The two-person declaration of nation-building complete, the formality-heavy domestic turn commenced without delay. Takuto and Atou sat atop a stone pedestal, humming thoughtfully as they contemplated their first move.
"Mynoghra is a peace-loving, gentle civilization that presides over evil and ruin. We must act with that understanding first and foremost."
"Indeed, that is absolutely correct, my King! In other words, avoiding detection by others as much as possible. This is an ironclad rule in the early game, correct?"
"Precisely. We don't know where we are, but information gathering without being found by anyone is the priority."
"Yes! As expected of my King!"
Takuto returned a wry smile to Atou's gaze, which sparkled with excitement as she looked at him. He surveyed their surroundings once more. From the stone pedestal they occupied, about fifty meters stretched an open area with only grass and flowers. Beyond that, however, trees were packed densely together.
Though it was unclear what species they were, their roots twisted eerily, rising from the ground to make movement extremely difficult. While the trees themselves weren't particularly tall, Takuto unfortunately possessed no skill in climbing them. It was a reckless demand to expect such technique from a former terminal ward patient, but...
(Atou certainly can't climb either, and sending her out to explore is worrying...)
Under normal circumstances, a base and exploration units would be prepared at the start of the game, but in the current situation, no such entities were to be found anywhere. As a combat unit, Atou was ill-suited for exploration. Moreover, her current abilities were quite low, and Takuto was fiercely wary of any possibility of mishap.
In other words, their options were severely limited. Yet even within that constraint, a path remained possible. Having repeated countless actions within games, it was only a matter of time before they offered Takuto a clue.
"There's no choice. We'll use emergency production."
Atou reacted immediately to his murmured words.
"Emergency production... Normally, various units are created through production actions at a city. Emergency production is the forceful creation of units using general resources like mana, but—"
Turning toward the source of the voice, Atou leaned in, her gaze seeking his own as Takuto nodded in response.
Within the simulation game "Eternal Nations," there existed several core resources alongside various secondary ones.
"Mana" was one of these, a resource that, alongside "Food" and "Materials," demanded the most careful management.
The fundamental system of the game revolved around using these three primary resources to operate facilities, field units, and conduct activities in order to build a prosperous nation.
Among these, mana possessed properties similar to currency or energy—a medium whose expenditure allowed for the instantaneous production of units or buildings, a method known as Emergency Production.
Yet even this convenient method naturally carried its drawbacks.
"Yeah, Emergency Production is terribly inefficient. Honestly, it's just a drop in the bucket. Given that we currently have no means to generate mana, I'd really rather not use it, but..."
He scratched his head vigorously, letting out a deep sigh, though the fact remained that no better idea presented itself.
Atou stood with her arms crossed, humming thoughtfully, but in the current situation, no brilliant stratagem to break their impasse seemed forthcoming.
This was, after all, a situation fundamentally different from the game, and it was perhaps only natural that the two who had arrived here were racking their brains.
"Well, I suppose 'needs must' is the phrase," she said. "How much mana do we currently possess?"
"In game terms, maybe around 200? It's just a drop in the bucket."
Resources were fundamentally represented by numerical values. While this was a game-like concept, Takuto found he had naturally adapted to this mode of representation within this world as well.
It was only that the mana he had manipulated in the tens of thousands by the late game now amounted to a mere 200, which left him feeling lightly dizzy.
"200, then. We should use it sparingly. So, what shall we produce first?"
"I considered base production or mana-generating facilities, but I think I want to start with scouts."
That said, they both understood perfectly well that going in circles would yield no progress.
Perhaps the presence of someone to walk alongside was one reason the two could remain calm.
Despite being thrust into the abnormal situation of suddenly arriving in an unknown world, Takuto was proceeding to organize his actions with remarkable smoothness.
The first move he had chosen was information gathering.
At a point where they couldn't even grasp the nature of the world they were in, rash actions were out of the question. That was why they had chosen to learn about the world.
Takuto turned his gaze to Atou and asked, "No problems?"
The reply came back in the affirmative.
Of course, she who placed immense trust in Takuto would never object to his decision, but...
"Then emergency production! -- Scout!"
Anyway, the dice were cast.
With a shout, an unseen torrent of power gathered before Takuto's eyes, space warped, and something manifested.
It had a viscous appearance, like a newborn being born from the womb, and after falling with a plop, it stared at Takuto and let out a cry, "Gyeeee!"
In its base form, it resembles a mantis without a sickle.
But its legs are somewhat thicker than a mantis's and abnormally long.
Its eyes dart around asymmetrically, and it constantly emits a high-pitched sound, as if nervous.
This was the scout unit Takuto had summoned -- the Long-Legged Insect.
"That's gross."
"It is gross, isn't it..."
Takuto was the first to open his mouth with words of criticism towards the subordinate he had just created.
Since Atou shared the same impression, it seemed that even for an army of ruin, this insect did not have a welcoming appearance.
Takuto stared intently at the Long-Legged Insect, which was trembling strangely for some reason, but perhaps he quickly grew tired of looking, as he turned his gaze towards Atou, the beautiful girl.
