My footsteps echoed off the solid stone walls as I progressed down the hallway. I closed in on my destination while my thoughts turned constantly. Lapis chose to tell me about her past and I revealed mine in return, but the vague suspicions I held after initially talking to her only grew more concrete. Recalling her story, she was something artificial, similar in nature to Ruby but yet different.

During my spare time, I had collected information on whatever seemed useful and the question and answer session I held with Ruby seems to be paying off. According to her, she's incapable of anything as complex and recreating a destroyed ego. In fact, it appears as if that's not a magic that exists in this world. That then draws the question though, did that magic exist in the previous world? My opinion of mind control magic is that it's far stronger than even the most destructive blasts. The ability to coerce and individual into submission without using threats would allow someone to control the world within a short time frame. Such dangerous magics would have been investigated thoroughly if it existed.

Lapis told me her ego was destroyed and then recreated. Such a feat is possible by her, but perhaps it'd be more accurate to say it 'became' possible for her after she was reconstructed. Prior to that, the child Lapis once was only exhibited exorbitant amounts of power and excelled at controlling it. That's to say, the 'voice' as she put it must have had the ability, and she inherited it as part of the persona building process. The question then follows in my mind though, what was that voice?

The thoughts circled in my head refusing to rest and yet I forced them to settle. My footsteps halted with my figure standing before a familiar door. Within, I could hear an old man in conversation with aria. With my thoughts now idle, I reached for the door and walked in with confidence. Lapis had finally revealed her true plan to me and I was to take the first step here to bring it to fruition.

The door slid open without much noise but the two within noticed my entrance instantly. Meeting their gazes, I offered my greetings.

"Countess Sugimoto, Guild Master Redmon. It pleases me to see the two of you in good health."

"I've been expecting you, Sir Hiiro. Please come in."

"How ya been kiddo? I hear ya got a big decision ova ya head."

The two very different responses drew a smile from me though my attention was more focused on the dull glowing orb placed on Aria's desk. I directed my attention to Aria and delivered I and Lapis's decision.

"Countess Sugimoto, Lapis will not be adhering to the imperial decree."

"Hiiro?!", she squeaked back.

"Don't worry, Countess Sugimoto. This is solely our decision in opposition to yours. You will not be held liable, we will see to that. On that note though..."

I caught Mr. Redmon's eyes fixed on me. His expression was all to easy to read. I could practically feel the suspicion rolling off him. I ignored it a continued.

"On that note, I'd like to deliver the response myself. Would it be possible for you to set up a conference for me?"

Aria tilted her face in thought while glancing at the orb. It seemed she was weighing her options for the future. I was somewhat relieved inside that she continued to put Profectus first in her choices. That mentality would be required soon after Lapis' preparations are finished. Seemingly come to a conclusion, Aria lifted her gaze back onto me.

"I believe I can set it up. Will the Royal Dignitary be sufficient?"

"What role do they hold?"

"In this case, it will be the Deliverable Royal Dignitary. They're responsible for conveying the royal decrees and managing the King and Queen's daily affairs."

"You have access to someone that high ranking?"

"It's more appropriate to say only someone that high is capable of receiving a direct answer to a decree. More importantly though, Hiiro... Are you sure about this? I can only imagine this turning poor on you two."

"It's fine. Lapis and I have already discussed it. After I deliver my answer, feel free to follow whatever orders you need to. I doubt it would happen but, if Lapis and I are declared criminals, please fulfill your duties. Mrs. Topazia is only a business partner, she wouldn't break her contracts just because her business partners don't get along."

I attempted to reassure the worried woman in front of me. The last thing Lapis or I wanted was to place them between a rock and stone. She clearly hesitated in front of me with her eyes studying me as if to read my intentions but eventually surrendered with a loud exhale and moved to the crystal. Mr. Redmon walked up to me granting space between us and the Countess while she communicated to the capital.

"What are ya planning kid?"

"What do you mean?"

"Don't act stupid. Even little Sugimoto noticed. You got a plan hidden somewhere."

"Have I gotten worse at hiding my intention? No... You two may just be a higher caliber of leader... Regardless, I do have a plan old man, but it's nothing you or the Countess can affect at this stage."

"Are you and that lass gonna bring trouble here?"

"You've got good instincts... We will try to avoid trouble, but someone of Lapis' position is bound to attract attention. We can only do so much. Besides, our plan is a fait accompli to Profectus City. You can only steer your boat through the river we granted you at this stage."

The beads of sweat that broke out across Mr. Redmon was enough to tell me he understood my meaning. Across the room, Countess Sugimoto called for my presence.

"Sir. Hiiro, Dignitary Duke Hallman is ready for you."

The orb was glowing as it projected the upper torso and face of an older gentleman wearing blue robes. I delivered a wry smile to the Countess who responded with curiosity before continuing my steps. I took my place in front of the projection and bowed curtly while delivering the courtesy introduction.

"Good afternoon, Dignitary Hallman. My name is Hiiro Sakamoto. I represent her highness Empress Fardom. It's a pleasure to meet you."

I returned to my normal stance and observed the man I'd be negotiating with. He returned my introduction with his own, though there was palpable sense of arrogance included within it. I couldn't help but surmise the man felt I wasn't a party to negotiate with.

[They must feel their country is above others if this is how they treat a fellow dignitary. Thank goodness I don't actually need to get along with this guy...]

