In most situations, a man's standing weakens somewhat when faced with an angry woman.
Even for the King of Ruin and his subordinates, there were few exceptions to the rules governing the battle of the sexes.
Having become the leader of Mynoghra in this new world, Ira=Takuto was currently offering a stream of apologetic words to the young subordinate girl whose mood he had just sent plummeting through his own careless actions.
"H-Hey... lighten up, Atou."
"Hmph. I'm not in a bad mood or anything."
Despite her words, a thick aura of dissatisfaction radiated from her entire body, practically screaming her displeasure.
In short, she was upset about why he had wasted precious mana—the mana they had decided together to use carefully—on a mere Dark Elf.
Even the ever-confident Takuto had not anticipated this reaction, and now all he could do was keep apologizing and hope her mood would improve.
If only he could realize that the girl was upset less about the wasted mana and more about feeling disregarded, things might have taken a better turn...
But for Takuto, who had spent most of his life confined to a hospital room and whose experience with women was extremely limited, reading those signals was a bit too difficult.
That said, Takuto's desperate attempts at smoothing things over seemed to be bearing fruit, as Atou gradually began to feel increasingly awkward about her own attitude.
"Alright then, I'll do whatever Atou says!"
"W-Whatever is a bit much, don't you think? There's no need to go that far, I'm not really..."
Atou mumbled awkwardly, looking up at Takuto from beneath her brow.
She herself was beginning to feel a twinge of anxiety—what if her master was truly done with her if they didn't reconcile soon?
If given some opening, she was ready to forgive Takuto.
"I really need you here, Atou."
"M-Master Takuto..."
Put simply, Atou was easy to win over.
This girl was, above all else, devoted to her king first and foremost, so a few gentle words from Takuto and she would fold instantly.
For her, the world was synonymous with Takuto. Even if their time together had been within a game, those days spent with him constituted her entire life—so perhaps it was only natural.
"I'm sorry for being mean too! To question the decisions of my great king—unfitting for a subordinate!"
"No, I'm sorry too. You came to this world with me, Atou. I should have properly asked your permission first. Will you forgive me?"
She nodded with a small bob of her head, and just like that, the two put their misunderstanding behind them.
In the end, neither of them had any real issue with what had happened. It was all just a somewhat exaggerated performance as part of their communication, and the trust between them had not wavered even slightly.
But the next issue to come up was an entirely different matter.
"Good. Then there's something I wanted to discuss right away. Will you help me work through it?"
"Of course, my King! So, what exactly is the problem? If it's about remaining mana, food production is costly, but for this quantity I don't think it'll be an issue..."
"No, it's not about that at all. Completely different."
Takuto spoke with a grave expression.
Seeing him look so reluctant to speak, Atou grew worried.
Her beloved master's troubles would naturally weigh more heavily than her own.
"A problem? Is something troubling you, Master Takuto?"
"Well, we had that conversation with the Dark Elves earlier, right?"
"Yes..."
They had encountered the Dark Elves unexpectedly just a short while ago and exchanged a few words.
Atou replayed the event in her mind and, as far as she could tell, judged that they had handled it reasonably well.
She believed she had deflected nicely and successfully hidden their hand while playing the part of a powerful force.
There shouldn't have been any problem...
But Takuto's concern was aimed in an entirely different direction.
"The truth is... I, well, I couldn't talk properly..."
"Huh?"
"You noticed it too, didn't you, Atou? I felt like something was off. You can hold a conversation just fine, but the moment I'm in front of other people, the words just wouldn't come out."
In Atou's memories, Takuto's words replayed several times over.
Now that she thought about it, Takuto's speech had been a little odd. She had interpreted it as him not wanting to let loose words unnecessarily, avoiding mistakes or giving away extra information.
On top of that, she had assumed it was roleplay—a powerful king disliking verbosity, leaving detailed negotiations to his subordinates.
Which was why she had been secretly praising him: "To make such a judgment in an instant! Truly, he is my King!"
A bead of sweat ran down her forehead.
An awful premonition was becoming reality.
"Come to think of it, I don't really remember talking well with nurses or doctors back at the hospital either. I've had very few experiences actually having conversations with people. Not being able to talk to anyone other than people close to me—that really fits, doesn't it..."
"A-A-Ah oh oh..."
