In Dragontan, the city dragon of Fonkavun, whose cataclysmic summit with Mynoghra had only just concluded, the aftermath of that mad banquet still smoldering like embers, the mountain of residual tasks left over in preparation for the city's transfer had everyone buried in work.
Beyond the handover of administrative duties, there were explanations to provide and consent to obtain from the handful of remaining citizens, negotiations with domestic and foreign business operators regarding ongoing transactions, and the settling of all manner of agreements that had been made under Fonkavun's name.
The city hall staff were working desperately, but progress crawled forward at a glacial pace.
A large number of personnel had already been dispatched from Mynoghra's side as well, but they too were visibly worn to the bone as they ground through their tasks.
No matter how one looked at it, a city transfer was an undertaking that devoured labor.
Anterize, the former city lord of Dragontan, likewise continued performing the countless tasks required for the handover. If anything, there were far too many things about Dragontan that only she could know, so it would be no exaggeration to say she was the single most overworked person in the city right now.
This was the downstream consequence of an immature urban governance system riddled with inefficiency — but pointing that out would do nothing to reduce the mountain of work piled before her, so in the end she simply kept plugging away today too, her face drawn with exhaustion.
"Ahh... I'm gonna lose it..."
She had long since lost count of how many consecutive shifts this made. The image of her own home had already grown hazy in her memory. Anterize tottered into the lord's chamber on unsteady legs like a consumptive patient and collapsed into her chair with a heavy thud.
She was clearly overworked, but her damnable sense of responsibility made it impossible to simply abandon her duties.
She understood her own troublesome temperament well enough — this stubborn inability to let go even as the turbulent currents of events swept relentlessly around her. She had chosen this path herself, but surely it didn't need to be this brutal. It was only human to curse one's fate in moments like these.
Which was precisely why she needed a break. Especially now, having gone days without proper rest — for the sake of the work still ahead, she needed a strong pick-me-up.
"Hehehe, I'm always giving it my all. But the work never, ever ends. Times like these call for..."
She murmured to herself, as if making excuses to no one in particular.
The slight buoyancy in her voice was no trick of the ear.
Because what she was about to do now was...
"I can't keep going without a drink!"
The ceramic sake jug landed on the desk with a decisive thump. Anterize had decided that during this gravely important juncture, she was going to start drinking in broad daylight.
This liquor called Tatun is an extremely popular drink made from root vegetables and mixed grains harvested in Dragontan. In terms of alcohol content, it sits at roughly one to two percent. Not a particularly strong drink, but of course consume enough of it and you will get drunk—and just because the alcohol content is low does not mean it is acceptable to drink on the job.
"Hyah! This is what I live for!"
As city administrator, Anterize is entrusted with the confidence of both Fonkavun's home country and the staff—but this particular vice of hers draws sharp criticism from those who say she would be perfect were it not for this habit: her excessive drinking.
Naturally, since it earns her censure, her drinking manners are far from pleasant. She gets weepy when she drinks, and belligerent, and tearful, and mirthful by turns.
That this vice has caused her to fail on several arranged meetings—a fact that must never be spoken aloud in Dragontan—is an altogether different matter.
Whoever first said that a beauty with a few flaws is easier to get along with, Anterize's flaw was hardly a minor one. It was not "a few flaws"—it was an avalanche.
She pulls her lips away from the bottle with a soft pop and exhales a breath thick with alcohol.
Mood: excellent. Fighting spirit: fully recharged.
With this, she could put in a solid stretch of work for a while yet.
The moment the prodigy of Fonkavun, having decided that drinking on the job was simply how things were going to be today, was about to channel that needlessly elevated spirits into her next task—
Tap, tap. The door to the city administrator's office was knocked.
"Y-yes! Come in!"
She hastily hid the bottle behind her back and put on a composed smile.
Normally, Anterize would make no such effort—she would drink openly before her staff without a shred of shame. But at present, personnel dispatched by Mynoghra and the staff from the home country were present in this room.
Considering the possibility that these were precisely the sort of people she should not be seen by, she had adopted the posture of a moment ago.
And it seemed her crisis-management ability was as formidable as her city-management ability.
Slowly emerging through the door was Tonukapoli, the staff officer who served as her nominal superior.
"To-Tonukapoli, sir, wh-what seems to be the matter? Ohohoho."