"I am Duke Ryan Hallman, Deliverable Dignitary of Klasika. My apologies but I did not hear your title, could you refresh my memory?"

"Ah, I have no title. There's no need to worry about such a thing. Countess Sugimoto has taken to calling me Sir Hiiro. Feel free to refer to me as such."

Though I kept my tone amiable, his reaction to hearing my lack of title couldn't have been more obvious. Seemingly disappointed, his tone changed for the worse in the next sentence. He clearly lost any respect for me.

"No title? And yet you claim to represent Empress Fardom? What kind of farce is this? Does Empress Fardom intend this affront?!"

"It's neither a farce nor insult Duke Hallman. Empress Fardom does not select her companions by their title, but rather by their capability. I see useless titles are assigned to inexperienced whelps fed little more than silver and gold in Klasika. Tell me Duke Hallman, did you have any intention of accepting our answer to begin with?", I responded in kind dropping the excessive politeness presented earlier.

"You insolent cur. I represent his Majesty's will! You will hold your tongue!"

"No, I think I won't. I'm only here to decline your ridiculous imperial decree. Neither myself nor Empress Fardom care about your government. Technically speaking, we don't even live within your country. I was of mind to accept your decree after speaking with Countess Sugimoto, but I've seen the caliber of man your King retains around him and decided otherwise. Tell your King this. Empress Lapis Lazuli Fardom declares Klasika an enemy nation. As of this moment, we are now enemies. We were considering friendly relations with Klasika through Profectus City, but we will now rethink such plans."

From the corner of my eye, I watched as Countess Sugimoto turned various shades of pale. I imagine she hadn't expected my response to be so curt, but such things had to happen for the future Lapis desired. My attention returned to the man in the projection.

"Enemy nation? You're Empress doesn't even represent a territory! A newly born Fairy calling herself Empress is already a joke! She -"

"Stop."

The guttural growl that reverberated from my throat drove a chill down even my spine.

"You seem to be misunderstanding a few things. First, Empress Fardom is not a new fairy. I don't know where you received that information from, but it's inaccurate, Duke Hallman. Next, Empress Fardom is called an Empress due to her rule over the nation, Lochlea. It's a nation you're unaware of because it resides within the Demon Lord's domain, and yet doesn't belong to the Demon Lord's forces. Perhaps you might imagine the amount of power it takes to resist the Demon Lord almost single handedly. Finally, you've entirely disrespected both the representative of Lochlea and its Empress. I hope you're ready for the repercussions."

I drew power from the surroundings and kneaded the mana as Lapis taught me. Reinforcing my body, I extended the converted mana into a slender blade that extruded from my hand. The transient blade formed from dense mana followed my hand motion. I injected the mana into my eyes as well turning their brown shell into a glowing azure. Watching the man with a stunned expression, I finished our meeting.

"Duke Hallman, Deliverable Dignitary of Klasika, allow me to bid you farewell."

Wielding a sinister smile, I slashed through the orb with the mana sword shearing it in half. The projection turned to mist in the same instant and drifted to the ground. Releasing the invoked magic, I turned my attention to the speechless pair also in the room. Their thoughts were visible drawing a chuckle from me.

"No need to worry. It was only a show of strength. Lapis and I have no intentions of being hostile to Profectus City."

Broken from her trance, Aria attempted to broach the topic.

"Sir Hiiro... What was that about?!...Is it true you are from the Demon's Nation?! You declared them enemies...They are bound to declare war on you!"

I couldn't help but smile at the mixed emotions I felt between each of those pauses. Clear sounds of fear, curiosity and worry overwhelmed the poor girl. From her side, Mr. Redmon seemed calmer than expected, his face already returning to normal and his eyes showing the light of understanding. In a way, I felt more calm knowing it was these two I had to interact with, but it was time to move the plan along. This would be the only stumbling block that existed in Lapis' plan, and she left it to me to complete. What an over-trusting woman.

"Countess Sugimoto, I've a proposition for you."

Her eyes swam at my dodge, but the light reflecting from those pupils as they found their resolution only drew a confident smile from me. I somehow felt this woman was already on the same page as me somehow.

***

The thinned trail worn into the forest by both animals and adventurers alike came to an abrupt halt at the exit of the forest. Before my eyes, I was able to catch the sight of two massive walls in the distance spanning from hundreds of meters in the ocean front beside me to the beachhead near the horizon. Both sides of the walls divided held wonderful sights. To the North, I was able to see scorched lands and after focusing my sight to its limit, I was able to grasp something structural peaking over the distant hill crest. My knowledge of Profectus' territory was that its border officially lay at the Northern most wall and yet that structure in the distance drew my curiosity considering its size and placement. South of the second wall, I was able to glimpse the inner structure of Profectus. The hill we exited from was just high enough to provide us a limited view.

"Oh... Hey! Move over Silvi! Don't just stop in the middle of the path!"

"Ah, sorry. I was admiring the view."

I moved to the side giving room for Kelly to pass through. Behind her, Dean strutted through with Leon behind him. Judging by the brief glance he shot my way, he was probably still holding a grudge for me stealing his prey.

"We're finally here, huh?"

"Yeah... Hey, what's that thing over there?", I pointed out the peaking structure far to the North in response to my leader's murmur.

Unlike Leon, I wasn't a scout. My abilities focused entirely on besting my opponent in combat. That support stuff can be left to the lazy priests. I felt a strong mana pulse from him and noticed the space in front of him warp as if to focus the distant object.