Atou trembled. She shook and shivered.
She remembered. Her master Takuto's upbringing.
And from that, the slightly troublesome problem that could be deduced.
The enormous misunderstanding she had been harboring.
"I guess... it seems like I have social anxiety."
A single tear traced its way down Takuto's eye as he confessed.
Yes. He suffered from a somewhat troublesome condition: an inability to converse well with others.
"My King—please don't cry—!!"
Atou rushed to his side at blinding speed, clinging to him. There was nothing else she could do.
Takuto cried. For being unable to talk properly.
Atou cried too. At the reality that her master couldn't communicate with others.
Even for her—a hero of ruin who had once obtained infinite power and crushed worlds as easily as sweeping dust—this kind of situation was overwhelmingly difficult to handle.
And the King of Ruin's sorrow exploded.
"Stop it, Atou! What king?! A socially anxious King of Ruin is so uncool I can't even live!"
"It's fine! It's fine, my King! Even if you can't talk to others, just talk to this Atou! No, from now on, this Atou shall become your personal conversation partner! I will serve by your side for the rest of my life! Therefore—it is perfectly fine!!"
"But what's a king with no social skills supposed to do? Give orders to subordinates? Negotiate with other nations? You need those things, right?"
Atou fell silent.
She fell silent, then turned blue with horror at having done so, pretending she hadn't said anything.
Another tear fell from Takuto's eyes.
"Let me just reset my whole life. Start over from a new beginning."
"It's fine—!! There is no need to worry! A king has no need for social skills! A king is solitary! A king speaks only with trusted subordinates!"
Had she ever shouted this loudly before?
Atou screamed at the top of her lungs, pushing through forceful reasoning to drown out her master's sorrow.
Normally, such words—brimming with nothing but momentum and zero persuasive power—would be meaningless. But fortunately, her master, Ira Takuto, happened to be an incredibly soft-hearted person when it came to Atou.
So the girl's desperate shouting did, in fact, soothe his heart.
"Ugh, Atou. To encourage me like that..."
"It will be all right, my King. Bit by bit, we'll rehabilitate. You will definitely be able to talk to lots of people. This Atou is here! I'm here, so please don't talk about a new game or any such thing!"
"Sorry, I was being a bit negative, wasn't I? You're right. Social skills aren't necessary. As long as I have you, that's enough."
"Yes, yes. That's right. Social skills are unnecessary. As long as you have financial power and fighting power, you can punch through any problem! Isn't that what you learned in 'Eternal Nations'?"
"Ugh, thank you, 'Eternal Nations.' And thank you, Atou. What a wonderful subordinate I have..."
Nothing had actually been resolved. But the two of them seemed to have reached an understanding.
Moreover—though it might be hard for anyone else to comprehend—this exchange had the effect of deepening the bond between them even further.
As they gazed at each other, emotion surged through them like a torrent, and their excitement reached its peak.
"Atouuuuu—!!"
"Master Takutooo—!!"
Before long, as if a dam had broken, they threw themselves into a passionate embrace.
"Skreeeeee—!!!"
At the same time, a bizarre shriek pierced the air, rudely intruding on their moment together.
"..."
Still holding each other, the two silently turned toward the source of the sound. There it was—the Long-Legged Bug, trembling strangely, its bulging eyes fixed on them.
It was unclear what those eyes were saying, but they were more than sufficient to shatter the private world the two had built.
"Come to think of it, I did summon that thing to our base."
"Really, what an unreadable bug. Shall we delete the unit?"
"As much as I'd like to, that'd be a waste."
The presence of a third party cooled things instantly.
No—perhaps "snapped them back to reality" was more accurate.
Takuto casually released Atou from his embrace and settled onto the stone pedestal as usual.
He felt a small twinge of reluctance, but the Long-Legged Bug's piercing gaze hurt more.
As for Atou, unfortunately, her mood had soured again.
"Seriously, what's with this bug? We were finally getting closer together, and it had to be so tasteless about it."
"Oh, right. It seems the Dark Elves are approaching. They must be here to collect the remaining food."
"Ah, so that's it."
As a player, Takuto could observe the Long-Legged Bug's behavior.
The unit's Scout ability had the effect of expanding his field of vision.
