Deep within the Great Cursed Realm, inside the palace of Mynoghra, a meeting was underway to assess the damage sustained in the previous battle and to formulate a course of action for the future.
Leading this gathering of key figures was Atou of the Filth.
With their lord Takuto absent, the meeting began under a somber atmosphere.
"So then, I believe everyone here is already aware of the situation currently surrounding Mynoghra."
The very first words spoken drew quiet nods from everyone present.
The previous battle—that is to say, the Holy Kingdom of Quolia's breakaway state, the Divine Radiance Kingdom of Renea, and those who led it.
The conflict against those TRPG-aligned powers had been a nonstop cascade of chaos and shock.
A one-sided assault followed by Atou's desertion. Then Takuto's sortie and Atou's retrieval.
In the final battle, he delivered destruction befitting his title as the King of Ruin, and the process by which he reached that point was utterly unpredictable to anyone.
It was the battle that made the world aware of the existence known as Ira=Takuto.
But if one looked at the outcome… could this truly be called a victory?
Atou had returned to Mynoghra, and the Divine Radiance Kingdom had been utterly annihilated. That much was certain.
However, the price paid had been far too steep.
"I won't mince words. Right now, Lord Takuto's memories have been lost, and he is unable to lead the nation."
That was the king's absence.
Takuto Ira's condition laid bare the crisis engulfing Mynoghra in the most unmistakable terms.
A nation is its king, and a king is his nation.
With Takuto in such a state, Mynoghra found itself in a more dire situation than in any battle it had fought before.
"Has there been any change in the king's condition?"
"…No. Unfortunately."
Warrior Commander Gear asked Atou with an expression that was equal parts desperation and bitterness. The quiet reply he received made his shoulders slump.
If one had to summarize Takuto's current state in simple terms, "amnesia" would be the closest description.
Language and general knowledge appeared to remain intact, but he had completely forgotten who he was and had lost his identity.
Now he simply sat in a chair in his room, gazing vacantly out the window all day long.
At times his memories seemed to return, and if one was lucky, he could even hold a conversation with Atou—but even then, only for the briefest of moments, nowhere near enough to lead a nation.
The cause was unknown. The solution was likewise unknown.
The only thing that was clear was the undeniable fact that immediate action was needed.
"The responsibility for the king's absence lies with me, but I trust you all understand that we don't have the luxury of debating that right now."
Atou fought back her own sense of inadequacy and helplessness, chided herself, and continued speaking.
It wasn't over yet. When she had fallen into enemy hands, Takuto had saved her.
Now it was her turn to save him. And even without Takuto, there was plenty she could do.
"Managing Mynoghra's operations during the king's absence—and doing everything in our power to hasten his recovery."
"Yes. I've currently been delegated the authority to manage the nation in an acting capacity. It's unfamiliar work, but with everyone's cooperation, that shouldn't be a problem."
Atou had initially been devastated by Takuto's condition, but now she was maintaining a relatively calm composure.
As an hero who possessed both combat functionality and leadership capability, Atou could manage national operations without issue.
With the Dark Elves providing support as well, there was little cause for concern regarding domestic affairs.
"Domestic matters should be fine. However, if we turn our gaze beyond our borders, things are not so simple."
"Indeed. External investigation is urgent. With insufficient information, any decision carries enormous risk."
The problem lay outside.
Old Mortar's sharp observation was, at this very moment, a reassuring one.
Just as he said, the situation abroad was far more troublesome than the situation within.
The destruction of the Divine Radiance Kingdom of Renea had already been accomplished in the previous battle. The defeat of its core figures—the witch and the player—had been carried out flawlessly as well.
But the situation afterward was murky. Even if the enemy still had reserves, they likely wouldn't be able to act immediately—but being unable to track the movements of other good-aligned forces was nothing short of dangerous.
However, Mynoghra now held a tremendous advantage in this world that it had never possessed during the age of Eternal Nations. That advantage was none other than them.
"Rest assured on that front. Even with the king resting, we his retainers are very much alive. We've already dispatched agents and are working diligently on intelligence gathering."
The Dark Elves were originally a clan excelling in assassination and information manipulation.
It was a capability Takuto himself had given his full stamp of approval, and even under these circumstances, it was being demonstrated without reservation.
"That is fortunate. …So, has anything been uncovered?"
It seemed they had been waiting for exactly that question. Emuru, who had presumably reviewed the information in advance, provided her report.
It was something far from favorable for Mynoghra.
Specifically, confirmation that both saints were still alive, and intelligence on where they had vanished to.
In the end, the witch Erakino's wish had come true—the two had survived.