"Looks like a building of some sort."

"That far North? Shouldn't it have been destroyed in the last invasion? There's no way they defended something that far North when their main walls are so broken.", pointed out Kelly.

He and Dean's attention were also drawn to the distant building. Though he sounded uncertain, Leon voiced his own suggestion.

"I doubt Profectus built that. It's possible our subjugation target built it."

"No way! That Fairy?! That thing hasn't been here longer than two months! That building is at least 60 meters tall..."

"The reports suggest she has a highly capable merchant. Maybe it was built through those connections."

I couldn't deny that suggestion. It sounded reasonable but we still weren't sure it actually belonged to her yet. As if to echo my sentiments, Leon finished.

"It doesn't matter anyhow. Let's keep moving. I want to sleep at an Inn tonight. My hips are killing me."

"Sucks to get old. Hehehe- OW!"

I felt his fist land across the top of my skull.

"What kind of priest brings a fist down on a woman?!!"

"The old kind."

"At least remove your gauntlet old man..."

He had already moved ahead and missed my rebuttal. Moving to catch up with the group, I rushed to their side and rubbed the top of my skull to help ease the pain. I guess we were going to find an Inn for the night then...

***

Despite the massive segment of land managed by the Human species, its King had managed to enact proper border defenses and check points. Of the neighbors they typically see enter their nation, it mostly consisted of Fairies and Beastmen. Directly west of Klasika lay Fairy Nation Azmodius. They remained neutral towards each other due mostly to the Demon forces threatening them equally. As if to mirror this, the many checkpoints bordering Azmodius were lightly defended consisting of forty to fifty guards per checkpoint.

As if to suggest otherwise, Klasika formed a stronger defense along its Western border. Though Klasika was allied with Naoki, the nation ruled by Beastmen, they didn't share the same border. Between them was a large segment of land without a formal name. Each of the major nations tended to refer to it by a different name internally, but when discussed at the international level, it was often referred to as Kanthu, the land of the Elementals.

Kanthu was in large part a mystery for Klasika and Naoki despite sharing borders with it. It was known that Elementals roamed the country and yet little was known about the creatures themselves. Those who attempted to study them up close found themselves missing without a trace later on. Though quests were issued with high rewards for the capture of even a weak Elemental, it was rare for anyone to accept it. Merchants and adventurers who traveled through the territory knew it was possible to defeat Elementals, but when capturing them, it appeared to lure hundreds of other far stronger Elementals to it. There were even stories of a group of Elementals breaking into a major research lab ran by the Klasika government. They rampaged throughout the area sinking it into a sea of fire. Due to lessons such as that, trapping an Elemental became something akin to a taboo amongst adventurers, despite the quest notifications appearing to request it and the lucrative reward offered.

Despite the dangerousness of capturing an Elemental, it appeared passage through the territory itself wasn't much of an issue. Beastmen, merchants, Humans, Elves and Fairies have all made the journey and survived to tell the tale. Encounters with Elementals appeared rare if one stuck to the major trails carved over generations leaving only the natural wildlife as the primary threat. Often, quests would be placed to escort merchants moving wares to and from Naoki and Klasika or even to escort individuals making the trek alone. The common information spread amongst travelers was succinct. "Stay on the main road."

Walking along that road, which ended almost 300 meters away from him, was a man with long crimson hair. His carved features were guaranteed to make any woman blush on sight and his clothing was embroidered with crimson flames as if to reflect his hair and eyes. On his waist he carried a long sword that stretched almost his height. The sword was balanced in a way to prevent it from scraping the ground and if carefully observed, the blade retained the faintest outline of circuit like traces running down its length.

Despite his journey beginning nearly two months ago, he had only now managed to reach the border of his territory. Despite the many border locations he could cross at, the man had only one goal in mind and made a direct bee line for it. Following the source of power he could sense even from half the continent away, he approached the first border of Klasika.

"Get your inspection papers ready!"

He could hear the faint noise of guards directing merchants and adventurers lined up at the gate. After living for nearly twelve hundred years, he had long since memorized the language of the mortal creatures that passed through his lands. Learning their language, though, was far different than learning their mannerisms. He approached the line without caring for the patrolman issuing orders. He saw the back of the line, but cared nothing about it and continued on.

The day had only just begun and yet there were nearly thirty people waiting in line, each with their nerves strained due to the long travel. As he passed by one whose tolerance had already grown thin, the man vented his stress.

"The hell you think you're do'in boy?! Get ya ass in the back o the line like the rest of us!"

The man ignored the half hearted yell and continued to move forward. Hearing the disruption, the patrolman who issued orders earlier approached him.

"Sir, please wait at the back of the line. It shouldn't take too long."

Though his appearance suggested a hard line attitude, the man took a slight bow and proceeded to the back of the line as he was told. His intent wasn't to engage in a rampage across the country, but to retrieve the source of power that stirred the Elementals. He patiently waited in line as the guards managed each merchant and adventurer before him.

Before long, the man arrived at the front of the line and was asked to present his inspection papers.

"I have none. I am a wanderer. From Kanthu."

Though he didn't lie, the guard who had requested the papers gave him a curious look.

"You don't have any? ... I can't let you pass without inspection papers. Sorry, Sir. I'll have to ask you to-... What!?"

