approved of our country and asked us to conclude a treaty of friendship. He''s asking for a treaty of equality if possible, but I think we should reject that and treat them as His Majesty''s apprentice state. And as for the Zabine Empire, its soldiers and strength are dwindling due to chronic food shortages over the past few years and the recent war with the small nations to the west. I think it''s time to attack! ''All right! Now, I want you all to stay alert until the end! Patrick said, looking at the faces of those present, ''Yes, sir! ''I''ll fly to Plum. ''I''m going to fly to Plum and punish him for talking so much about a treaty of equality! The depths of Patrick''s eyes glow suspiciously. 298-to lose ones temper ''Did you take over the Mental Kingdom?'' Antony Dis Plum, who had been looking at a book in the Plum King''s Castle after hearing a report from his subordinate about the establishment of the Snakes Kingdom, raised his head and asked back. The shimmering golden hair on his head was a color unique to the royal family of the Lion Tribe. ''No, it seems that they have become independent, involving other territories. The subordinate replied, ''Well, I knew you weren''t the kind of person who would just do as you were told. ''Yes, the question is, what will they say to our country? The question is, what will they say to our country?'' said the worried subordinate. ''What do you think? ''If there''s an advantage for the Snakes Kingdom to take in our country, it''s that we have an abundance of food. However, the Snakes Kingdom also produces wheat, so the food situation shouldn''t be too bad, so I think it would be best to conclude a friendship treaty, trade with each other, and avoid conflict.'''' ''Yeah, because you never know what they''ll say if they take you in! At any rate, send a diplomatic ambassador and get them to conclude a friendship treaty somehow! I don''t mind making a few concessions! It''s better than being killed! ''Ha! So, the fuchsbau ambassador Elio was dispatched to the Snakes Kingdom to meet with the Snakes Kingdom Ambassador at the Snakes Kingdom Embassy in the Mental Kingdom. He says some unnecessary things that he should not have said, but he wants to conclude the deal and go home. Elio has never met Patrick, nor has he seen the pterosaur. He''s only heard gossip. He was in another country at the time of the riot. Bad luck, that''s all I can say. If you were in the country at the time of the riot, ''We''re a new country, but we''ll sign a treaty of friendship with you on equal terms. Isn''t that good for you? You wouldn''t have said that. Hearing those words, Ambassador Mulder von Raven, Viscount of the Snakes and diplomat, ''Well. May I speak these words to His Majesty? He asked back. Hearing this, Ambassador Elio assumed that it was to tell him that the Kingdom of Plum was a friendly country towards new nations, ''Of course. He replied. This was the beginning of the "Tragedy of Elio. From then on, Ambassador Elio''s life was one of being constantly forced by the Snakes Kingdom to do things that were unreasonable, and of having his home country angry at him. Later, "Elio''s Tragedy" was made into a book by someone and became a huge bestseller, and even a play was staged in many countries. It is a story that conveys the horror of an irreversible mistake. In this story, Patrick is portrayed as a diabolical king, and the people of other countries who saw the novel and the play will recognize him as a diabolical person. Well, it''s not wrong. And Elio returned to his home country without recognizing his gaffe as a gaffe. He reported to the king''s castle that he had a good response and was living a normal life, but suddenly he was taken away by soldiers from the castle. This was just before Erio was summoned. A man runs hurriedly through the corridors of Plum Castle. He opens the door of the King''s office without knocking, ''Your Majesty! A jet-black pterodactyl is approaching from the sky! ''What? He''s here? What in the world does he want? It''s hard to imagine that the king himself would come all the way here to sign a friendship treaty? ''I don''t know what it is, but I''m curious about the fact that he said it himself, and I have a bad feeling about it. ''Don''t say that, or you''ll invite something really bad. And then.., Boom! I felt the whole castle shake with a loud sound. At the same time, there was a tremendous sense of death. ''Antony! Come out! You think you''re on equal terms with us? You''ve got to be kidding me! I''ll destroy this castle! Get your ass out here! Patrick''s voice reverberated through the castle as he shouted. ''See what you did? That''s what you get for saying that! That''s not good! He''s mad as hell! Antony says with a slightly frightened expression. ''Please don''t blame me! But what does it mean to be equal? Didn''t His Majesty say that it''s okay to make concessions? The subordinate also said with a troubled look. ''Yes, I did! I also directly told Ambassador Erio that concessions are acceptable and to conclude this agreement as soon as possible! At any rate, bring Ambassador Erio here immediately! I''ll make sure he''s in a good mood for now! Hurry up! Antony hurriedly ran, ''Yes, yes! replied his subordinate as he ran. 299-to yell at ''Oh, no! Please don''t let them destroy the castle! Antony hurriedly appeared and asked Patrick. ''You''re here, you idiot! Do you think you''re equal to us? Patrick yells at Antony. ''No! That''s not what I''m saying! I''m saying that we should make some concessions and come to a treaty of friendship as soon as possible! I don''t want to get killed! I don''t want to get killed!'' Antony excuses his mistake. ''Then why is it that the ambassador says let''s make a treaty of equality! What is it? Does your ambassador have more authority than you, the king? Are you too incompetent to properly communicate your intentions to the ambassador? I don''t need your incompetent little brother. Shall I kill you and take over this country? Oha?????'' ''No, don''t kill me, don''t take over! I''m having the ambassador brought in now! An hour later, Patrick is sitting on the throne in Plum Castle when Ambassador Elio is dragged in front of him. Why is he being dragged? Because Ambassador Elio''s legs were shaking and he couldn''t walk because of Patrick''s killing intent. No, it''s not just Elio, everyone in this space is trembling. Antony, who was dragging Ambassador Elio, was the only one who could move. That''s the king. ''You''re the one who said something about a treaty of friendship between equals. You''ve got a good heart. Antony told me I could make concessions, and I brought up equality. You''re saying Plum''s worth it, right? What do we have? Food? We''re good, right? What do you got for me, boy? Patrick questioned Ambassador Erio with all his might. ''Ah, ah, that''s it, hei, yes! It''s the troops! We have soldiers with great physical abilities! They''ll be more useful on the battlefield than the humans! If we can conclude a treaty of friendship on equal terms, we can expect a great deal of success when we go to support them in the event of a good battle! Yes, sir! Ambassador Erio replied, though he chewed a lot. ''So, you''re offering the lives of the beastmen as a fighting force? Very well. We can''t be on equal terms, but we can make a treaty of friendship on similar terms! But! But you must join us on the battlefield! If you''re willing to give your life, wouldn''t it be disloyal to the rest of the nation if you didn''t give yours? It''s settled. Patrick decided on his own. ''What?'' Ambassador Elio shouted in confusion. ''Antony, you''ve got some interesting men. From now on, all negotiations with us will be conducted by you or him. Is that clear? Patrick said, staring at Antony, ''Yes, sir! Antony replied, standing straight and unmoving. Antony replies, standing erect. ''Then send out your troops, because we''ll be fighting Zabeen soon! Then I''m leaving. Oh, you know what will happen later if we don''t have enough soldiers, right? Patrick left with a smirk on his face. Ambassador Elio was very angry with Antony, but I don''t need to mention that. 300-real name Autumn, the year Patrick declared his independence and founded the Kingdom of the Snakes. The crops have been harvested, and the people of the Snakes are ready for winter. Well, the Kingdom of the Snakes has a temperate climate except in the north. ''We''re ready. A man with black hair and dark eyes in the hall of the Snakes King''s castle. ''We''ve gathered the troops ......''. The words that followed announced that the battle was about to begin. But his words were a little weak. A large amount of food and weapons have been brought into the fort, and everything is ready. Large wagons and many large horses have been acquired. The reinforcement and deployment of the soldiers had already been completed, and they were scheduled to leave the Royal Castle and enter the First Fort at dawn tomorrow. We have been informed that the shortage of food in the Zabine Empire could not be solved with this year''s harvest. The previous war had ravaged the fields of the land they had occupied, resulting in a poor harvest. It is almost certain that they will attack us in order to secure food for when the winter comes. We had prepared for that ahead of time. There is no custom of declaring war in this continent. That''s why they have forts and such to keep watch. There was no need to wait for the Xavian Empire to finish preparing for war and attack. But.., ''So why now? ......'' Gah? Cagyun? The two pterodactyls squealed. ''No, it''s fine. It''s the fruit of Poo and Pae''s love! Keep it warm and show me the pretty one. Patrick says to them, Gah! Geez! The two pups squealed happily. Yes, in the hall of the Snakes'' castle, in their shared bed, there were two large eggs! Pei had laid them. Patrick had been informed by Garus, the servant beast, that Pei had become numb to the fact that Pooh had not come into heat with Pei, and had attacked him. ''I was going to ride Pooh and Peh and attack the enemy fort first, but they''re both keeping one egg warm, so it''s impossible. Poe and the others are in the moat defending the castle, and they''re too slow to move out of the water. Their bodies are hard enough that arrows won''t pierce them, but what can we do? Patrick says to himself, and something taps him on the right shoulder. ''Hmm? He turns around and sees Pichan''s big face. Is it an illusion that he looks like he''s smirking? ''What? My blood?'' Pichan must have said something to Patrick. Patrick asked back, and Pichan nodded. ''It''s okay, but if you''re thirsty, I''ll get you some water. When Patrick said that, Pichan shook her head. ''Hmm? No? You need it to evolve? You''re going to evolvea?????'' As he says this, he pulls out the sword on his left hip and slides his left pinky finger across the blade, blood dripping from the wound. Opening his mouth, Pichan drinks it. ''Is it enough? Patrick drinks the potion, watching as Pichan closes her mouth. The scar on Patrick''s finger disappears. Pichan stares at Patrick. ''Huh? Call me by my real name? Your real name?'' Patrick asks back, and Pichan shakes her head violently. ''Picrostier.'' A moment after Patrick said that, as if in response to the true name, Pichan began to glow violently. A few minutes later, the light converged and what was there was a giant snake with scales like black pearls with an iridescent luster. It had red eyes and two horns extending forward from its head. Its appearance resembled that of the Yatagami god of the Tokugawa Shogunate! 