Having witnessed up close the peculiar friendship those two saints shared, Atou knew exactly what sort of action they would take against Mynoghra going forward. It was as plain as day.
Another concern to weigh on Atou's mind.
"Their disappearance is troubling. They're likely holed up somewhere, plotting to rebuild. If only we had delivered the finishing blow on the king's behalf at that moment…"
"Indeed… No, Lord Takuto would never have allowed his own plan to end half-finished, so naturally the two saints must have been factored into it. That it couldn't be carried out means that things truly were at their limit at that point…"
"Meaning that since the king's safety took priority, there was nothing we could do."
Atou recalled her memories. In that final moment, Takuto had been about to strike the killing blow against Saint Soarina.
But he abruptly halted and chose to retreat instead.
There had been subtle signs—gestures suggesting a slight headache during combat. It seemed the bomb he had been carrying had detonated at precisely that instant.
But that wasn't all.
In that moment, he had definitely said, while clicking his tongue, "So that much was impossible after all."
In other words, some anomaly that they couldn't perceive had occurred, forcing a change in plans.
And this was the result.
What even Takuto couldn't have anticipated ended up corroding the man himself.
"Atou. What exactly is the king's condition right now? If he simply continues resting, won't he eventually recover…?"
"No. I can't say for certain, but thinking that time alone will solve this may be a bit too optimistic."
To Emuru's sorrowful question, Atou delivered the cruel reality with a bitter frustration of her own.
Atou had not simply been standing idle in the face of this situation.
Because the issue involved memory loss and forgetting, she had secretly called upon Mearia—whose abilities were related to such matters—to examine Takuto.
But the answer she received was bizarre.
"I wouldn't say he's forgotten his memories—rather, it's more like Lord Takuto himself never existed there in the first place…"
An abnormality different from the norm. The more details about Takuto's condition came to light, the more hopelessly bleak the facts became.
And so Atou had concluded.
Even if more time passed, the likelihood of Takuto recovering was, unfortunately, slim.
His own attitude at the time made that painfully clear.
She needed some way to break through this impasse.
And whether it was fortune or misfortune, Atou knew of one such method.
"Lord Takuto's condition was most likely caused by his use of abilities. But under the current circumstances, I have absolutely no idea what the adverse effect was or what measures could lead to a recovery."
The meeting grew even darker.
Not physically, of course. The dejection of those present gave rise to that illusion.
But Atou's next words reversed that illusion entirely.
"To address the problems surrounding Lord Takuto, I intend to request the cooperation of a certain hero."
Every gaze in the room turned to Atou.
Surprise—and hope.
Old Mortar, who already knew of this decision, alone watched the proceedings with calm composure. But the expectant expressions on everyone else's faces were unmistakable, and their excitement was palpable.
That was how significant a hero's influence was in this nation.
"The hero's name is Vittorio of the Blessed Tongue's Calamity. His combat ability is virtually nonexistent, but he more than compensates for that disadvantage with his extraordinary foresight and scheming. It's difficult to explain his abilities in detail, but… let me put it this way: he truly shines in complex situations where brute force cannot provide a solution."
"Wonderful! Isn't that a perfect fit for a situation like this? We must summon this hero at once and have him resolve the king's ailment!"
"Yes! When I heard the king had fallen ill, I didn't know what would happen—but now hope has sprung up!"
"Hmm, breaking through this situation would indeed require someone like that. I hear his intellect is so renowned that even the king himself acknowledged it. I'm looking forward to meeting him starting now."
Others present—the Elful sisters and the scribe officials among them—also showed visible delight.
As if the suffocation of moments before had been a dream, the conference room overflowed with energy and fervor.
"There's no shortage of resources for hero summoning. No special preparations are needed, so I'd like to carry out the summoning as soon as tomorrow. That man will surely devise a strategy that puts Lord Takuto on the path to recovery."
Atou spoke softly.
In the eyes of the Dark Elves gazing at her, a fierce flame of determination burned.
This time, they would protect their king and elevate Mynoghra to reign supreme as the world's singular hegemonic nation—a powerful, unwavering will.
The first step toward that goal: summoning a new hero. The signal of rebellion against every force that threatened their peace had now, at this very moment, been raised.
But…
"However… there's, um… something I'd like to ask of everyone."
There was one person who poured cold water on all that enthusiasm.
A girl wearing an awkward expression, shifting uncomfortably as though finding it difficult to say what she needed to say.
That girl was none other than Atou.
The Dark Elves quietly cocked their heads in confusion. She, of all people, who should have been the first to stoke the flames of excitement—what was with this demeanor?