The man disappeared from sight, leaving only his footsteps behind. Unable to register what just happened, the guard raised his voice setting the checkpoint into an elevated state with guards running around to search the area. Ignoring the frenzied scene hundreds of meters behind him, the crimson haired man continued along the path North East. He felt the source of power growing stronger with each step. Little did he know, his current route cross straight through Inmont City.

***

Within my hands was a polished wooden box glazed with a specialized sap known to reflect a greenish hue. Beside me, Mr. Redmon continued to pace to and fro atop the grassy ground. I could already make out the wearing of a new trail beneath him and his nervousness rubbed off on me somewhat.

Why am I outside with Mr. Redmon you might ask? Well, in short, it's due to my naivety. Early this morning, Sir Hiiro had dropped by my office and requested a meeting with Duke Hallman, Royal Deliverable of Klasika. I had initially thought he would turn down the request in a polite fashion and yet it appeared as if Sir Hiiro forced the meeting to end in the worst way imaginable. Not only had he declined the invitation, he practically declared war on Klasika. It was surprising to learn he and Empress Fardom came from the Demon's Territory as well. They seemed to be such kind people too...

"It's almost time Little Sugimoto. Are ya ready?", Mr. Redmon asked me with a worry in his eyes.

Of course he was worried... After all, it was only just this morning that I became a traitor to the rest of the world, and he my accomplice.

"I'm... not ready to be frank. How did it come to this?"

I myself was still bewildered by the series of events that led up to this. My mind recalled the events of that fateful meeting in striking detail as if to pound reality into me.

***

"Countess Sugimoto, I've a proposition for you."

I was bewildered by the scene that just happened and was completely taken off guard by his nonchalant attitude. My eyes danced between both him and the sliced orb. Unable to find the words, he seemed to take my silence as acceptance and advanced the talks.

"While I didn't desire this to happen so abruptly, recent events have forced my hand into action. For the sake of time, I'm afraid I must be blunt with you Countess Sugimoto. I request a secret alliance with your city."

Stunned by the offer, my brain was still spinning to dissect the previous scenes. Apparently, he noticed my state and revealed a shy smile before turning his attention to Mr. Redmon.

"Old man, this conversation involves you too. I only brought it up now because the two of you are here together."

"Brat, what are ya tryin ta do? Ya kno them nobles are gonna go for Little Sugimoto first."

Despite my stunned state, I could hear the venom laced within his response. The killing intent coming from it broke me from my stupor. I called my breath and collected myself. I felt my racing heart slow and the blood return to my face. Rather than believe I was deceived, I chose to believe in the Hiiro I'd known up to now. I couldn't imagine either him or Empress Fardom being such evil creatures and so felt there must have been a genuine drive behind their actions.

"Sir Hiiro, what is your intention?"

He must have noticed my shift in gears as his lips arced upwards and he gestured to long desk at the center of my office.

"For now, please take a seat. This might take a bit."

Despite my nervousness, I moved with what apparent confidence I could muster. The furnished chair closest to me pulled out by Hiiro's hands. I felt little room for declining the offer and took the seat with Mr. Redmon situating himself in the chair beside me.

"Thank you."

"Not a problem, Countess Sugimoto."

I watched him confidently round the table and plant himself in the seat directly across from me and the tension in the air spiked the moment we made eye contact. Although I held my mask, I couldn't be entirely sure my inner feelings weren't leaking out and as if to ignore my plight, Hiiro started the discussion.

"As of sunrise this morning, our intelligence operative delivered their final report to me about the internal state of both Profectus City and the exchange of information via side channels with Klasika nation. If you have any questions, please interrupt me and ask them as it's critical we three understand the current state of matters."

He had just started and he already felt like an entirely different person than the Hiiro I'd known up to this point. I felt no hostility, but his seriousness seemed entirely left field when compared to the day he saved me with a smile. Unwilling to lose myself in the memory that surfaced unconsciously, the diplomat within me stirred at his words and took over my thoughts.

"I understand. Please explain the side channels you mentioned. Is this in relation to spies, or official communications through unusual means? I'm also quite curious about the intelligence operative you mentioned. Who, what and why were they investigating?"

"I'm afraid I cannot go into detail over the who or why, but what they investigated was whether Empress Fardom and I could place our trust in Profectus City and its council. Side channels in this context will refer to unauthorized communications between Profectus City inhabitants and any external destination. That is to say, standard mail envelopes being delivered through the Adventurers Guild, communications over authorized devices similar to the one I broke earlier, and word of mouth were all ignored.", he replied succinctly to my questions and held a gaze as if to ask for further questions.

I heard something worrying in his explanation though and was forced to broach it.

"I understand... When you say external destination, is that specific to Klasika?"

As if impressed by my insight, he smiled once again.

"It isn't. From what we've discovered, you have information leaking to every major Nation and Kingdom. For this discussion, I plan to focus on Klasika in particular as it's a known threat."

"Klasika is a threat? Please continue."

"Yes. I'll start then with Empress Fardom's intentions. Once again, please stop me if you have any questions. Empress Fardom selected Profectus City for a particular reason with high hopes and initially desired only to live near it in obscurity for her own interests. It's hard to say if arriving in the middle of your siege helped or hurt us at the time, but now I believe it good fortune for both you and us. Upon arriving at Profectus City, we encountered General Zannon of the Demon Lord forces and engaged him in combat, willfully choosing to defend Profectus rather than support the Demon Nation. Upon her victory, Empress Fardom forced that General to deliver a message to, who we suspect, is the Demon Lord."