301-True Name 2 The sight of Pichan brought something to mind, Patrick. ''Oh! You''ve become beautiful, Pichan! He spoke to Pichan. ''I''m so happy to hear your praise, my Lord! I''m so happy to hear your praise, Lord! ''Pichan! Your voice! You can talk. Patrick was surprised. ''That''s because I''ve evolved. Pichan sounded confident. ''Pichan, do you know what Yato-no-kami is? ''Yato-no-kami? What''s that? ''No, it''s just a resemblance, right? ''Does it look like me? ''Sort of. It''s not like I''ve seen you before. ''Hmm, okay. Now that I''ve finally used all the magic I''ve accumulated, I feel great! In fact, I wanted to keep Pu and Pei as wyverns for a while, but they got so excited when they got their powers and released them that they ended up as normal pterodactyls. But they got so excited and released their power that it stopped at the level of a normal pterosaur,'' said a slightly dissatisfied Pichan. ''Hmm? Aren''t pterosaurs the best? If I feed them my blood and call them by their true names, will they evolve again? ''Maybe I''ll just end up strengthening them, do you want to try? The conditions for evolution are that an individual with the aptitude to evolve eats a higher level demon and has enough magic power. This is the condition for normal demons, and for Emissary Beasts, there are two additional conditions: they must receive a part of their Lord, and they must be called by their true name. Pooh and the others did it with only two conditions. ''Try it! I''ll give it a try. Have Pooh and Pei drink the same blood as before, ''Prototix, perodetita.'' Patrick calls out to Pu and Peh. Pooh and Peh glowed dimly and their bodies grew a little larger. ''See, I knew it. You''re not even the Dragon King. At best you''re a dragon knight or a dragon general. Well, your magic''s gotten a little stronger and your eggs will hatch a little faster. Po''s not ready yet. They''re still like babies. ''At that size? Po and the others have already grown to over five meters. ''Because the water dragons I killed in the lake were bigger and tougher, weren''t they? ''Yes, it was! ''Well, okay. Lord, leave the first attack to me, the Snake Dragon King! Pichan was full of motivation. Patrick was a little afraid of Pichan''s motivation. And so the preparations were made, ''I''m off then. Patrick said to Thorinaris. ''Even if they pull your hands and feet off, you''ll come back alive. I can''t do this without you now. Thorinaris said. What is impossible is left to the reader''s imagination. ''Well, how many days can you stand? Patrick asked with a troubled look, ''Thirty days, that''s the limit. If you don''t come back by then, I''ll take Poo or Peh, and if that''s not possible, I''ll take Po, and I''ll come to you with the others! said Thorinaris. The Fifty Sounds are Po''s brothers. Patrick gave them the initials in alphabetical order, as he saw fit. A for Azure. I''ve decided to call them Yancy, but I usually call them A-chan and I-chan. ''Okay, Pu, Pei, take care of Sona. Patrick pats Pooh and Peh on the head and leaves the castle. ''Snakes Kingdom Army, let''s go! '' he shouts loudly. ''Oh! '' the soldiers respond. 302-First Fortress Patrick riding on the head of Pichan and Picrostier. He is moving at great speed at the front. The Snakes Kingdom''s horse troops, who are following behind, are struggling to make their horses run. The wagons and infantry have long since been left behind. Seeing this, ''Pichan, take your time, save your strength. Patrick said, making Pichan slow down. Patrick and the others enter the former West Fort of the Mental Kingdom, now the First Fort of the Snakes Kingdom. Those who were not used to Pichan ran for cover, but it was a small matter. ''What''s the situation?'' Patrick said, ''We received a report from Plum''s bird tribe that the enemy Xavian Empire soldiers are gathering in the grasslands west of the border, as if they are suspicious of our movements. Lieutenant General Wylie, who had arrived earlier, reported. ''Have they figured it out? If more gather, we''re in trouble. We''ll set it up in the morning! Patrick, his brow wrinkled slightly, instructed. ''Ha! I''ll make sure the men are well fed and rested. Wylie replied with a salute. ''Aye, have them assembled before dawn. ''Yes, sir! And so, the night before the battle, Fort One finished its final preparations and went to sleep. While it was still dark, the forces of Fort 1 of the Snakes Kingdom and the Viper Squad gathered in the courtyard of the fort. The Viper Squad is an elite unit, with former soldiers from the 8th and 2nd Armies also enlisted. Why are they gathering here, anyway? Why not attack from the north? The north is a mountainous region and not suitable for a large force invasion. Besides, it will be snowing soon. So, Patrick decided that a small force might attack, but the main force would invade from here. A large force of about 10,000 men is gathering. As you may have noticed from Lieutenant General Wylie''s line, the Plum Beastman Army is among them. They numbered three thousand. ''The Snakes Kingdom Army, the Plum Beastmen have come to support us. We will now attack the Zabeen Empire. Instead of spending our days wondering when they''ll come, we''ll attack first and strike first! I''m sorry, but you''ll be putting your lives in danger. Some of us will die. But if we don''t strike the Xavian Empire before it comes with all the preparations, the damage to us will be unimaginable. This is a battle that will not be fought in hindsight. I will fight with you. The Plum-beast army can assist me. Thank you for coming for our country! Erio! You''re on the front line! Let''s go! Let''s move out! Patrick is on top of Pichan''s head as he begins to move. One after another, the soldiers start walking. Erio''s screams echoed from the first fort, dragging a jittery Erio along with them. 303-prewar Let''s rewind time a bit. The founding of the Snakes Kingdom was reported to the Empire by a group of merchants posing as merchants who were infiltrated by Zabeen''s intelligence service. The Xavian Empire was desperate in its own way to obtain as much food as possible. ''That''s why there is a possibility that the Mental Kingdom will split up and the Mental Kingdom and the Snakes Kingdom will enter into war. It is rumored that some nobles in the Mental Kingdom are advising the king to attack the Snakes Kingdom. He said to his subordinate who reported to the Emperor, If that''s the case, we can either attack when the war between the Mental Kingdom and the Snakes Kingdom starts, or when the war is over and we''re exhausted. The Non-Aggression Pact was signed with the Mental Kingdom, not the Snakes Kingdom, so we can attack at any time. Even if the Mental Kingdom wins, they''re exhausted and won''t have recovered their national strength when the Non-Aggression Pact expires! This is our chance to take back the mines near the border. Yeah, it''s a wheat-growing area, so we''d better take it after the harvest is over! The Emperor said with a laugh. ''That''s right. It would be better to take the food. It''s better to avoid the farmland and fight a war to capture it, so we can expect a good harvest later on. ''We can''t afford to make the same mistake we made last time,'' he said. The Emperor acknowledged the failure of the previous war. And so, in order to keep an eye on the two countries, the Xavian Empire has decided to gather information from merchants with money in their hands. Of course, he sends his own agents. But there was no good information coming from the many merchants. Because, ''It would be more profitable to be a Snakes than a Xavian. ''The tax rate is much lower in the Snakes. ''We might have a chance to stock up on Snakes'' liquor. The merchants of Zabeen did not like the high tax rate of Zabeen. It would have been a miscalculation for the agents who relied on the merchants. But for the agents who did not move around much on their own, it was a lifesaver. Because the hard-working agents had already disappeared from the world. ''How many today? Ayn asked his men, ''Eight, sir. ''Eight,'' comes the reply. ''You are wasting your time. It''s impossible to extract information from our country. As long as we''re here. Ain said calmly. ???????????????????????????????????? ''Are there a lot of big wagons coming and going at the Snakes'' fort? After hearing the information from some merchants, the Xavian Imperial Command reported it to the Emperor. The Emperor heard it and asked back as follows. ''Yes, it seems that wagons are entering the fort every day. ''Yes, wagons seem to be entering the fort every day,'' said one of his men, ''Isn''t that food for the spring? It''s almost winter. They''re probably bringing in the wheat harvest. You haven''t heard anything from your agents, have you? ''Yes, sir, nothing of note. ''Then there is nothing to be concerned about. If they can bring in a large number of horses, they might attack us. Well, put a few more men on the east side. If Mental and Snakes get into a fight, they might attack. With those words, the matter was put to rest. Emperor Zabeen, who was in a castle far away from the Snake Kingdom, did not know. It''s the merchant''s fault for not reporting the size of the wagon properly, but it was a wagon that could hold several horses. And that a squad of vipers can run all day and night without horses. 