Even in this complex forest with its tangled trees, the ability proved effective, and through the bug's bulging eyes, Takuto could see a group of Dark Elves making their way toward him.
At the same time, anxiety tightened in his chest.
He had zero confidence in handling a second round of negotiations successfully.
But there was someone who would swoop in to rescue him from his crisis. Of course, it was his confidant, Atou.
She caught the subtle shift in his expression and immediately offered a solution.
"I've thought of something. From now on, I will handle all negotiations with those Dark Elves. You need only watch, Master Takuto!!"
"Huh? Really?"
"Yes. Please leave it to me. In fact, I think it would be better for your dignity if you did not casually issue commands in that manner."
"Mmm. Hmm..."
The offer was incredibly welcome.
Under normal circumstances, Takuto would have handed the negotiations over to her right then.
But was it truly alright to allow it? He was the king, and she was his subordinate.
He had no concern about overstepping authority—rather, he worried whether doing so would become a burden on Atou.
"Or... is this Atou insufficient?"
She placed a hand on her chest, her expression brimming with confidence, practically demanding to be entrusted.
Her attitude brought Takuto a sense of relief. At the same time, he felt ashamed for ever doubting her.
What was there to worry about?
She was the great hero of Mynoghra—Atou of the Mire.
A hero of ruin who swept aside all enemies and crushed all obstacles.
She who possessed infinite possibilities and infinite power had said, "Leave it to me."
Excitement and emotion swelled once more in Takuto's heart.
A king who receives absolute trust and loyalty can give only one answer.
"Of course not. Then, will you handle it for me, Atou?"
"Heh heh heh. As you command, my King..."
With a deep bow, her jet-black eyes fixed upon him.
Her expression, bewitching to the point of being dangerous, overflowed with the self-assurance befitting a hero destined to bring ruin to the world.
◇ ◇ ◇
"It is a great honor to be granted an audience with your esteemed presence, O magnificent one. I am Mortar, leader of this group of Dark Elves who have received your generous mercy."
True to the information Takuto had gathered from his scout, the Dark Elf group arrived after a short while.
Leading them at the forefront was an old man who looked like a withered branch.
Though haggard from malnutrition, he bore a magnificent mane of silver hair and a long beard, leaning on a grimy staff as he tottered forward and knelt before Takuto and the others.
Beside him was Gia, the Dark Elf warrior chief they had met the other day. A few other familiar faces could be spotted here and there, suggesting the delegation was largely the same as before.
But as expected, a different leader meant a different attitude—or perhaps they had come having already discussed their approach in advance.
Atou nodded with satisfaction at the greeting, delivered with proper decorum.
"Hmm. For dark elves, you understand courtesy quite well. And from your manner, it's clear you have something to say. Get on with it."
"Regarding this incident. We have heard that our young one behaved discourteously. As their chief, I offer my apologies. I also wish to express our deepest gratitude for the food you have given to our tribe."
"...It is only natural that such insignificant dark elves would lose their composure and present an ugly display when confronted with a being of such grandeur. Our King is not so petty as to let such trifles trouble him."
In truth, she could have been far more furious, but Atou had no interest in anyone other than Takuto.
She glanced toward Takuto, and he didn't seem particularly bothered. He was, after all, a modern-day ordinary person. He placed little value on formal etiquette.
If he judged it acceptable, she would interject no personal feelings whatsoever.
In this regard alone, Atou was nothing less than a perfectly faithful tool of her king.
"We are humbled and ashamed by our race's insignificance before your generous mercy. Would you grace us with your honored name? Together with your great kindness, we shall pass it down through our tribe for all eternity."
Atou tilted her head and glanced at Takuto.
She was seeking his approval to reveal his name.
During their previous encounter, they had ultimately never given their names. That had been Takuto's judgment—they were surrounded by too many unknowns, and it was imperative not to give the other side information that could cause problems.
But with a little time to reflect, he had reconsidered. Rather than living in constant fear and making a pathetic show of it, he might as well take the risk and live as he pleased.
So her question received his approval. The authorization came through. Then there was only one thing for Atou to do.
"The End King who rules over ruin, Ira=Takuto. It is a noble, a great name. When addressing him, call him Lord Ira, or Lord Ira=Takuto."
Confident, commanding words flowed forth.
And so, Takuto's name was known in this world for the very first time.