"I remember her saying such a thing about a message. What was the message contents?"

"Empress Lapis Lazuli Fardom has placed Profectus City under her domain.'"

My eyes went wide at the declaration.

"What?! Are yo-", I attempted to retort from surprise but Hiiro interrupted me with a stern expression.

"Please calm down, Countess Sugimoto. Empress Fardom hasn't actually conquered Profectus. She's attempting to lure the Demon Lord into talks, but that is an entirely different matter. For now, let's return to the subject at hand."

I couldn't help but glance to the side at Mr. Redmon, but he seemed to be listening with an intense focus. Rather than linger on him, I returned my focus back to Hiiro who seemed to wait on me.

"P-Please continue...then..."

"After arriving to Profectus City and establishing ourselves with the local populace, we began intelligence activities to ascertain who were our allies and who should be treated as an enemy. I'm sure you were already aware of this to a certain degree, however we eliminated both Marquess Tabor and Earl Tucket. Normally, we would have allowed such easy threats to coexist and slowly strip them of their power, but they both harbored plans that would substantially hurt our allies. Under that context, we moved to eliminate them. Of your remaining ten council members, we are starting to see them vie for power against each other and fill in the power gap left by the late Marquess and Earl. Frankly speaking, we have plans to eliminate them as well if it escalates. Seven of those ten members have already started scheming the demise of other council members. It's unfortunate to say, but we have clear evidence they are communicating with foreign nations as well."

I felt as if I just hear a few insane facts tossed out like they were inconsequential... I held my head in my palm and started clearing the air.

"I don't trust your spies, nor you, enough to take your word for this...I assume you have actionable intelligence I can follow up on?"

"I can provide it whenever you're ready."

"How...how far does the corruption run?"

"We lack personnel to ascertain the exact degree of rot, but what we know so far is your entire council is already within the pockets of other nations. Many of them, in fact, belong to multiple nations as double agents. Considering the degree of information being leaked from each member, I expect the corruption includes the majority of each household and the primary managers of each section within those houses."

"Who are they talking to?"

Despite my serious question, Hiiro provided a wry smile.

"I believe it's easier to label nations they're not working with at this point."

"Why in the world...", I muttered while leaning back in my chair.

The disappointment hit me pretty hard and I felt my opinion of what progress I thought I had achieved fall dramatically. Gathering myself over a few seconds of thought, I leaned over the table once again to focus.

"Hiiro... Can you tell me the honest state of Profectus City from your third party perspective?"

"I can however...I would appreciate if we pushed that topic until the end of our discussion.", he replied with a pause after drifting his eyes from Mr. Redmon to myself.

"That's fine. Please continue then.", I slipped glances at Mr. Redmon, but he still hadn't made a move yet despite his overt posture and focus. Did he know about this already?

"Of the many communications we intercepted, those destined for Klasika were the most worrying. Most other exchanges revolved around the state of Profectus, how the previous battle proceeded, and anything they could gather about Empress Fardom. I plan to provide you copies of every message we intercepted up to this point if requested. Despite the many interceptions, those delivered to Klasika always seem to be focused on Profectus City's current state."

"Isn't that normal? Even I provide that..."

"Normally, I would have agreed. In fact, until we collected quite a few messages, we thought the exact same. However the situation isn't quite that simple. Four of your council members are reporting back strange intelligence to Klasika representatives at Inmont City and they're doing so through alternate communication methods."

"The capital? What alternative methods were they using and what was strange about the messages?"

"We saw everything from messenger birds and lamp signals to orbs similar to that one and what I believe is a form of condensed wind magic. As for the message contents we came across reports relating to battle strategies utilized against the Demons during battle, state of internal resources, patrol schedules for stations guards, your typical working hours, your house location and the hours of each servant working within. Besides accountable information such as that, there were also reports on your political strengths, weaknesses, party strength, acceptance rate within the town, future plans and mental state before, during, and after battle. Each message itself can be taken as concern about Profectus and its Mayor, however when you take them as a whole, it comes across more like intelligence leaks in preparation for a conquest. Stated bluntly, I believe there are elements within Klasika that are attempting to take over Profectus City."

"That's...impossible!", I refused to believe such a thing.

Years of effort and the city was finally improving at a noticeable rate. I couldn't bring myself to believe otherwise. I'd never even caught wind of schemes on the scale Hiiro was talking about.

"The brat's not lyin, Little Sugimoto.", Mr. Redmon spoke as if to destroy my conviction.

I twisted my head slowly, forcing myself to confront the saddened eyes looking back at me. Though sad, he didn't appear to lie and instead furnished further.

"For a while now, we've been trackin similar activities. The story painted at by ya brat overlaps with the Guild's conclusion."

"Why wasn't I ever notified?!"

"..."

Did he have no intention to answer me?

"He couldn't tell you.", Hiiro sounded off to the side with an exasperated sigh mixed in.

"What? Why not?"

"..."

"You're not gonna tell her old man? ... Tsk. You're too soft. She isn't a child...", Hiiro followed up on the silence Mr. Redmon left me with before continuing.

"Countess Sugimoto, are you aware of your status in Profectus City?"

"Status? I'm the Mayor and a Countess."

"You're also an idol. From what I could research, corruption seemed rampant in this City until you took charge. I doubt you were ever elected with good intentions by the people, yet you somehow won them over with your honesty. Your desire to pursue the correct course of action using the correct means with absolute sincerity won the people over. You're so popular, in fact, that old man there set up an organization whose entire purpose is to support you from the shadows. What were they called again, Mr. Redmon?"