304-opening of a war A few days after the report of food being brought into the Snakes'' fort was brought to Castle Zabeen, several border guards stationed near the border at the eastern fort of the Empire appeared on horseback and shouted loudly towards the fort. ''The Snakes Kingdom army has crossed the border! It''s quite a large force! Hearing this, the soldiers guarding the gate of the fort, ''What! I haven''t received any report of such a large force entering that forta?????''. He said, ''But it''s true! said the soldier on horseback. ''Yeah, and what about the border guards? ''The border guards were defeated and retreated in scattered groups. We''ve been ordered by our superiors to ride out and report back! ''Mmm, hey there, go report to your superiors for now! You, ring the bell! Battle positions! He ordered another soldier to go and report, and a bell rang out in the fort to warn of the unusual situation. ''Hey you guys! I''m closing the gates, get inside now! '' said a soldier to a border guard soldier who came to report, ''And I''ve already explained the situation to the troops on the grassland! '' said the border guard who made an additional report. ''What did the commander say?'' ''He said he would buy us a few days. In the meantime, he wants us to call the Imperial Capital for support! ''I see! In the meantime, go inside and make the same report again to the command center! ''Understood, sir! With that, he led his horse inside the fort, the border guards. The headquarters listened to the report of the border guards and decided to report to the imperial capital. The commander heard the report of the border guards and decided to report to the imperial capital. Then, several soldiers on horseback hurriedly departed for the imperial capital. ???????????????????????????????????? After defeating the Zabeen Empire''s border guards without Pichan, the soldiers of the Snakes Kingdom headed directly west. The Zabean Empire was gathering soldiers for the battle between the Snakes and the Mental Kingdom, but Pichan, aka Picrostier, who sensed the location by smell, ran at once. No, he wasn''t running. ''Pichan, he''s not following us! Patrick shouts to his feet. ''You didn''t do anything earlier, so you''ve got a lot of energy! I''m fine! I''ll take care of him! I''ll take care of it! Lord, get your lance ready and go for the kill! It''s cooler that way! Pichan says back. With that, Patrick held up the lance he''d gotten Thorinaris to make for him to carry when he rode Pooh as a formality. ???????????????????????????????????? What the hell is thata?????? That must have been the consensus of the soldiers of the Zabean Empire gathered in the grasslands. They had just learned from a report that the Snakes Kingdom army had crossed the border and was attacking, and were hurriedly preparing for battle and waiting. However, the first thing we saw was not a Snakes soldier, but a huge snake-like demon. It had a body like a black pearl glittering with rainbow colors, and eyes as red as rubies. Two black horns stretching forward from its head. And on its head, right between the two horns, is a man wearing skull armor. The killing power he radiates is enough to shatter a fighter''s spirit, but how many of you felt that power? The lance he wielded seemed to be telling the demon where to go. ''I''ve received reports that Snakes'' soldiers crossed the border and the border guards were defeated. But I''ve never heard of a demon like that.'' The commander who saw the snake demon muttered to no one in particular. The soldiers fled the moment they saw the demon. A huge snake demon is advancing, flicking away the soldiers who failed to flee with its body, and a person wearing a red variant of armor shows the way forward with a lance. The commander of Zabeen''s army was trying to stop the fleeing soldiers by shouting at them, but it was quite impossible to stop those who were caught up in the crowd mentality. ???????????????????????????????????? ''Lord! Maybe that''s the commander!'' Pichan said, dexterously pointing her forked tongue at him. ''Right! I''m off! Pichan, do well so that our soldiers won''t be harmed! Patrick jumped from Pichan''s head and ran towards the commander in a straight line. ''Of course! I''ll leave it to you!'' Pichan says to Patrick''s back, and then proceeds to lay waste to the enemy soldiers. With Patrick gone from her head, Pichan can do as she pleases, and she vomits a black blur from her mouth. It is a fine mist of his own poison, and when it mixes with the air, the toxicity is diminished, but it acts on the optic nerve, blinding the eyes for several hours. The blind soldiers wielded their spears in the dark, but to Pichan, a spear was like being stroked with a cotton swab. Boom! But for Pichan, a spear was like being stroked with a cotton swab. Those who were unlucky enough to be hit by the wagging tails of the spears flew through the air and crashed into the ground, ending their lives. The Snakes Kingdom troops who arrived a little later saw soldiers moaning as they fell from the sky, corpses crushed by Pichan with their internal organs blasted out, and soldiers wielding spears without recovering their sight. ''I hate dying like that. A soldier of the Snakes Kingdom said to himself as he looked at the gutted and dead bodies of his enemies. 305-to go wild Patrick runs unnoticed. He aims for his commander''s head. He dexterously slips through the confused Zabine Empire soldiers. ''Yeah, I guess I''ll just have to hunker down in the fort and fight a siege! There''s no way we can win a battle in the grasslands with that monster! Retreat! A voice shouted behind the commander. ''Calling me a monster is disrespectful to Pichan! Anyone who speaks ill of my pet will regret it in the afterlife. At the same time, a red liquid gushed from the commander''s throat and he collapsed on the spot. Patrick kicked the struggling commander in the head with the tip of his steel-plated boot. There was the sound of a skull cracking. Seeing the fallen commander, Zabean''s soldiers run away. But the Snakes'' Royal Army is not so kind as to let him go. The Zabean Imperial Guard, armed and fleeing, were targeted by knives from the sky, spears of infantry and cavalry, and archers from a distance, and their lives were scattered. And above all, there was Pichan. The Snakes Kingdom''s army was able to defeat the Zabeen Empire''s soldiers without difficulty because their huge bodies limited the direction in which the Zabeen Empire soldiers could flee. No one was strong enough to approach a giant snake demon without liking it. ''Okay, we''ve defeated most of them. In Patrick''s eyes, he could see Pichan and the Snakes Kingdom soldiers capturing the fleeing soldiers. ''Your Majesty! There''s no damage here! To the soldiers who came to report, ''Thank you! Captain Dixon! Tell Lieutenant Colonel Kanaan that we''ll head for the fort first. I''ll lead with the horses, and the infantry can come after us at fighting speed! Patrick gave the order. Captain Dixon, by the way, could find Patrick if he shouted. ''Yes, sir! ''Well, Wylie! Take care of the horses! Keep going!'' Patrick says and rides on Pee-chan''s head. ???????????????????????????????????? A few minutes after sending a message to the imperial capital, the eastern fortress of the Xavian Empire was attacked by a giant snake demon, despite the fact that it was supposed to buy time. The soldiers reported seeing the creature from the watchtower of the fort, and it was fine until they hurriedly closed the gates of the fort. The serpent demon that hit the gate of the fort, undaunted by the bows and arrows that were fired simultaneously, entered through the broken gate and is running rampant. With a swipe of its tail, dozens of soldiers were blown away and collapsed against the wall. In the next instant, the walls of the building are destroyed by the head that extends at an invisible speed. The demon devoured the fleeing soldiers one after another, as if swallowing a pea-soup. The scene was being shown to me by the commander at the top of the fort, who was dressed in the most luxurious clothes, ''Hey! Hurry up and kill that monster! '' he shouted to his soldiers. The soldiers inside the fort were completely blinded by the giant snake demon. A few minutes later, the horse troops of the Snakes Kingdom entered through the collapsed gate. In the attacked fort of the Xavian Empire, the spears of the Snakes soldiers on horseback pierced their allies one after another. In addition to this, the soldiers are cut down by battle axes wielded by powerful beastmen who invade a few minutes later, and knives falling from the sky. The number of Zabine Empire soldiers is decreasing with time. 306-Snakes of Advance ''With all due respect, Your Highness Alex! Our bows and arrows and spears have been bounced back. '' reported a soldier. The one called His Highness Alex was the second prince of the Xavian Empire. He had been waiting in this fortress for the outbreak of war between the Snakes and the Mental Kingdoms, hoping to take credit for the battle for the throne. ''Yeah, you''re useless! Just aim with the ballista! Prince Alex the Second ordered, ''The ballista is designed to target the outside of the fort, not the inside! Retreat! The soldier tells him it''s impossible. ''If we lose to