Anterize flashed a put-together smile.
Yet her obvious demeanor made Tonukapori immediately knit her brows. Her earlier secret enjoyment was clearly entirely exposed.
"You were drinking on the job again, weren't you?"
"N-No, you must be imagining things!"
It wasn't imagination—it was completely blatant. Tonukapori's gaze was already fixed on the poorly concealed liquor bottle peeking out from behind her.
That said, Tonukapori knew Anterize's situation, and based on past experience, it was clear that saying anything wouldn't change anything. So she merely sighed and let it pass.
More importantly, Tonukapori was with a guest. She couldn't keep her waiting.
"Oh, well, never mind. I have a little something to discuss with you today. Come, come, please come in."
"Pardon the intrusion."
The one who appeared was a dark elf woman. Despite being a high-ranking figure in an evil faction, she entered the room with an unusually humble and polite demeanor—it was Emuru, who had been working tirelessly alongside them on the Dragontan transfer procedures.
"Oh, Emuru! Welcome."
"Hello, Anterize."
Ever since the Dragontan transfer was officially decided, Emuru had been stationed here, dedicating herself to the work.
Due to their dark elf and elf relationship, they had been awkward at first, but that had worked in Anterize's favor—her background, having departed her homeland before participating in the dark elf persecution, smoothed things over.
Both held important roles, and through their consultations, they had quickly grown comfortable with each other.
Being close in age, their relationship soon became almost like that of friends, and Anterize welcomed her with a smile.
But then she realized it. The fact that Tonukapori and Emuru had arrived together meant she could assume some sort of problem had arisen. Or perhaps they were about to make a significant decision…
Perplexed by the sudden visit, Anterize braced herself, a faint premonition of unease stirring within her.
"Eh, perhaps this is something important? As far as I know, there shouldn't be any issues right now..."
"Actually, the selection of the new provisional city mayor is proving rather difficult..."
"Ah, indeed. We don't have anyone here in Mynoghra who could be entrusted with such a role."
Among the various issues tied to the handover of Dragontan, this matter of the city mayor held the highest priority for resolution. Not only had the previous war caused a significant exodus of personnel, but the educational standard in Fonkavun itself remained low compared to other nations, meaning there was a constant shortage of individuals capable of undertaking city administration duties.
Furthermore, the process of confirming with the citizens about their potential transfer of affiliation to Mynoghra was also stalled.
While the administrative functions were already fraying at the seams... it was precisely for this reason that the urgent selection of a new mayor and subsequent rebuilding was necessary.
Anterize, troubled by this seemingly insurmountable problem, let her gaze flicker towards Emuru.
This was not something that could be resolved by sheer effort or pulling all-nighters. Rather, she had wished the receiving party, Mynoghra, would proactively offer up a candidate for mayor.
"As it happens, Mynoghra finds itself in a similar situation. When you consider the requirement for someone who understands the culture and customs of the people living in Dragontan and can smoothly resolve the inevitable problems that arise, we simply cannot find a suitable candidate."
"That is quite the predicament..."
She had vaguely anticipated a response like this based on the conversation so far. Mynoghra possessed numerous capable individuals. The man frowning before her, Emuru, to begin with, as well as the elder Mortar and his subordinates. Guided by Mynoghra and its king, Takuto Ira, such people could likely govern Dragontan with innovative methods unheard of in Fonkavun.
Of course, that was assuming they had the leeway to spare.
Naturally, such leeway existed nowhere. This current difficult situation was, in a sense, a direct result of that.
That said, Anterize bore no fault, and furthermore, offered no solution. Yet despite this stalemate, she wondered why the two had specifically brought this matter to her attention.
"So, speaking with Lord Emuru, we realized there might be a suitable candidate available."
"What? Really? Then please introduce them immediately, Lord Tonukapoli! We need to handle the handover, and time is simply never enough."
It seemed a suitable person had been unearthed without her knowledge.
They must have found a Dark Elf well-versed in Fonkavun's culture and customs, or perhaps dug one up.
Anterize was in high spirits at having the problem that had been plaguing her solved so effortlessly.
Now she could process all the accumulated handover work right away.
...Had the alcohol put her in such a good mood that she, who should have been one of Fonkavun's sharpest minds, failed to notice the possibility?