"..."

"Nothing even at this stage? Well, that is your choice. Countess Sugimoto, the organization 'Future Sight' supports you. That organization consists of almost 70% of Profectus City. You've accomplished something I once thought was impossible. The Beastmen and Humans treat you as an idol. The Elves defer policy to you in trust despite retaining their homeland connections. The Fairies exclude themselves from meddling in affairs that might injure you despite the orders they receive from Azmodius. Most importantly, you've won the near absolute trust of Empress Fardom who is capable of erasing entire nations from the surface of this world by herself. Frankly speaking, you're in a position of power second only to King Asalerian if we're counting only Klasika..."

"What."

How did he expect me to react to such an absurd statement? I've certainly always worked as hard as I could for the people of Profectus City, but I only ever did what made sense. My sense of normal was creaking as it warped from the revelations. I focused on Mr. Redmon, hoping he would deny the absurd remarks only to be disappointed. The man himself had his face covered by his palm as if to say 'ah...he just had to go and say it.'

"Seriously?"

"Seriously. Please sit back down. We're not at the more important part yet."

"Huh?", I slipped an unladylike noise after realizing I was standing from the absurd comments earlier.

I nervously returned to my seat and tried to collect myself. Questions. I had many questions and yet none in particular came to mind. There was simply to much at once for me to unpack. My gaze returned to Hiiro and I felt the current environment wouldn't allow me to ask for a break. He must have assumed my silence as a complicit encouragement to continue.

"The reason Mr. Redmon couldn't inform you about any of these things was because of your personality. The moment you learned of the spies, you would have tried to remove them as efficiently as possible. Unfortunately though, you have neither the experience nor the personnel to properly accomplish such a large task. Your attempts would have pushed your status from 'one to be observed' to 'one to be eliminated.'"

Despite my desire to deny his claims, my recent memories of attempting to arrest Marquess Tabor during wartime cooled those emotions quickly. If I remember correctly, I certainly failed before I even had a chance to start. My plans were leaked long before I could enact them and the traps I laid may as well have been an absolute waste of time. As I thought that though, a particular question did come to mind. I turned from Hiiro to Mr. Redmon who appeared to have given up.

"If I was so prone to injuring myself, why did I receive reports about the corruption in town?"

"We was tryin to help ya grow. My initial plan was ta slowly feed ya info about strange happenings and let ya gradually build experience in how ta handle cases like that. It went too slowly though. After ya marriage with that corrupt bastard dropped, we had to risk movin faster and sped up the information delivery. I expect ya plans got leaked around that time."

"No way..."

Wresting control of the conversation once more, Hiiro continued to push the agenda. I felt as if my sense of surprise had started numbing. The fatigue of the meeting was already falling on me, but I felt the tiredness would keep me from being too shocked and welcomed it as a makeshift mental crutch.

"All of that was to bring us to the current conversation. As I mentioned at the start, Empress Fardom selected Profectus City for a particular reason. That reason was to act both as an experimental site and to become the new battle front."

"Surely you're not expecting me to just say 'Oh, Okay!' at that? Keep talking Sir Hiiro."

"Hahaha, yeah. I figured as much. Where Empress Fardom and I come from, it's extremely difficult for countries composed of multiple differing species to live together in harmony. Empress fardom selected Profectus City as the new battle front due to the ambivalent atmosphere between the major species. She would like to continue that trend and bring the world's focus to Profectus which leads into her second goal. I can't go into much detail at the moment, but the world is about to undergo a dramatic change. Enemies will become potential allies and allies will become enemies. It will no longer be Demons versus the Intelligent species."

"What's so powerful it can threaten both sides? I doubt something so strong would have been able to hide for this long in obscurity."

"I can't tell you that yet. What I can say though is Profectus City is about to become the only City close to the battle front. Other Nations will soon realize the new threat and changes will be inflicted onto the world."

"You're too vague!! How am I suppose to make a decision with such ambiguous words?!", I practically slung my chair from under my feet from standing so fast during my reply.

I watched him smile at my retort. His face clearly suggested he was aware of my predicament and agreed with my opinion.

"My hands are tied as well, Countess Sugimoto. Allow us to move to the main topic if no further questions exist..."

Calming myself down, I grabbed the chair that slid nearly a meter behind me and pulled it back to the table then gestured for him to continue despite the headache I felt coming on. My instincts were certain I had already been ensnared in a trap of some sort and yet I felt there was nothing I could do to derail it. If he came to me at this time, it could only mean they were ready to reveal this much and force my hand. I returned my focus to him, though I retained a stern expression as a modest show at resistance.

"Due to Klasika targeting Profectus City and the excessive degree of intelligence leaking from your central council, I suggest we form a secret alliance. Empress Fardom will support you from the shadows and ensure your reign is free from crippling disruptions. We will, of course, remove our operatives from intercepting communications and meddling with your internal affairs. If you require us to step in once more, you need only ask. We will be entirely transparent about the assistance provided."

"My reign? You act as if I'm a Queen or ruler."

The aggressive attractive smile returned to my question stirred my heart for a moment, but the fear of what would come next quickly overwhelmed that fleeting desire.

"Of course. Empress Fardom requests Profectus City declare independence from each of its presiding owners. Many things must be done to accomplish this, however I believe there are far more benefits if you accept this deal than otherwise."