those incomprehensible people and retreat! You''ll be stripped of your right to the throne! When the Second Prince Alex shouted, he felt a chill behind him and unconsciously turned his head back. At that moment, the lance that was already in front of him pierced his right eye. Prince Alex''s brain must have been destroyed by the lance, and he collapsed in a spasm. ''Your Highness Alex! The head of the soldier who shouted this flew off. Patrick took his hand off the lance, pulled out the sword machete on his right hip, and cut off the head of the screaming soldier. The soldier''s head fell to the ground, and his eyes rolled on the ground with their eyes wide open. Patrick grabbed his lance with his right hand, pulled it out, and slashed the man''s head with his sword machete, grabbing him by the hair and lifting him up, ''Enemy commander, down! He grabbed the man by the hair, lifted him up and shouted loudly, ''Enemy, commander! The rapid advance of the Snakes Kingdom continued. A few days after the start of the war, the Xavian Imperial Army appeared at the second fort in the Marquis of Abbot''s domain in the north. ''There are more of them than we thought, but not enough to take this place. Ryan Abbott said, ''Well, there''s no road for food wagons to get through. We''ll just have to make do with that. Van Pelt says. ''What should we do? Ryan looks at Van Pelt and asks. ''The dragon runners in the second stronghold should be enough, but please take command of the archers on the walls. Van Pelt said, staring at the enemy troops. ''Yes, sir! Ryan replied, ''Well then! Van Pelt walks off. Van Pelt''s Viper Squad''s running dragons are truly unstoppable in mountainous regions. Their movement speed is moderate, but they can climb cliffs that are impossible for four-legged horses. Xavian soldiers fell one after another to the arrows fired from the top of the cliffs. It took less than half a day for 2,000 Zabine Imperial troops to be defeated by only 300 runners. 307-Third Fortress However, there were several small units of the Xavian Empire that crossed the border undetected by the Snakes'' forces. The Xavian Empire soldiers move on foot, hiding in the mountains, and find a water hole. It was nearing dusk, ''All right, we''ll take a break here. Let''s get some rest and get ready for tomorrow. The commander of the troop said in a quiet voice. While more than half of the troops were asleep and half were on alert, not a single Zabean soldier noticed that the camouflaged men were slowly approaching on a running dragon, also clad in camouflage. When a large number of arrows shot soundlessly pierced through the Zabean soldiers, the Zabean Imperial Army finally noticed the enemy attack. ''Enemy attack! A soldier who was lucky enough to escape the arrow attack shouted out. But those were the last words he spoke in this world. One by one, the soldiers of the Xavian Empire fell. The sleeping soldier jumped up at the sound of the voice and ran to hide in a tree. When he ran, a spear came out from the grass under the tree. A soldier whose throat had been pierced fell, coughing up blood. Seeing the soldiers fall one after another, the commander said, ''Where the hell is the enemy! No, how did you know our position before that? He shouted to no one in particular. ''We were in full view of the fort. The commander was not expecting an answer, ''There''s no fort nearby! Don''t lie to me! Don''t lie!'' he shouts. ''You just don''t know it. We''ve been seeing them since we crossed the border.'' Those were the last words the commander heard. The dragon runners chase the fleeing soldiers. Only a few of the Xavian Empire soldiers were able to escape because their speed was far different from the Xavian soldiers who were running away. ''Major General Colton, have you destroyed them? Colton''s second-in-command asked, ''Yes, I believe we killed most of them. We may have missed a few, though. But the hidden fort is a good fort. The only problem is there''s no water, but we can keep an eye on the enemy from high above. Hey! Make it easy on the breathing ones there. Colton instructs his soldiers after finding a breathing enemy soldier. ''This watering hole is a bit of a hassle, but it won''t be a problem if we carry them. But how did His Majesty find such a place, a mountaintop fort? And the far-sighted tube! That thing is dangerous. ''I heard he found it from the sky, and it was specially made by His Majesty, though it was made by a Dwarf who was told by His Majesty. ''Oh, Master Pooh, is it? ''I wonder who His Majesty really is? With a pterodactyl at his side, he''s definitely not a man, right? ''Would the Major General who''s been with you since you were an Ensign say that? Of course not. He''s the Grim Reaper. Now that we''re done, we should go destroy the next unit. We need to rendezvous with whoever''s tracking us! Hey, there! Let''s get this over with. This night, three covert units of the Xavian Empire will bid farewell to the world. 308-Reward 1 As luck would have it, a medium-sized unit managed to cross the border from a point halfway between the second fort in the north and the third fort on the mountaintop and invade the Snakes Kingdom. The troops were the top-ranked elite troops of the Xavian Empire''s covert forces. They attacked the soldiers of the houses that had been incorporated into the Snakes Kingdom, and after obtaining horses one after another, they were desperately riding towards the castle of the Snakes Kingdom along the road. The elite soldiers of the Snakes Kingdom Army went to the front line, and the security forces were unable to stop the elite troops. When the soldiers of the Xavian Empire arrived at the Snakes Castle, they bristled at the fact that the bridge leading to the main gate was in the middle of the moat, parallel to the moat. ''Why is the bridge facing the same direction as the moat? One of the soldiers shouted, ''It''s a revolving bridge. It''s a revolving bridge, the angle is changed by ropes from the inside, so there''s nothing we can do about it from the outside. The other soldier says. ''It''s no use, we can climb up from the moat on the other side of the river, we''ll just jump in and swim across. Pointing to a gently sloping area on the castle side, the commander said. ''The order is to seize or kill the king or queen. The king seems to have been identified at the front, and we''re after the queen! She looks like a chubby little thing. Kill any woman who looks like that. When I said that, I''ll kill her! I''ll kill you! I swear I''ll kill you!'' a woman shouted. A soldier spotted the woman he had heard about on the watchtower, ''There she is! That''s her! With that, the soldiers of the Xavian Empire jumped into the dugout. Countless eyes, reacting to the sound of a plunge into the water, silently creep up from the water. One of the soldiers swimming breaststroke on the surface of the water suddenly disappears into the water. One by one, and then another. After several of them have disappeared, someone finally notices that the number of soldiers is decreasing. ''Hey! There are fewer! We''re losing people! ''What? Did they drown? A soldier sank in front of him as he swam. ''Hey! That''s strange! There''s something in this moat! The soldier who shouted this rose up from the water. No, that''s not the right word. He was lifted above the water by a large mouth full of fangs. A soldier who saw its distinctive mouth said, ''A water dragon! There''s a water dragon! There''s a water dragon! Hearing his voice, ''What! Oh no! Hurry up! We''re being eaten! The commander shouts. Hearing this, the soldiers hurriedly swam to the other side of the river, but the speed of a human swimmer is negligible. Gradually, the number of soldiers dwindled. When the soldiers thought they were almost to the shore, a cream-colored object pulled them into the water. It had jaws a size larger than those of any water dragon he had ever seen. When the soldier finally reached the shore and climbed out of the water, an arrow pierced his chest as if it were being sucked in. ''Ugh! The soldier moaned. ''Yes! I''m hit! Thorinaris''s voice came from the top of the building. He had been aiming his bow and arrow at the soldier who had called Pechapai. After that, countless arrows rained down from the watchtower. They were aimed at the soldiers who had landed. A water dragon crawls out of the water, takes the fallen soldier in its mouth, and throws him into the water. The thrown soldiers sink into the water. The water dragons rise to the shore one after another. One water dragon stands out among them all. ''It''s huge! While the other water dragons were only a little over five meters in length, the cream-colored water dragon was the only one that stood out, and it was nearly ten meters in length. When the soldiers saw it, they said, ''Hey, let''s all go up at once! There are more of us than the water dragons! Not yet! Those who judged that they would fall prey to the water dragons and their archers if they landed individually ordered them to do so. Xavian soldiers rushed to the shore. Bows and arrows rained down on the soldiers, who fell one by one. But there were dozens of Xavian soldiers who successfully avoided the arrows and escaped the water dragon. They were the skilled men of this unit. 309-Reward 2 Zabeen''s skilled men started running towards the watchtower at once. Snakes'' soldiers who were guarding the castle countered, but since they were guarding the entire castle, they were delayed by the fact that their target, the tower, was a separate building. The soldiers guarding the towers had been able to counter the attack with a few men, but their numbers were too different. One by one, they scattered in vain. Queen Sonalith on the top floor of the tower, and the soldiers of House Sneaks standing guard over her as if to protect her. Zabeen''s soldiers feel uncomfortable when they see a number of soldiers without one arm or leg among them. ''Boys, it''s time to return the favor we''ve received! Says the soldier without his right arm, ''''Oh! the soldiers around him