It was only when Emuru and Tonukapoli slowly but simultaneously pointed at her that Anterize finally understood what kind of scheme they intended to put into motion.
"Wait—what do those fingers mean? Emuru, Lord Tonukapoli...you're joking, right?"
"Sorry, but we're not."
"Um, I'm sorry. There really is no one more suited for this than you, Anterize!"
Emuru bowed her head apologetically, and Tonukapoli let out an exasperated sigh as if to say "it's about time you caught on."
The alcohol still lingering in Anterize's body evaporated in an instant, replaced by cold sweat streaming down her face.
It was, without question, the worst possible solution she could have imagined.
"Nooooo! Absolutely not! I already decided that once this job is done, I'd lounge around spending all the money I've accumulated! There are untasted wines waiting for me! I've already worked enough! No more days of gut-wrenching labor!"
"Stop making a scene. You already suspected it yourself, didn't you? That no one but you was suited for this."
"P-please, we need you. I'd feel so much more at ease if you became city lord, Anterize."
"Admittedly, working together with you does sound appealing, Emuru—we get along quite well, after all! And Lord Tonukapoli does have a point! But that's a separate issue entirely!"
She thrashed about while screaming her protest. She had, in fact, considered the possibility.
If she became city lord, there would be no tedious handover process, and the reorganization of the dysfunctional administrative apparatus could be carried out swiftly.
Her confidence that, armed with Mynoghra's military and economic power, she could rebuild the city several times faster than anyone else was not bravado but fact.
The relationships she had built with key national figures like Emuru and old Mortar would also facilitate smoother dealings.
But even so, the notion of an elf once called the Fairy of Light falling to the forces of darkness left a bitter taste in her mouth.
More than anything, she hated working. Anterize did not want to work.
Anterize thrashed about like a spoiled child, shouting her protests.
To her, now huddled in the corner of the room hugging a bottle of sake with tear-filled eyes, Tonukapoli cast a cold glance before turning to Emuru.
"So, what say you?"
"Th-there's no choice, I suppose... we must resort to final measures."
"W-what!? You're not thinking of doing something horrible, are you!?"
At the words "final measures," Anterize's body trembled. Her counterpart, even if they were an allied nation, was the evil state of Mynoghra. Perhaps they were about to use some terrible method they were hesitant to even speak of. Something akin to torture, perhaps...
Recalling the sight from days ago, the form of Takuto Ira, the King of Ruin, Anterize's anxiety spiked.
But her expectations were betrayed in the best way.
"The King entrusted me with this celebratory sake for your appointment as New City Mayor. --Excuse me! Please bring it in!"
Following Emuru's call, the mayoral office received delivery of numerous bottles packed in a wooden crate.
"Um... what is this?"
She asked, peering cautiously inside. If Emuru's earlier words were correct, it seemed to be alcohol. Naturally, it was likely a product of Mynoghra.
"This is said to be the drink from the Kingdom of Gods. I have received it from our King, Takuto Ira, as a congratulatory gift for you, Anterize, on your inauguration as Mayor of the new Dragontan."
She swallowed audibly.
Emuru took one bottle from the wooden crate and placed it on the table with a thud.
It was clear at a glance. This was something that existed in a completely different dimension from the concept of alcohol she knew.
First, the container was wrong. In her country, alcohol was typically stored in ceramic vessels.
Items of high value tend to look the part, but they remain things one could purchase at any ordinary shop.
But this was different. The material was glass — and of a terrifying degree of clarity.
Glass was relatively common in northern continents like Quolia, but it was overwhelmingly associated with jewelry and, above all, extraordinarily expensive.
Moreover, this level of transparency. If one were to buy the same thing in Quolia, it would cost roughly the average citizen's annual income. It was certainly not something meant to be used as a mere wine bottle.
And above all else, the liquor itself was abnormal. Setting aside the glass's clarity, the transparency of the liquid within it was something wrong.
She would have believed it if someone had told her they had scooped water from some nearby puddle. No — she would not have believed that either, even if it were water.
Because even if it was water, in this barren wasteland, virtually nothing with that degree of freshness and clarity existed. That was no exaggeration.
If this was liquor, then what level of purity, what level of masterful craftsmanship had produced it?
At the very least, it was incomparable to the cloudy, harsh-tasting, diluted sake she had been drinking until moments ago.