"Come to think of it, Atou, you knew it from the game, so weren't you used to it?"
"In my case too, it was just a display in the game, a 3D image-like perception, so... when it's made this real, it's a bit..."
"Hmm, then for a memento, want to touch it?"
"No thank you! Why don't you touch it, Takuto?"
"I don't want to either!"
"Then why did you say that to me!?"
"I don't know, just felt like it."
"My king is being mean!"
"Sorry!"
Having started to play together amicably, the Long-legged Insect stood silently, its huge pupils darting back and forth.
Of course, for him—the Long-legged Insect—it was merely waiting for orders...
But combined with its peculiar appearance and massive eyes, it almost seemed like it was reproving the two for their intimate conversation. Takuto and Atou suddenly realized this and both cleared their throats simultaneously.
"Then, Long-legged Insect! As a subordinate of the glorious Mynoghra, I issue this command! Go scout the surrounding area. Of course, avoid contact with any living beings as much as possible. Focus on observation."
"See that you complete the mission perfectly, so as not to disappoint the great Takuto Ira."
"Gigigigyeaaaahhh!!"
With a single cry, the Long-legged Insect vanished into the darkness of the forest with the unnerving, skittering gait characteristic of insects.
Watching its retreating form, Takuto and Atou let out sighs laden with mixed feelings.
"I was a bit worried, but it seems to be functioning properly as a subordinate unit. How does it feel from your perspective, Takuto?"
"Yeah, it seems our fields of view are synchronized. The information the Long-legged Insect gathers naturally accumulates too. ...Haha, it really is like a game."
In Takuto's mind, the world centered on him was displayed like a 3D map. He intuitively understood that mapping was proceeding from the areas the Long-legged Insect was likely exploring, and he couldn't help but let out a dry laugh at how perfectly this phenomenon worked.
"So far, so good... is it? By the way, how much Mana do we have left?"
"We've used 100 Mana, leaving 100. We needed 20 Mana to build the initial base 'Outpost.' We have to be careful how we spend it."
"Even with some leeway left, we can no longer afford to waste anything."
Normally, forcing the production of units that would require adequate facilities, time, and resources would also consume an enormous amount of Mana.
Unlike the "Pioneer," which is set as an initial essential facility, scout units requiring prerequisite facilities and resources demand significantly different Mana consumption.
Naturally, there should be no surplus left to produce additional units.
"I actually wanted to prepare 'Warriors' for combat power, but it seems impossible with our Mana reserves. We really wouldn't be able to move at all if we tried."
"I'll do my best regarding combat power—well, I'd like to say that, but currently, I struggle against wild animals, so if we encounter a hostile force, it's basically game over."
Atou's current combat power is 3. It's low, even when compared to the non-combat unit Long-legged Insect, which has 1.
This becomes clear when considering that the initial combat-type unit "Warrior" has a combat power of 3, and the wild animal unit "Wolf" has 1.5.
In other words, the hero unit known as "Atou the Mire," and the Mynoghra it belongs to, were in an extremely risky situation where, should an enemy appear, they could be utterly defeated depending on its strength.
"This difficulty is really high..."
"You- you're used to this, right? Please cheer up, my King."
He had certainly experienced similar situations countless times. But only in the game.
Takuto couldn't help but think that reality could have at least a slightly easier setting.
Atou, who sent him encouraging words with a worried look, was the only solace he had at this moment.
◇ ◇ ◇
Several hours passed.
The scout unit [Long-legged Insect] he had sent out seemed to be fulfilling its role perfectly, as information about the surrounding terrain kept streaming into his mind.
For them, the players, information was an irreplaceable resource.
Moreover, in this kind of situation, its value surpassed even gold.
Takuto felt the urgency and sense of crisis he had unconsciously been holding ease somewhat. He heaved a sigh of relief and began to share the information with Atou.
"How does it look?"
"Ah, I'm getting a pretty good grasp of the surrounding terrain. Though it's all forest—maybe it's a fairly deep one, at that. By the way, the Long-Legged Worm hasn't encountered any wildlife or magical beasts either."
The information received from the Long-Legged Worm, beyond guaranteeing its safety, was not particularly intriguing.
It was nothing but endless, unremarkable forest. There might be some undiscovered feature nearby, but the current rate of investigation was too low to tell. This was because the Long-Legged Worm moved about as it pleased, causing the map in his mind to become somewhat distorted.
"So it's forest all around... Forest terrain blocks the line of sight for general units, making it ideal for hiding... But to think there are no magical beasts, not even wild creatures—that is peculiar."
"To be precise, there's no food icon either. Well, all we can do is continue investigating for a while."
"I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help..."
Atou bowed her head deeply, her brows furrowed. She looked utterly dejected, as if it genuinely pained her not to be of use to Takuto.
Seeing her slump like a scolded puppy, even Takuto couldn't help but notice.
"It's fine, Atou. Just being with me is enough."