shouted. ''''Go!'''' As the soldier with no right arm says this, another soldier with no left arm rushes in with a spear under his arm. ''Did you think you could stop us with your body! The spear of Zabeen''s soldier bounces off the spear of the soldier with no left arm and pierces the soldier''s stomach. ''''Gah! I don''t think I can win! The one-armed Snakes soldier who was speared said, grabbing the Xavian soldier''s spear with his right hand, ''Now! Shoot him dead with me! '' he shouted. At the sound of his voice, the soldiers with crippled bodies shot arrows from their bows, What? A voice leaks out from a startled Xavian soldier. One by one, the arrows pierce the soldier''s arm, and he collapses. ''Are these the dead soldiers? The Zabean soldier opened his eyes and shouted, ''We are the ones who were saved by His Majesty the Snakes. I would gladly give my life to protect your beloved! We have lost an arm and a leg, but we can repay you for hiring us like any other soldier! He even gave us the honor of dying as soldiers! With that, another one comes running towards us, spear at the ready. ''d*mn it! He clicks his tongue and throws his spear at the legless archer sitting on the ground. The spear pierced the archer, who could not avoid it due to his limp. ''Marquez! A voice called out to the archer whose spear was stuck. ''I''m sorry, I''ll go first. Take over .......'' ''I got it! The disabled soldiers struggled. Making good use of the narrow passages and using their own bodies as shields, they desperately tried to stop the Xavian Empire soldiers from approaching Queen Sonalith. He managed to defeat some of them, but the difference in his own strength was inexcusable. Gradually, their numbers dwindled until there were only a few left. ''d*mn it, I can''t face His Majesty like this! I''ll get Sona somehow. That''s when.., A jet-black pterodactyl flew out from inside the castle. ''A pterosaura?????'' Zabeen''s soldiers cried out in astonishment. ''Pooh! Where''s the egg?'' Thorinaris shouted at Pooh, ''Gah! Pooh cried. But Thorinaris had no idea what the cry meant. But he could imagine it. ''Did it hatch? Thorinaris asked, Gah! When Pooh turned his gaze to the Xavian soldier.., Giggle! When he turns his gaze to the Zabean soldier, he lets out another short squeal. With that cry, the body of the Xavian soldier disappeared in a black blur. The only commander who did not jump into the moat saw the pterodactyl and fled in panic, but his life was ended by a common soldier of the security force. The commander''s name was Max van Zabeen. He was the fourth prince of the empire. ''Thank you, everyone, thanks to you, I''m safe. No matter how I thank you, it won''t bring back the dead. ......'' Thorinaris thanked the soldiers who had protected him. ''Forgive my rudeness in returning your words directly. Queen Thornaris, we were merely returning the favor of His Majesty the Snakes. I hope you don''t mind. We would normally be dead, unable to work, but you''ve hired us to guard the city walls and paid us the same as the regular soldiers. We never thought we''d live such a blessed life. I''m sure those who died were happy to see us go. I''ll be satisfied if you say it was a great cause. The man in charge of the wounded soldiers said to Thorinaris on their behalf, ''Well done, all of you. Thorinaris responded. ''Thank you for your words. The leader of the group responded by dropping to one knee, and those behind him bowed in the manner of a vassal. Even though they couldn''t all take the same form, their loyalty was enough for Thorinaris to understand. ''Good work, Master Po and the others! Cnut shouted from the watchtower. ''Thank you, Po! Thorinaris also calls out to Po. Po responds with a big wag of his tail. Is it my imagination, or does he look like he''s smiling slightly? 310-Rudolph again Patrick and the rest of the Snakes'' Royal Army continued their rapid march. There were not many soldiers who resisted when they saw Pichan, and even when those who resisted with bows and arrows or spears appeared, they could not even put a scratch on Pichan''s scales. The soldiers were bounced by Pichan''s meandering body and collapsed with bruises all over their bodies. Seeing this, the soldiers and lords surrendered, and the king of the vassal state. It took less than two weeks for the Snakes to take over the eastern side of the empire from the center. This was the Two Weeks War as it was later called. In order to prevent being pinned down by the vassal states, the forces of the Snakes Kingdom were sent to the countries they had conquered, and the number of troops following Patrick decreased. After that, it took some time to cross the desert in the center, but it took 10 days to reach the imperial territory of the empire, or the royal capital in the mental kingdom. A protective wall surrounds the imperial territory. After destroying it with two blows of Pichan''s tail, the Snakes Kingdom army rushed through the hole. ''Leave those who flee behind! Kill only the soldiers coming towards you! We''re aiming for the Emperor and his clan, who are probably in the castle! Elvis! Wylie! You''ll do well! Mirko, you''re with the wagons, supply and save the wounded! Canaan, Dixon, you''re with Mirko, protect the wagons and the wounded! To Patrick''s shout, "Yes, sir! ''Yes, sir!'' comes a voice. ''Yes! Charge! Patrick shouted, standing on top of Pichan''s head. Patrick, standing on top of Pichan''s head, shouted, "Pichan is in a good mood. The horses followed at full speed. Patrick uses his lance to knock down the arrows fired by the enemy, while Pichan does nothing but bounce them back. The rest of the horse troop paused in a position where the arrows could not reach them, waiting for the rain of enemy arrows to stop. The archers in the imperial territory are blown away by Pichan''s body blow. As the arrows began to fall more sparsely, the horse troops charged forward. The vipers attacked the soldiers who had been deployed on both wings without being hit by Pichan''s body. One by one, the soldiers of the Xavian Empire fall, and some even flee, but those who escape are let off the hook as Patrick had told them. The soldiers of the Snakes Kingdom were steadily approaching the castle of the Xavian Empire. ???????????????????????????????????? Emperor Xavien, who had been watching the dwindling number of soldiers from his castle, returned to his throne, ''Nergis! Can''t you do something about that monster? Can''t you do something about that monster? No enemy had entered the walls of the castle, but outside the walls there was a giant snake demon and soldiers of the Snakes Kingdom running around. The one who was shouted at was the first prince, Nergis van Zabeen, the marshal of the Zabeen Empire. He is the most promising candidate for the next emperor, but has not yet been chosen. That is why the 2nd and 4th princes went to the front to take credit. ''Bows and arrows won''t pierce, spears and swords can''t even get close, and I tried to aim with the ballista in the castle, but it''s flicked by the tail! I told my father, the emperor, ''That''s because you''re aiming at it with a single unit, point everything at that monster! The Emperor instructs his son. ''I''m trying, sir! But they''re all being shot at! ''Then aim your arrows at the creepy thing on the monster''s head! ''That''s my father! He just disappeared. ''Whata????? Where did he go? You didn''t let him sneak into the castle, did you? ''I don''t know, sir. ''I don''t know what''s going on! Call the soldiers! Get the soldiers to guard this place! Yes, sir! At Nergis'' order, the soldiers were placed around the throne where the Emperor sat. ''Father, I will stand by your side and protect you. And a man appears. ''Ah, Rudolph. Are you going to help us? You failed in the invasion of the Mental Kingdom. Nergis asked me to send you out, so I did. Yes, the third prince who was previously captured by Patrick and imprisoned after he was repatriated. ''The Snakes Kingdom is ruled by the man who humiliated me! I''ll never forget his face! And I can work better than your brother Alex or Max, who won''t be back. Plus, I have a trump card in my hand. ''Hmm, have it your way. ''Thank goodness. I hope I can be of service to my father and clear his name. With that, Rudolph brought a tall man with brown hair to stand guard near the emperor. 311-a haughty face Patrick approaches the walls of the castle without a care in the world. Slashing at any soldiers he sees. His armor is already stained red with blood. But he walks slowly and unobtrusively, slashing the throats of his enemies without anyone noticing. The ground is stained with the color of blood, as if the land was originally red clay. When Patrick arrived at the gate of the castle wall, he saw the iron gate that was tightly closed and decided to look for another place to enter. The side gates were also made of iron and could not be burned. Patrick is annoyed by the way the Xavian Empire stubbornly keeps the gates closed, even though the Xavian Empire soldiers have returned injured and are standing in front of the gates shouting to be let in. He was injured fighting for his country, but they were not treating the wounded soldiers. ''Do you value your own life so much? How can a soldier risk his life just to give orders like a big shot? Muttering, they walked along the city walls, but could not find anything that would allow them to enter. However, the time that Patrick spent walking around was enough time for the soldiers of the Snakes Kingdom to neutralize the soldiers of the Zabean Empire. Well, most of them were Pichan. Out of range of the arrows raining down from the top of the castle walls, the Snakes Kingdom''s army was waiting. ''Lord! It''s all taken care of. Pichan, who was taking the arrows that were raining down on her, didn''t seem to be in any pain at all, but on the contrary, she was smoldering, found Patrick and called out to him. ''Oh! Thanks for your help, Pichan! There''s no place to break in here, so I''m wondering what to do. I''m just trying to figure out what to do,'' Patrick said to