"If you would accept our offer, I very much wanted you to have this — so I brought it along."
Anterize was certain.
This was the liquor version of that weapon called a "gun" that had been shown to her the other day.
What the King of Mynoghra had sent under his own name could not possibly be something half-hearted. How great a shock would this unknown liquor bring her?
The evil nation of Mynoghra — Takuto Ira, the King of Ruin — was assaulting Anterize with most fearsome methods!
"N-no... No matter how much you try to tempt me with something like that, I can't say yes... Because becoming the new city governor would mean I too become an evil existence like Mynoghra..."
The words were wrung from Anterize's throat with great effort.
The flame of justice still lingering in her heart repelled the wicked temptation.
She would never submit to evil. A strong will existed within her.
That said, her gaze remained riveted to the liquor, and drool was silently trickling from her mouth.
Toward Anterize in this state, Emuru cast a question with an air of deliberate coyness.
"If you become evil... what do you think happens, Anterize?"
"Huh? W-Well, surely it means things like not caring about killing people, or showing no mercy to enemies. Hoping for the destruction of the world—something along those lines?"
A fundamental question that even Anterize couldn't help but puzzle over.
What did it truly mean to become evil? They already knew well from past dealings that these beings showed no mercy to their enemies.
Every word dripped with loyalty to their sovereign and a terrifying hatred for those who threatened their peace—that much was undeniable.
But it seemed Emuru was getting at something else entirely.
Anterize tilted her head, and Emuru flashed a faint smile.
Then, with a grin more wicked than anything she had ever seen, spoke something truly terrifying.
"An evil city mayor doesn't get reprimanded for drinking on the job."
"Wh-What did you say!?"
The shock rocked Anterize to her core.
"Of course, Anterize. Because we are evil beings—so long as we get our work done, we are not bound by morality or etiquette."
A statement of sheer astonishment.
How terrifying, how supremely arrogant those words were!
But they were evil beings—those who stood outside the bounds of human reason. How could one expect them to operate by common sense?
"And working hours are evil too, Anterize. Even if work is left unfinished, once the sun sets, you're free to go home!"
"T-Th-That's... to think such fiendish acts are permitted..."
"In all but emergencies, if work piles up and tasks fall behind, that is not a personnel problem but a problem of the system and its distribution. Such a problem cannot be solved by the mayor's effort alone—it must be addressed from above through a fundamental review and overhaul."
And so—you are allowed to leave at the end of the workday.
Hearing those words, Anterize collapsed right where she stood.
Anterize's legs gave out from sheer terror—or rather, overwhelming envy.
"Of course, we have one day off every week. In our evil country, the general idea is to make work as efficient as possible, get it done quickly, and then slack off with the remaining time."
"No, but, I..."
Anterize's heart wavered unsteadily. A glance at Tonukapoli revealed that he was directing a gaze of absolute zero towards her, but since he said nothing, she decided to ignore it for now.
What was important now was the truly attractive employment conditions offered by the new employer. Everything else was superfluous.
"Come to think of it, I also received special sake from the king as a messenger's fee. Excuse me, Tonukapoli."
"Wait, what are you doing, Emuru? It's still daytime!"
Emuru took out another sake bottle from her pocket and popped open the cap.
The luxurious aroma that wafted up momentarily captivated her heart, but she quickly snapped back to her senses and scolded Emuru.
She was trying to drink sake during work. And so brazenly. Right in front of Anterize and the others.
It was a terrifying act that disregarded even the anger of the ancestral spirits.
"You say something interesting, Anterize. Didn't I say earlier? That Mynoghra is evil. So I too... drink sake
Refusing Emuru's drink here would actually be the greater breach of etiquette, so Tonukapoli drinking the wine is a perfectly normal diplomatic custom.
However, understanding it rationally was one thing; accepting it emotionally was another matter entirely.
Simply put, Anterize was envious of Tonukapoli.
"Th-this is incredible!! The drinking experience is crystal-clear like the purest spring water, yet with a sharp, warming depth of alcohol that kicks at the throat. No, the very concept of wine is being shattered!"
"It's quite strong despite how smooth it is, so please be careful."
"Ah, yes indeed. Truly a masterpiece worthy of the name 'wine of the divine kingdom'!"
"G-grrrr!"
Anterize ground his teeth.