He chose those words in an attempt to cheer her up, but they apparently hit her like a critical blow. Takuto himself hadn't meant them to be so heavy, delivering them in a light tone, but the effect on Atou was immediate. Her face flushed, and her glistening eyes locked onto his.
Takuto finally understood a fact: Atou revered him as her king. She was the type to take his words, whatever they might be, with a certain weight.
"M-My King... I am so deeply moved right now!!"
"G-Good. I'm glad to hear that."
A surge of profound respect washed over Takuto as she drew close.
Never having experienced genuine goodwill directed his way before, he was secretly flustered, yet still felt joy at being able to touch someone like this.
Even if that someone was a hero from a game, a hero of the Army of Ruin...
(Atou's supposed to be the hero of an evil nation, but she's surprisingly playful...)
With her sparkling eyes fixed on Takuto, Atou—aside from those distinctive eyes—had an innocent, carefree demeanor no different from any other girl.
Originally set to be the evil hero of an evil nation, her being this endearing was somewhat unexpected for Takuto.
(Come to think of it, what was Atou's personality setting again? According to the settings...)
Takuto pondered for a moment. But strangely, he couldn't recall at all what kind of personality Atou had—information that was supposed to be set to add depth to the game's world...
"...-sama! Takuto! Are you listening?!"
"Hah! Wh-what? Sorry, I was spacing out."
His doubts vanished instantly.
Because Atou had come right up close to his face, checking his expression, which rattled him.
Noticing the attention back on her, Atou seemed satisfied, perhaps not even realizing how hard Takuto was trying to keep his composure and hide his racing heart.
"Are you alright? Do you feel unwell or something...?"
"No, I was just deep in thought. Don't worry—hmm? A report from Scout Longlegs."
"That's a relief, but—did the scout find something?"
Takuto nodded and focused his attention inward.
They'd practiced sharing vision several times, so it was easy; the scout's vision surfaced in his mind.
The scene was from a treetop, at a height where a fall wouldn't end well, looking carefully down at the landscape below.
The constantly darting, jerky view made it hard to discern details, but he could make out what looked like a settlement and people.
Blue-tinged, sickly white skin, silver hair, and distinctive long ears.
If they were to consult their memories, it was the race called Dark Elves.
"Dark Elves, huh? Not too far from here. A settlement? I can see a group gathered."
Takuto kept his eyes closed, focusing intently on the image that continued to surface as he relayed the information concisely to Atou.
Atou refrained from deliberately disturbing her master and instead formulated hypotheses based solely on the acquired information.
"So, we can confirm it's a fantasy world for the time being. Dark Elves are a neutral-biased-towards-evil alignment, so that's somewhat reassuring."
Having finished the preliminary checks, Takuto rubbed the bridge of his nose as he deactivated the shared vision.
Aside from the information that a Dark Elf settlement existed nearby, they had gathered nothing else—but that was precisely what they had been seeking.
This greatly narrowed the choices regarding the world they currently inhabited.
That said, it didn't mean the mountain of problems had decreased...
"As expected, it might be the world of 'Eternal Nations'? Even so, there's a one-in-a-million chance, so we should proceed cautiously. Friendly Dark Elves are possible, or at least plausible. If this turns out to be someone else nation's <Outpost>, though, that would be bad."
"Starting off adjacent to a different nation from the very beginning would be supremely troublesome..."
"A truly shitty location, no doubt about that..."
"If it comes to that, let's escape far away together, my king."
"Indeed, running away is winning. Mynoghra loves peace and tranquility after all."
"War is what savages do!"
They laughed with an "aha" and began to formulate their future plan.
Despite the very real danger to their lives, Takuto figured things would work out somehow.
He suddenly felt a sense of dissonance at how exceptionally calm and optimistic he was under these circumstances, but that feeling was brushed away by the aura of respect emanating from Atou.
In the end, as long as Atou was there, he was fine with whatever happened.
"So, we've grasped a thread for our plan! First, we'll keep an eye on that Dark Elf and gather a bit more information. And if the vibe feels off, we'll run far, far away."
"Just an escape with the two of us! Understood, my King!"
Atou raised her fist in an exaggerated gesture to declare their plan.
It was a childish act, like toddlers playing pretend, but since both of them were enthusiastically on board and no one was there to stop them, it continued without issue.
—Until that very moment.
It was just after Atou had finished her umpteenth string of praises for Takuto.
With a rustle, the trees swayed, and the sound of small twigs being stepped on echoed.
Atou, her demeanor completely changed from just moments before, whipped her head toward the source of the sound with a gaze sharp enough to suggest venomous snakes.
Takuto, a few seconds behind her action, followed her line of sight.
"Ah..."
There, stood a small group.
A race they should have been seeing for the first time, yet one that seemed somewhat familiar.
It was precisely the Dark Elves they had just been discussing.
The Longleg Bug is a scout unit unique to Mynoghra.
Scouts are reconnaissance units available from the start; they lack significant combat strength, but possess high mobility and a wide field of vision.
They are also capable of reducing movement penalties caused by terrain.
―――