Pichan. ''Leave that to me! With that, Pichan slammed the injured soldier into the iron gate where the injured soldiers of the Zabine Empire were gathered. Immediately after the crashing sound, there was a thumping sound against the gate, and instead of the gate opening, the entire wall around the gate collapsed. ''Lord! It''s open! '' said a smug-looking Pichan. ''That''s great, Pichan! Patrick said, but.., ''I''d say it''s more like I crushed it than opened it. ''Two? Wylie, who was in command of the soldiers, said with some dismay. ''You guys neutralize the soldiers, don''t waste your lives. Don''t force the attack! Go in after Pichan''s rampage!'''' With that, Patrick walked out. Pichan used the stairs on the inside of the castle wall, where the soldiers would be climbing, and dexterously climbed up, hooking the scales on her stomach. Wylie and the others, who looked at Zabeen''s soldiers with pity in their eyes as they fell from the top, dismounted and started walking towards the entrance of the castle. Not knowing that Patrick has already entered the castle, the Xavian soldiers stationed near the entrance of the castle boldly attack. The battle between Wylie and the joint forces of the Snakes Kingdom Army and the Plum Beastmen Army began, but the well-trained Snakes soldiers and the Beastmen Army soldiers with their superior physical abilities cut down the Zabeans soldiers outside the castle with ease. Seeing this, some of the soldiers gave up and threw down their weapons, raising their hands to be captured. Meanwhile, Patrick, who had infiltrated the castle without any sign of life, wore a black cloak over his conspicuous armor and walked slowly through the corridors with extreme caution, looking for the throne where the emperor was supposed to be. ''Isn''t this castle too big? It looks like it''s more than three times the size of ours. Patrick whispered to himself. After wandering several times, he finally found a place where many soldiers were guarding the corridor. He took out a small bottle from his pocket, coated his sword machete and kukuri knife with the liquid inside, and ran noiselessly through the soldiers standing on both sides of the corridor. He made light cuts on the soldiers. The soldiers screamed at the small pain, but then moaned loudly. The soldiers guarding the corridor leading to the throne room collapsed one after another, and the soldiers guarding the entrance to the throne room hurriedly raised their spears. The soldiers guarding the entrance to the throne room hurriedly raised their spears, but blood suddenly sprayed from the necks of the soldiers holding the spears. Rudolph saw it, Rudolph saw this and said, ''A crook must have broken in! Find him! That chill running down my back is him! It''s King Snakes! Rick! Find him!'' As Rudolph''s shout caused a commotion in the room, Rick, the man Rudolph had brought with him, looked around the room, took up a small bow and arrow, and quickly released it. This man, called Rick, was a survivor of the bandits that Patrick had defeated while cleaning the streets when he was an ordinary soldier. He ended up in the Empire and joined the Imperial Army, ''I can find King Snakes! He boasted that he could find King Snakes, a skill that had become a rumor among the soldiers of the Xavian Empire, that he could not be detected. Rudolph had heard of this, and he had been assigned as Rudolph''s bodyguard. The arrow flew into the right eye of Patrick, who was a few meters from the entrance. When Patrick noticed the arrow, he knew there was no more time to avoid it. He was crawling on the floor, but he was not in a position to move quickly. He realized this just as the arrow was about to pierce Patrick. Patrick was.., (Oh, he''s dead.) But then, with a thump, Patrick''s heart beat so loudly that even he could hear it. Then Patrick''s vision went dark. 312-Another dimension 3 ~ Face-to-face~ ''Hi! It''s not my pleasure to meet you, but I don''t think you''ll remember me, Patrick. A voice spoke to Patrick, who was in a daze. ''Who are you? Patrick, whose vision had not yet recovered, responded to the voice asking him. ''I am the one who brought you into this world. In simple terms, he is the god of the underworld, the god of the soul. At the same time, Patrick''s vision was restored. There was a figure in his thirties with a jet-black head of hair and dark eyes, wearing a purple fluttering dress. ''God? Another god than the one that brought Sona to this world?'' ''Yes, it is. The one who called your wife, that''s another god.'' ''Hmm, so? Did you say the god of the underworld? Does that mean I''m dead?'' ''No, just before you died.'' ''Just before? ''Yeah, the arrow that flew at you in 0.1 second will pierce your eye and reach your brain. I''m going to let you choose whether you want to die and fuse with me or live a little longer. ''Meld? ''Even a god is not immortal, you know. You look for people in other worlds whose wavelengths match yours, call them into your world, and after your soul becomes familiar with that world, you fuse with it, transforming it, or upgrading it. In this way, you manage the world while spending eternity. ''So you''re saying that Sona and I were called to merge with the gods of this world? ''Yes, and to bring about change in this world. ''I see, one more thing. As for the living thing I mentioned earlier, can I still live?'' ''Yes, I thought that it would be a long time before I could merge with you, and it would be more convenient for me to do so after your soul has become more familiar with this world. Besides, it''s this idiot''s fault that you''re dying this time, isn''t it? The God of the Underworld snapped his fingers. A beautiful woman tied up in chains suddenly appeared. Her beautiful face is twisted into a sullen expression. The God of the Underworld looked at that beauty with a sideways glance, ''He''s the god of jealousy. It seems he was fond of your wife. He was trying to ruin your life to spite you for stealing his favorite. Fortunately, the God of Love had blessed you and your wife, so he couldn''t attack you directly, so he brainwashed a dark elf man to share his power with you. That''s why your fate was changed so much. If he hadn''t done what he did, you wouldn''t have declared the Snakes Kingdom. The clothesline guy, well, the clothesline guy is the god who brought your wife here, right? And the clothesline found out and reported it to me, so I grabbed her. The god of the underworld says this and decapitates the beautiful woman tied up in chains. ''Ouch! The jealous god complains to the god of the underworld. ''It doesn''t hurt! You''re the reason Patrick''s in so much trouble! And on top of that, now that the dark elf is dead, you''ve been looking for someone you can use to interfere next! The God of the Underworld shouted at him, ''Because he''s going to take my Sona-chan! ''It''s not yours! Patrick yells. ''What! I''ve been watching over her since she came to this world! There''s no one else who''s so jealous and active like her! ''I''ve known you since my previous life! I''ve known you since my past life! Don''t talk about my breasts! If Sona hears you, she''ll kill you for sure, even if you are a god! ''I''m not going to die! '' said the jealous god with a smug look on his face, ''No, you can kill me. The God of the Underworld replies. ''Please don''t kill me! I can''t win against you, the higher god! The jealous god pleads with the god of the underworld. ''Then go apologize to Patrick, you scum! ''Ugh, I''m sorry. The God of Jealousy apologizes to Patrick. ''Huh, that''s okay. Patrick says, ''So, fortunately, the arrow''s not in yet, so I can take care of it with a bit of fiddling. What do you think? The God of the Underworld asks. ''Then I want to live ...... and I don''t want to leave Sona to die first! Patrick said, his intentions clear. ''Very well! Then go ahead and live. But! I can only intervene once while you''re alive. That means this is the last time. Don''t expect me to do anything about it again! The God of the Underworld advises Patrick. ''Yeah, I''ll keep my head up. Thank you, Lord of the Underworld.'' Patrick bows his head, ''Then return. The God of the Underworld snaps his fingers. Patrick''s bowed head disappears from the scene. ''Hang in there, Patrick. I''ll be watching over you from here. My blessings are upon you. The God of the Underworld''s mouth was slightly smiling as he said this. 313-the head of an emperor Patrick''s skull helmet suddenly shifts a few centimeters to the left, to the side. With a high-pitched clang, the arrow shot out was deflected and changed its trajectory to stab the Xavian soldier. ''You idiot! You missed my aima?????'' Rick shouts as he tries to put the next arrow in his bow. Thank you, God of the Underworld. (Thank you, God of the Underworld!) Patrick thanked him in his mind as he got up from his crawling position and ran toward Rick, who was about to put an arrow in his bow. He throws the Kukri knife in his right hand at Rick, who had finished putting the arrow in the bow and was releasing it. The Kukuri knife pierces Rick''s chest, and the arrow he was about to fire flies off in the direction of the day after tomorrow. Patrick kicks the fallen Rick in the face, looks around, and sees Rudolph''s face, ''Yo! It''s Rudolph, the third prince of the losers. It''s been a long time. I heard you were locked up, but you''re still alive? Did you come all this way to get yourself killed by me?'' ''''Shut up! I gave up my right to the throne to work for my brother, and he let me out! To get a chance to take revenge on you!'''' ''''Huh! If you can do it, you can do it! With that, I release my killing intent. I let Patrick''s killing intent wash over me, ''Hiccup ......'' Rudolph let out a small cry and slumped over. Patrick walked up to Rudolph, kicked him once in the stomach, and then threw the sword machete he was holding in his left hand at his stomach. The machete lodged in Rudolph''s stomach made the wound even bigger as Rudolph rolled around on the floor, the blood turning the floor crimson. Patrick lost