It was clear that Tonukapoli had already forgotten about persuading him and was now captivated by the drink.
To think that such a man—who had lived long, tasted all of life's bitterness and sweetness, and was seldom shaken by anything extraordinary—could show such open surprise and delight. It spoke volumes about the caliber of the wine brought from the divine kingdom.
With a face flushed slightly, Emuru gave Anterize, who was steeped in bitterness, a bewitching invitation.
"What do you say, Anterize? Don't you want to try the wine from the divine kingdom?"
"I won't yield! I absolutely will not yield!"
Anterize declared.
Cradling his pride as an elf, he loudly proclaimed that he would never be consumed by evil, thrusting his righteous heart toward the wicked.
………
……
…
"Mynoghra is the best!!"
Anterize yielded to evil.
She was a girl who had practically run away from home on the verge of a fight. The words "serious" or "morality" were, unfortunately, a bit foreign to her.
But she had no regrets now. The liquor gifted to her by the King of Mynoghra—Takuto Ira, her own king—was a supreme delicacy, and from now on, she could drink it in broad daylight without anyone reprimanding her.
Anterize was radiant. The most radiant she had ever been in her life.
"And so, it is done," Tonukapoli said.
"She's a good girl, but when she drinks, it's another story entirely."
He sipped his sake, exasperated. This outcome was precisely what he had intended to provoke, yet seeing Anterize in such high spirits left him feeling oddly unsettled.
"Truly fine liquor. It's almost wasted on that lush over there."
With this, one major hurdle had been cleared.
Knowing Anterize's personality, she would likely thrive in Mynoghra.
She might even learn from that nation's advanced methods of governance and achieve further growth.
Either way... judging by her current state, she seemed to have no worries.
Feeling a faint pang of loneliness, Tonukapoli watched Anterize's undignified spectacle.
"However, was this truly acceptable? Ms. Anterize is a rather vital asset to Fonkavun, is she not? Luring her away to our country..."
"Well, there was no helping it, really. Honestly, having her remain in Dragon Tan would have made various matters easier to discuss from our end, too. As a familiar face, she might grant us favors and accommodations."
Truthfully, Fonkavun parting with Anterize was a somewhat painful blow.
With her capabilities, there were countless opportunities for her to serve in their homeland.
But the town of Dragon Tan was no longer merely a city; it had transformed into a location of paramount importance to both Fonkavun and Mynoghra.
To ensure smooth future relations between the two nations and to face other powerful states or threats, rebuilding this town was an urgent necessity.
And if the best candidate for the job currently available was her, there was no reason not to appoint her as the city's leader.
Perhaps Anterize understood this on some level, and was deliberately playing the fool.
Otherwise she would never have chosen to fall into the attribute of darkness so easily. The resolve required for an elf once called a light fairy to make such a decision must have been immense.
If so, perhaps she had been forced to make a painful choice.
"Hehehe, then we'll spoil Anterize so much she'll forget all about the past."
Emuru's adorable phrasing draws a soft laugh from Tonukapori.
Perhaps it will be fine after all. Tonukapori knew very well how fiercely Mynoghra protected its own and cherished its comrades.
That child would surely live a happily life.
Above all, as long as Mynoghra and Fonkavun remained allied nations, their paths were bound to cross whether they liked it or not.
Shaking off the lingering sense of loneliness, Tonukapori changed the subject.
"If you could also find a husband for her while you're at it, I'd be ever so grateful..."
"A husband...? A marriage partner? Forgive me, but I believed Anterize wasn't married?"
"That's right. That girl just never gets married, no matter how much time passes. Well, it's probably more accurate to say she can't, given her personality."
"I-I see... It would be nice if she could marry, though."
Noting the vague, somewhat hesitant reply, Tonukapori looked at Emuru.
And seeing this cute Dark Elf woman avert her eyes with a guilty expression, she understood everything.
The problem of overly competent women driving men away seemed universal across all nations.
It appeared the path to marriage for Anterize was still a long one. Emuru's as well.
"My turn has arrived! The best booze you can drink openly at work!!"
Anterize, thoroughly drunk, hoisted a bottle and shouted.
May these two find good encounters.
With that silent prayer, Tonukapori beseeched her ancestral spirits.
=Message===
Anterize Antique has transferred to Mynoghra.
All hail Mynoghra, under the great leader!
―――