Whether their confusion registered or not, Atou seemed to steel herself and suddenly said something nobody could quite follow.
"Would you all, even just for a moment, think of the most annoying, most insufferable, most rage-inducing person in the entire world—the one whose very existence makes you want to tear your hair out?"
The Dark Elves cocked their heads once more, internally.
What could this possibly mean? But there was no real reason to object, so they did as asked and pictured in their minds the kind of person they would absolutely never want to be anywhere near.
And then…
"That person is Vittorio."
Atou dropped her bombshell without warning.
"I'll say it plainly. The moment I see him, I lose it. Like the sun that rises will inevitably set, like water flows from high to low… Vittorio will pick a fight with me with everything he's got, and I will take that fight with everything I have. That is the truth—that is simply how the two of us are."
It was often the case that those brimming with extraordinary talent paid for it with sensibilities far removed from the average person's.
According to Atou, Vittorio was exactly that kind of hero.
The moment he opened his mouth, he provoked others and couldn't help but make them uncomfortable.
No one could tell what he was thinking, yet he delivered results regardless. That said, both his actions and his words were reckless and inappropriate.
A hero whose very existence made others irate. That was Vittorio.
"What I'm asking is this: if I lose my temper and look like I'm about to kill Vittorio, please stop me. Truly, my compatibility with that man is the absolute worst."
Ranked number one among heroes you'd never want as your boss in Eternal Nations, and ranked number one among heroes you'd never want as your subordinate.
That hero, unfortunately, was scripted to absolutely adore teasing Atou of the Filth…
Just recalling that hero—who had driven her to genuine fury on multiple occasions in the side stories that fleshed out the world's lore—was enough to sink Atou's spirits.
"Really, just… thinking about it makes my stomach churn…"
Words failed her, and Atou began trembling.
Her reaction made it abundantly clear just how formidable a presence Vittorio was in her mind.
For a girl like Atou—a hero serving the evil King of Ruin—such a childishly emotional display might not have been entirely out of character. But even so, this was arguably crossing a line.
That was how deeply Atou of the Filth despised Vittorio of the Blessed Tongue's Calamity.
"If I had my way, I'd never summon that kind of person. But his intellect and abilities are truly without peer. I can say with certainty that no one could beat him in a battle of wits—no one except Lord Takuto. That's the caliber of individual we're dealing with."
Even the Dark Elves could only nod along in agreement with Atou's impassioned speech.
"Ugh, just thinking about it is already making me furious…"
She really did hate that hero.
Atou's blatant sour mood drew indescribable expressions from everyone present.
But even with all that loathing, she still acknowledged his power.
They understood how formidable heroes could be, but what exactly was this particular one like?
As a tangle of curiosity, anxiety, and other emotions churned through the room, the summoning of a new hero drew ever closer.
A period of transformation for Mynoghra was about to begin.
◇ ◇ ◇
The night before the summoning was, in light of the storm-like days that had recently passed, remarkably tranquil.
Quiet, unhurried time flowed by, undisturbed by anyone—a night shared between just the two of them.
Atou stood beside Takuto, who sat in his chair gazing vacantly out the window at the night scenery, and directed a gentle gaze toward the lord she revered from the bottom of her heart.
"Come to think of it, this might be the first time we've ever spent this kind of quiet time together…"
There was no reply.
Takuto was elsewhere, his mind clearly not present—as was, in fact, the literal truth.
But Atou continued speaking anyway.
"Lord Takuto. I know this probably isn't something I should say, but some part of me finds this situation… nostalgic. Back then, too, we used to chat like this late at night. Of course, back then I couldn't respond, so I could only listen to what you had to say."
Memories of a former time resurfaced in Atou's mind.
Before she and Takuto had come to this world—the nightly visits exchanged like clockwork at his sickbed.
Even if it had been a one-sided monologue from Takuto, and even if by any normal measure the behavior was utterly incomprehensible…
A bond had undeniably existed between them. And that bond still tied the two of them together strongly today.
That was precisely why…
"So this time, I'm going to be the one talking to you, Lord Takuto. Until the day you get better and we can spend our time together like we used to…"
There was no reply. But Atou believed with all her heart that her feelings would reach him.
His words had reached her. So surely hers would reach him, too.
And so she spoke to Takuto—quietly, for a long, long time, until the stillness of the night drew him into sleep.
Atou immersed herself in those cherished memories.
=Message===
For the time being, Atou of the Filth has become Mynoghra's leader.
During this period, Ira=Takuto will step away from leadership.
A new production option has been selected!
Now producing: Vittorio of the Blessed Tongue's Calamity
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