interest in Rudolph, slashing down the nearby soldiers one by one with the sword he had pulled from his left hip, ''It is a pleasure to meet you, Emperor Xavien. I''m Patrick von Snakes, King of the Snakes Kingdom. I''ve come to take your life! With that, he threw the sword in his right hand with all his might at the back of the emperor who was trying to escape from the throne. The emperor, with the sword stuck in his back, screamed and fell to the floor. ''Father! Nergis could not help but shout at the sight. ''Father? Are you his son? Then die!'' Patrick said to Nergis as he tried to approach him, ''No! The Emperor''s throne is yours! No! Please don''t kill me! The emperor begs for his son''s life. ''That''s what the elves, dwarves and beastmen said, did you hear them? Patrick says to the Emperor, ''They are not men, they are sub-humans, there is no need to listen to them. The humans are the champions of this continent. It is the natural order of things that the many rule over the few. ''I see, you have a point.'' ''Yes! You''re right, you''re right! '' said the emperor with a slightly relieved look on his face, ''Did you think I''d say that, a**h*le? Patrick dropkicks the emperor in the face. The sword falls from the emperor''s back as he is blown up. Emperor Zabeen managed to sit up and crawl closer to Patrick, ''Wow, you''ll have an advantage if you keep me and my son alive. I''ll talk to the countries we don''t control yet, and my son Nergis is an excellent vizier and military commander. It will save you a lot of work in the future.'' The Emperor said, his nose bleeding profusely, probably from a collapsed nose. ''I''m not going to keep someone who might betray me at any moment! Patrick approaches Emperor Zabeen, saying. ''Wait! Wait! Yes, my daughter! You can have my daughter! She''s only 12, but she looks younger than her age, and she has no breasts! I hear you! That''s what you like, isn''t it? With that, the emperor held out his hands as if to urge Patrick to be still. ''Don''t talk to me like I''m a pedophile! With that, Patrick throws a right roundhouse kick at the emperor''s neck. Emperor Zabeen was blown up and fell right in front of Nergis. Nergis saw his father lying on the ground, ''Hiiiiiii! He drew his sword and ran toward Patrick. Patrick opens his body to dodge Nergis'' swing. Patrick opens his body and ducks under Nergis'' swing. Nergis, unable to keep his momentum, falls to his knees. Patrick kicked the fallen Nergis in the head with his steel-plated boot as hard as he could. There was a dull thud and Nergis jerked and twitched. ''You! How dare you harm my son! The Emperor, who had fallen, got up, forgot himself in anger, and drew the dagger on his left hip, the proof of his emperorship, and slashed at him. Patrick dodged the dagger, grabbed the emperor''s arm, pulled him by the hand, and carried him over his right shoulder in a judo Ippon-bakai. Emperor Zabeen''s body danced in an arc, and his back slammed into the floor. As if in reaction, the dagger leaves the Emperor''s hand and falls to the floor. The Emperor is still unable to move from the impact, or perhaps he is unconscious. Patrick slowly walks over, picks up the Emperor''s fallen dagger, and stabs it into the Emperor''s throat, who is still lying on his back. Staring at the emperor''s blood flowing from his throat, Patrick said, Patrick looked at the emperor''s blood flowing from his throat and said, ''If Sona finds out about this, she''ll send me to the other side right away, even though I wanted to live! It was a murmur that no one heard. Because Patrick was the only one alive in that room. 314-Snakes Empire Patrick had advanced his army further west from the Imperial City, but he had passed the month promised to Thorinaris. With the two little pterodactyls in the basket on Pei''s back, Thorinaris flew over the area that Patrick and his men had occupied, looking for Patrick. ''Yo, pterodactyls! At a time like this! The kings of the Xavian Empire, who had not yet surrendered to the Snakes, saw Pu and Pei and lamented their weakness and bad timing. But when they saw the pterodactyl land in front of the Snakes'' army, ''This is our chance! We can win if we just kick them to the curb. I thought, ''Queen Sonalice! Excuse me for addressing you directly! Your Majesty is not here.'' ''Your Majesty is not here,'' shouts the Snakes'' army. ''Oh, no! Where did you go?'' ''We split up on the way, so we don''t know, but he''s probably heading west! '' replied the Snakes'' Royal Army. ''All right. Well, Pooh and the others are fast fliers, so we''ll just have to look around for them. Oh, should we ask Pooh and the others to destroy the enemy? Thorinaris said, ''Well, wiping them out might cause problems later on, so we''ll do it ourselves. ''Really? Goodbye. After Thorinaris flies away, messengers with white flags approach the Snakes'' army. ''We have something to ask you! The first man with the white flag shouts. Is it my imagination, or does one of the group look like a king to you? ''''What is it?'''' The commander of the Snakes'' Royal Army said, ''What about that pterodactyl? ''It''s a servant beast of my lord. As soon as he said that, ''I surrender! The man who seemed to be the king answered immediately. The actions of Sonaris revealed the existence of giant pterodactyls named Pu and Peh to the Empire. And it had the effect of discouraging people from even defying the Snakes. ???????????????????????????????????? ''Lord, I smell Pooh and Peh''. Pee-chan said to Patrick as they were moving to the next genus, ''Ah! It''s been a month already? Patrick gets impatient. ''Yes, it has. Mirko said. With a sound that cuts through the air, an object, or rather a pterosaur, approaches from the eastern sky. ''It''s here! Patrick is kidnapped by the owner of the voice coming from behind his back. A whole day later, Patrick returns to conquer the Xavian Empire, and Thorinaris follows him. Patrick''s face was lifeless with dark circles under his eyes, while Thorinaris''s skin was shiny and glossy. In the next two days, Patrick and his Snakes Kingdom, along with Pee and Pupe, conquered the Zabean Empire. The former Snakes Kingdom was renamed as the Snakes Kingdom, and the former Zabean Empire was placed under the direct control of the Snakes Royal Family, while other countries that belonged to the Zabean Empire were incorporated into the Snakes Empire as tributary states. The Kingdom of Plum also becomes the Kingdom of Plum under the Snakes Empire. Elves, dwarves, and beasts that had been persecuted as slaves in the former Zabine Empire were freed, and at the same time, the term "subhuman" was banned, and the term "human" was adopted to include the human race. 315-the last episode of the main story When the Snakes Empire had stabilized, Patrick decided to send an ambassador to the great elven nation to the west of the Snakes Empire. ''Astria, I ask for a non-aggression pact and a friendship pact, these two things. We have no intention of attacking or discriminating against the Elven nation. I think you''re the best person for the job, with your connections to the royalty on the other side. Tell your brother I said hello. Patrick said to Astria, the former steward of the Royal Capital of the Mental Kingdom and current head of the Snakes Empire Castle. ''My lord, no, your majesty. Did you know about this? Astria asks Patrick. ''That''s because you said yourself that your magic was weak for your bloodline. ''I remember saying that, but is that all? ''I''ve asked the others, and they say your magic is more advanced than normal. Normally, it would only increase the speed of the arrow, but changing its direction is extremely difficult. But if that''s considered weak, I''d say you''re royalty with more powerful magic. So I had Ein and the others look into it. They said he looked just like the second prince who ran away from the country to avoid a fight for the throne. Patrick said with a laugh. ''You''re here. I understand. I, Astraia Badenrose, by the order of His Majesty Emperor Snakes, will go to the Badenrose Kingdom as an emissary of the Snakes Empire to conclude a treaty of friendship and non-aggression. ''Mm, I hereby bestow upon you a knighthood. Your name shall be changed to Count Astraia von Badenrose, and you shall be appointed ambassador to the Kingdom of Badenrose! I beg you! ''Yes! I humbly accept your order. And so, Astria went to the Kingdom of Badenrose and concluded the two treaties as a permanent treaty. It should also be noted that Astria married Grace, a dark elf woman that Patrick had found in the mountains. After the marriage, Grace, who served as his bodyguard and maid of honor, told him that Noel, the young girl who was with him at the time, was the only surviving princess of the Royal House of Solomon, which was destroyed by the Xavian Empire. Fifty years later, she married the adult Noel, and the former Solomon territory became Astraia''s domain, later renamed Astraia von Baden-Solomon, and became Baden-Solomon, a vassal state of the Snakes Empire, but that''s another story. ???????????????????????????????????? One year after the Snakes Kingdom invaded the former Zabeen Empire. ''Yes! Breathe! A woman''s voice echoed in a room. ''V-V-Vuh! ''A little more! I can see your hair! ''V-V-Vuh! ''Almost there! ''Ouch! At the same time, the baby''s cry rang out. ''Yes! Congratulations! It''s a healthy boy! Empress Sonali. Then she saw the child in the midwife''s arms. ''My baby has black hair. The midwife handed her child to her and smiled as she gently held him. ???????????????????????????????????? A few years later: ...... Four pterodactyls flying in all directions across the Snakes Empire. It''s Pooh, Peh and the kids. The people of the Empire who see the pterodactyls offer their gratitude to the Emperor of the Sneks, who may be riding on their backs. The tax rate in the country, which used to be different for each country and territory, was made the same as that of the Snakes Kingdom, greatly reducing the burden on the people. Although the power of the vassal states is reduced by