"This again...You're insane...I've not even broke twenty five years old yet...Besides, I told you once before, I represent the citizens of Profectus. I will not do anything that devalues them."

"And as I said earlier, nearly 70% of Profectus already follows you. If you're curious about that remaining 30% and worried, then don't be. Nearly 10% of them are the spies feeding external nations. At this point, you might as well say they aren't even citizens anyhow. Being here is their job. Further, another 10% to 15% constitute the total households of the councils. The remaining percentile view you neutrally. With numbers like that' you've already become the Queen of Profectus City, even if in costume only. The people are already relying on you for policy, negotiations, selection of personnel for important positions, and generally anything else a typical ruler would head up. I'd wager in fact that you're the only one against the idea. Am I wrong, Mr. Redmon?"

I sent a questioning gaze to my trusted adviser and yet his eyes seemed to reflect no discrepancy with what Hiiro mentioned. He must have assumed my intense silence at him demanded an answer as he followed up his gaze a moment later.

"Not that I like agreeing with em but the brat is right. I've been leader of 'Future Sight' for a time now, but it was only ever there to help ya. Before I knew it, ya went an added rules for them criminals to regain their freedoms ina realistic manner, winnin the fools ova entirely. Not just them dolts, ya somehow managed ta revamp somethin that made them bosses treat ya like a Queen. They practically begged ta join the group and fed me intel on who ordered hits on ya. Later, ya went and adjusted how mercs and adventurers did their thing and won them ova the same way. You be makin frequent visits to the shoppin district and practically befriended the entire business district without even realizin it. Little Sugimoto... You're kinda scary in the way ya take control like it's natural..."

I felt faint...

"I...have no words...Mr. Redmon, I want to hear your opinion..."

At this stage, I felt my ability to think numb somewhat and forced myself to both buy time and hear an answer from the man I respected like a father.

"Resources be tight these days. Tainted council members been forging reports like mad men to cover up the declinin support. Though there are gonna be issues in the short term, I think it's a reasonable idea. Speaking straight, Countess Sugimoto..."

He threw me for a loop hearing the words 'Countess' roll from his mouth. I could feel my eyes widen from surprise and yet his demeanor hardly changed. The wrinkles implanted across his face remained stern and serious and his piercing eyes were so clear that his next words sliced through what haze I had felt from the fatigue.

"...I believe this be a good chance ta restore Profectus City. Brat, what role does the Missus plan ta take in management if we accept?", Mr. Redmon switched his stern eyes to Hiiro, who appeared to remain unaffected. Had he expected it?

"Empress Fardom wants nothing to do with Profectus City's management. She will not interfere with it unless something drastic happens. If we are speaking resources, I believe Mrs. Shields is the correct person to ask. She is, after all, unrelated to us beyond childhood playmates. Even should the worst happen, that woman is a merchant through and through. I can't imagine her abandoning a contract due to two customers' bickering."

I couldn't allow myself to remain caught in his pace. I felt it was dangerous to consider an answer while so fatigued and so delayed my decision.

"Sir Hiiro. May I...have time to consider your offer?"

"Absolutely. Please be aware however, you are running out of time. With my declaration earlier and having revealed the information from earlier to you, the world has already started moving to respond. I fear Klasika has already started war preparations to subdue Empress Fardom. I have many more things I wish to tell you, but they must wait until you've accepted our offer. Please consider your options well."

I watched him as he stood from his chair and took a bow towards me. His actions were so estranged from his standard way of treating me that I nearly felt embarrassed and guilty. I watched his back as he walked to the door only for him to stop and leave behind a final remark.

"I'm sorry I had to drop all that on you Aria. The world is just responding too quickly to Lapis for me to spare any extra thought. Please get some rest."

I watched his back start off once more when a thought flew past my mind and I called to him.

"Hiiro!"

"... Yeah?"

"Is...Is Ruby one of your spies?"

Though he held his expression well as a representative, I felt the hidden answer leak from the tone of his voice.

"Ruby can be thought of as a double agent. You are her Master, but she tends to be too proud of you and boasts. If it makes you feel better though, we have never tasked her with information gathering against you."

[...against you.]

"Thank you..."

"Then.", he replied before finally leaving.

I waited in silence with Mr. Redmon off to my side. Neither of us felt compelled to talk until we were sure we were alone. Answering our silent desire nearly five minutes later was Wilfred. He knocked against the door and reported Hiiro had left out of Profectus City headed North.

"That brat left us alone on purpose..."

"I feel the same way... Mr. Redmon, what am I suppose to do?"

"That's up to you, little Sugimoto."

"Little, huh? Ahahaha...Haaaa... I never knew so many things were happening inside this City. Am I blind?"

"Can I speak freely?"

"Of course... why even ask at this stage?"

"The job of a ruler ain't ta know everythin kickin in their domain. It's ta manage it well through the subordinates. You neva knew because we couldn't see a reason for you ta worry about it yet."

"Yet? Were you planning to propose the same thing as Hiiro?"

"In time. This City is fallin apart right now. You be the only glue keepin the people together."

"Are there any alternatives then declaring independence?"

"Policy and relations ain't this old man's strong points, but I don't see many. If ya had a proper council, we could discuss this more with them."

I dropped my head back and stared at the ceiling. I considered my options and what alternatives that came to mind, but nothing felt like a solution. Was there only one option?

"I feel as if I were led into a one way path..."