this, the purpose of suppressing rebellions in each country is also achieved. The four pterodactyls travel back and forth between the Snakes Kingdom and the Snakes Empire''s castle in just a few hours, making it difficult for Patrick to know which one he is in. A dark-haired, dark-eyed man sits on the throne of the Snakes Empire''s castle, a remodeled version of the old Zabeen Empire castle, sipping a homemade honey plum wine on the rocks, ''I worked hard as a soldier. I''m taking it easy. Today is peaceful. This is the slow life. He laughed happily as he watched his children play in the large throne room, laughing as they threw themselves against the body of Pichan, who was in ecstasy as Patrick stroked her head. ???????????????????????????????????? Patrick von Snakes, a.k.a. Patrick van Snakes. As the first emperor of the Snakes Empire, he laid the foundation for the next 1200 years of the Snakes Empire before dying at the age of 80. He and his wife had one boy and two girls, and the boy was married to the eldest daughter of the Marquis of Canaan, a nobleman of the Mental Kingdom. Decourse von Kanaan, the first wizard of the human race. Her eldest daughter was a brilliant woman who mastered fire magic at the age of 15. Later, the Snakes'' royal bloodline would produce wizards for generations to come. In addition, those who inherited the blood of Decourse von Canaan awoke to the ability to use magic at the age of only ten, I''ve heard wizards speculate that it''s a condition for the ability to manifest, that they don''t have certain experiences until they''re 30. The conditions for the development of magical abilities in the human race have yet to be clarified. (Laughter) Of her two daughters, the older one is married to the eldest son of her best friend, Wayne von Simon. The younger daughter is married to the eldest son of Mirko von Boer. Sonalice van Sneekes. (In the empire, the emperor''s wife also has a middle name) Wife of the first emperor of the Snakes Empire. Her unique fashion style did not spread to the continent until the end of her life, but her dress was considered formal attire in the House of Sneks and was passed down from generation to generation even after her death. He was also active as a novelist, and his books were all bestsellers. His major works include "The Tragedy of Elio" and "The Grim Reaper''s Smile". He died at the age of 70. Pichan. After the deaths of Patrick and Thornaris, she served as the guardian deity of the Snakes Kingdom for hundreds of years, watching over Patrick''s descendants. Her body continued to grow until it reached a height of over 50 meters. Then, one day, it suddenly disappeared. According to some theories, it was because he was fed up with the air pollution caused by the coal-fired steam engine, but the truth remains a mystery. At the same time, Pu and Pei also disappeared, and it is assumed that they are working together. The two children of Pu and Peh are still flying over the continent. Poe and the others still live comfortably in the moat of the castle of the Snakes Kingdom. Patrick van Sneekes. There is no one on this continent who calls him the Red Reaper anymore. After the establishment of the Snakes Empire, Patrick was called. The King of Demonology, or ...... for short. A demon king. I''m a soldier in my reincarnation. ???The Man Who Was Called the Red Reaper Finish 316-mental king King William Von Mental. The Kingdom of Mental is currently surrounded on three sides by the Snakes Empire. This is because the Snakes Frontier Counts and the Abbott Frontier Counts have separated from the Mental Kingdom and call themselves the Snakes Kingdom. The factions of the two houses and the houses that were friends with them were incorporated into the Kingdom of Sneks, and the houses that were sandwiched between the two houses fell into the Kingdom of Sneks because they could not stand to be crushed by the sandwich. After that, the Snakes Kingdom invaded the Zabeen Empire in the west. They occupied the huge Zabine Empire in only a month and proclaimed the Snakes Empire. As a mental kingdom, we had signed a friendship treaty with the Snakes Kingdom, so they didn''t attack us, but now the west and north side is the Snakes Kingdom of the Snakes Empire, and the south side is the Plum Kingdom of the Snakes Empire. The only direction that is not surrounded is the eastern forest, commonly known as the Dragon Forest, a very troublesome land that is home to flying dragons called wyverns. In addition to that, the Snakes Empire has almost completely taken over the means to obtain salt. This is because most of the salt that used to come in from the friendly Kingdom of Plum in the south and from our own territory in the north has now gone to the Snakes Empire. Going through the Dragon Forest to the east and out to sea is like going to die. Going to the nearby coast is also dangerous because of the risk of wyverns and the many water dragons in that area. There is only a small amount of rock salt and a few salt fields. We have to rely on imports from the Snakes Empire for the most part. Next, iron. One-third of the iron is produced by the Snakes Empire, and we are digging up the remaining mines to secure the necessary quantity, but the output is gradually decreasing, so we will have to rely on imports as well. Next, alcohol. The Snakes Kingdom, which was the largest producer of liquor, became independent, and even if they tried to produce liquor in other regions, the wheat and other materials used to make the liquor would be consumed as food for the people, so there would be little extra food and less to go around for liquor. As a result, the amount of liquor produced in the country decreases and the price of liquor rises. Imported liquor from the Snakes Kingdom is then available, but the problem is that there are disputes over the quality of the Snakes Kingdom liquor. Since the liquor from the Snakes Kingdom has a good taste and is very popular, the nobles all want it, and a faction has even formed over the liquor. Even though the faction was eliminated, it was created again. There was even a fool who said we should attack the Snakes Kingdom for the sake. Well, we''re getting rid of them. ''Now that the Plum Kingdom has become the Snakes Empire, shall we become the Mental Kingdom of the Snakes Empire? When I muttered this, the Prime Minister, Duke Dixon, ''There''s been a lot of fighting over alcohol. But are you sure? The third son of the Duke of Dixon. Kevin, the third son of Duke Dixon, is currently a nobleman of the Snakes Kingdom. Well, my sister is the wife of the Emperor of the Snakes. As a subordinate of the Snakes Emperor, Patrick van Snakes, Kevin has fought well on the battlefield. His wife is Aisha, the sister of our court sorceress, Decourse von Kanaan. Aisha is a cousin of the Emperor and is said to be favored by him. That means, of course, that Decourse is also her cousin. The center of our country is already full of relatives and friends of Emperor Snakes. The commander of the Royal Guard, Wayne von Simon, is a close friend of Emperor Snakes. ''What''s more, I''m still on good terms with Patrick, and my sister has written to offer me preferential treatment if I join her. In any case, he holds most of the salt, so I can''t go against him. Wouldn''t it be better to get in on good terms with Patrick while he''s still king? Patrick''s recently born son, my nephew, may not be as friendly to us when he grows up and takes the throne.'' He replied, ''I''m sorry for your loss. Prime Minister Dixon bows his head. ''Well, looking at the situation in the Kingdom of Plum, what we have to do is the same. I''m just going to be the king of my country. With that, he informs the Snakes Empire embassy in our nation''s capital. Later that day, Emperor Patrick van Sneks arrived on a pterodactyl with my sister Sonalis. Patrick steps down from the pterosaur, looking much the same as before, but a little more powerful. ''Welcome. I''m sorry you had to come all this way. I spoke to him frankly, ''No, it''s faster for me to come than for you to come. He said this and shook Patrick''s hand, who held out his right hand. I''m glad that he still calls me brother. ''Long time no see, brother! My baby nephew is in my sister''s arms as she speaks to me. ''I''m glad to see that Sona and Alphonse are doing well. I said as I looked at Alphonse, my nephew, ''I''m fine. I''m glad to see that Sona and Alphonse are doing well. ???????????????????????????????????? ''Are you good? I asked, ''It''s fine. It''s like a brotherhood. Patrick replied, smiling smugly. A vassal state must pay taxes to the empire, but my mental kingdom was told that 10% of the tax revenue would be fine. This is a better condition than the Plum Kingdom''s 10% and 50%. The other tributary kingdoms were allowed 30%. Still, it is less than that of the Zabeen Empire. ''Thank you for your help. I said, ''In return, please make sure to control the stupid nobles. I hear some of them are still complaining about me.'' Patrick said. ''Well, I''ll be d*mned. I''ve been trying to get rid of them, but there are still many who have a grudge against Patrick. I found out after I became king that Patrick was a bit much, don''t you think? It''s a bit much, isn''t it? Yes, it was only after he became king that he learned the full extent of what Patrick had done to our country. ''It''s my policy to be merciless to those who oppose me. ''I''m a firm believer in showing no mercy to those who stand in my way,'' said Patrick, not taking offense. ''Well, I''ve got Canaan and Simon helping me, so we''ll get rid of it. I mean, you''re going to have a drink with them afterwards, right? I mean, Canaan''s been so happy all morning that he hasn''t had brandy in a while.'' ''Brother Decourse and Wayne are insisting that I bring them a good bottle. Why don''t you join us if you don''t have plans?'' He invited me. ''Is that okay? I asked, ''Of course! My brother-in-law smiles at me. ???????????????????????????????????? The mental kingdom of the Snakes Empire. 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