"If it makes it any easier, that brat showed up at the end of it. The rot be years old at this point."

"You're saying they are mostly innocent?"

"If they took action against that Earl and Marquess... I be thankful to them personally, but it also means they held a part in this setup."

"What are our odds of succeeding?"

"I haven't the foggiest, but we are behind ya all the way. You can expect us to support ya no matter what choice ya make. Follow your own decision for this, little Sugimoto."

***

Mr. Redmon continued to pace over the grass, wearing it to dirt. His cane acted as a poker aerating the ground and effectively tilling it with each pass. His motions halted after a rather loud slamming noise reached his ears. He turned to face the Mayor, Countess Sugimoto, who stood in patience behind him. She nodded her head and moved to a prepared seat as if they had expected such a sound.

Their current position placed them outside the Northern most rampart that was overrun and critically damaged during the previous battle. Typically, she would have had multiple guards with her as well as an army of volunteers and masons yet she was placed in the most unfortunate of positions where she had to surprise their supplier with an absurd request. She felt to help her position even a little, it was only right to withhold her standard guards back in town to appear as sincere as possible.

Emerging from the crest of the hill due North was a caravan pulled by a series of creatures she had never seen before. Their skin appeared dull, reflecting light but with a shine, and they didn't appear to have a face. Rather, the only portion that appeared recognizable was their torsos which resembled a cow or fattened moose. Countess Sugimoto exchanged glances with Mr. Redmon, but his expressed seemed to say he didn't know what they were either.

The herd of creatures closed the distance and upon closer inspection, were each carrying a wagon fitted with large wheels. Each wagon was covered in a fibrous tarp to obscure and protect the contents. Though they knew the contents in their minds, Neither the Countess nor Mr. Redmond was able to understand how a single creature was capable of pulling such a large haul. As the caravan approached, they detoured in a wide arc before pulling in single file in front of the rampart entrance.

Each creature halted in turn allowing the wagon to settle into the ground. The recent snow had softened the dirt and the series of wheels turned the once mushy ground into a fresh mud pit. Despite the mud, it only served to display the creature's strength further. A similar creature to those pulling the wagons pulled in front of the rampart gate. Rather than a wagon, it pulled an obsidian carriage decorated with unusual lining instead. From that carriage, the side door unlatched itself and swung aside.

Taking her time with each step, the Beastman merchant Topazia Shields stepped down. Her business attire remained as pristine as her initial introduction. Within her hands were a series of documents clamped to a wooden board. Her golden eyes took in the surroundings making note of the lack of personnel to unload her cargo. Those eyes landed finally on the young Human at the rampart entrance. She was sitting at a table laid in the shadows under the rampart gate with an empty chair across from her.

Topazia wielded a smile and approached the table of her own accord. Upon arrival, she settled the clipboard onto the table and reached her open hand across it.

"Countess Sugimoto. It has been a while. I am here to deliver the first half of your order as planned. It is a pleasure to see you once against as well Sir Redmon."

Countess Sugimoto reached for her hand while providing her own introduction and then gestured to the seat across from her.

"Mrs. Shields, it's a pleasure to see you again. I'm excited to see the first delivery."

"Oh please Countess Sugimoto, Shields or Topazia please. I am not old enough yet to be graced with 'Mrs'.", she retorted while taking a seat.

"Well then, shall we get to business? What I have with me is four hundreds tonnes of granite split between one hundred wagons. You may consider the wagons themselves as a gift, but the animals toeing them must return with me I am afraid. I would like to have had a third party ascertain the quality of the delivery and number, but..."

Topazia's eyes scoured the site once more, but the lack of presences told her all she needed to know.

"...there does not seem to be anyone qualified for such a task. May I ask what this situation is?"

"Certainly, Lady Topazia. Due to...unforeseen circumstances, Profectus City will soon declare its independence from its constituent nations."

"Oh? You have come to a decision then?"

"You knew?"

"Hiiro informed me he would be bringing the offer to you and suggested a potential business opportunity. He seemed quite confident in your response."

"I'm that predictable, then?"

"No. I heard a little about your situation. It is more accurate to say Profectus City only held a single good option at this stage."

"You're talking like Sir Hiiro."

"Of course. I provided him his intel, after all."

"Wha-?!", gasped both Mr. Redmon and Countess Sugimoto.

"Ahahaha, I am a merchant after all. I am sure that boy had his own methods as well. I am just one of them. If it makes you feel better, I sold the information for quite the hefty price."

The Beastman smiled with twitching ears and a wagging tail. Countess Sugimoto couldn't help but laugh internally at the lack of customer privacy displayed before her.

"I see... Well, as you said earlier, let's move on to business, Lady Topazia. To begin with, please accept the first payment."

Countess Sugimoto slid the box across the table until it was settled in front of the merchant. Without wasting any time, Lady Topazia opened the container and removed one of the three small orbs from its slot. She held it to the sky and injected a minuscule amount of mana. The orb started glowing and a voice echoed through her mind.

[Alert. First time activation of Companion Orb. Please assign designator.]

"Aiko."

[Reply. Designator Aiko assigned to Companion Orb.]

"How interesting... I can't wait to play around with this. Hehehe."

Countess Sugimoto watched the caracal like ears dance around as Topazia played around with her new Companion Orb. After enjoying herself for a moment, Topazia returned to her business-like smile.

"Now then. Shall we discuss our future business adventures?"

"Let's."