While the Renia Divine Light Kingdom was growing increasingly chaotic due to the Holy Knight Murder Incident, Mynoghra was also bustling about, dealing with various problems of their own.
"Now that everyone has gathered, the agenda is none other than deciding what to do from here on out... well."
Elder Mortar, the wisest subordinate in Mynoghra, slowly surveyed the faces assembled before him, then quietly signaled the start.
Yet strangely, though he would normally offer a wealth of wisdom and act as the lubricant to keep meetings running smoothly, he kept his mouth firmly shut this time.
Instead, his calm gaze was fixed upon the pair of twin girls.
"In His Majesty's absence, we have been entrusted with the management of Mynoghra."
"I'm Mearia!"
The young girl's bright voice echoed through the council chamber.
Despite the peculiar atmosphere, there was a certain dignity to the scene.
"To think that you two would be directly commissioned as proxies by the King himself..."
The eyes of Gear and Emuru also turned toward the two. Anterize, the mayor of Dragontan City, was not present, as she attended only in her capacity as city mayor.
Apart from Takuto and Atou, the usual crowd was there, but their roles this time were vastly different. If one had to put it bluntly, their positions were completely reversed.
"We'll do our best!"
"The King ordered it, so there was no choice. ...Though I am anxious."
"There is no denying that. The King has made his judgment. We shall do our utmost to assist you and meet His Majesty's expectations."
Elder Mortar fell silent after saying this, but his unconvinced manner was plain to see.
Seeing his attitude, Karir inwardly sighed, thinking *This is troublesome*, and vaguely recalled the moment Takuto had assigned her this role.
At first, she had felt some resentment hearing Takuto's somewhat troubled request, but a sense of resignation had gradually emerged, thinking *There's nothing to be done about it*.
*(Since Elder Mortar seemed completely useless for this task, I was made to do it in his stead... but this is the correct decision.)*
Though my expression should have betrayed nothing, a knowing smile drifted over from my sister seated beside me.
Truthfully, the elder Dark Elves like Mortar were currently almost entirely useless.
The attack on their king and the fatal news of his life being stolen.
The fact that they had been unable to offer any resistance against an enemy with unknown abilities, and the despair of losing the hero Atou—their greatest fighting force whom they believed had no equal.
Though Takuto had used some means to escape that dire situation, the shock had yet to relinquish its hold on their minds, robbing them of their composure.
...While en route to infiltrate the Saintesses' lair, Takuto had been in contact with Elder Mortar, and from that conversation, he had sensed the Dark Elves' disquiet in its entirety.
This operation, while he was taking the lead, could not afford to underestimate his backup.
The idea of the Dark Elves being useless was a luxury he could not permit in any form.
Therefore, Takuto had abruptly altered the plan, deciding to grant more authority to the Elful sisters than originally intended.
The Elful sisters... they were witches.
A witch would not be shaken by this much.
The loathing and regret contained within their hearts would not permit any such weak emotion as turmoil.
...That said, there was, of course, also discontent within these girls as to why they, still children, had to carry out such a great task. On that point, even witches were still children.
No, they were full of discontent.
"For now. Carry and I, big sister, will do our very best, so we would be happy if everyone could follow our instructions."
"Those who don't will be executed!"
"Mm! Ah, well, you don't have to be so on edge."
Geara spoke, pulling back slightly. Because Mearia's eyes were not laughing.
It seemed Mearia herself was somewhat dissatisfied with the adults' pathetic attitude.
It was currently daytime. The moon was not out, and the surroundings were bright.
Even so, for a matter of merely driving the point home, it was within the capabilities of the twins who had become witches.
"Then, let's begin with the current status of Dragontan. Lady Emuru. Have you carried out the information management we discussed beforehand?"
"Y-yes. Regarding the incident itself, we've been explaining that the pedestal in the central square was ignited by suspected arson. The city's residents don't seem to question that story, but because of the recent hectic days, those closest to us appear somewhat suspicious. His Majesty and Atou not showing their faces is also a factor."
"Regarding the Dark Elves of our homeland, the Great Cursed Realm, I've managed to explain things adequately on my end. However, those living in Dragontan are a different matter. A swift response will be imperative."
The chaos that had struck Mynoghra had subsided within the last few days.
Rather, it was more accurate to say that most people were unaware of what had happened. Given the scale of the incident, the situation was unusually calm.
This was because these Dark Elves were originally operatives who had served under the elves of the El-Nar Spirit Contract Union from the shadows. When it came to this kind of information control, it was their area of supreme expertise.
Moreover, the presence of multiple Brain Eaters, who possessed the capability to maintain urban order, within the city of Dragontan had proven effective.
The current situation was surprisingly tranquil; at a glance, it appeared as though no problems had occurred whatsoever.
This robust control was one of Mynoghra's subtle yet powerful strengths.
"Basically, we will continue the domestic control measures. For those close to Mynoghra's core, I believe some explanation will be necessary, but..."
That said, it was probably time to make a move. Carrie recalled the broad plan she had heard from the King beforehand, glanced at her sister who was laughing happily beside her, and began to explain their future course of action.
"As for Fonkavun, I think we must explain the situation to them. His Majesty has approved of that point as well, so Carrie and the others will handle it."
"That side may prove more problematic than the domestic situation. They have a rough idea of what's going on and haven't said anything, but we must convene a meeting with them soon."
Carrie nodded at Gia's words in agreement. Their relationship with Fonkavun was strong, but they remained merely an alliance partner. Consideration for the other party was necessary, and given Mynoghra's current position, it was essential to request some form of cooperation.
Depending on the circumstances, some underhanded tactics might be necessary too. National friendships are formed under the name of contracts and mutual benefit. There’s always the chance they’ll try to extract better terms by probing for weaknesses in our position... but more importantly than that.
"The culprit this time is the Saint of Quolia. That means we must also consider entering a state of war with that nation. Frankly, the likelihood of this concern becoming reality is probably quite high."
Just as Gear had assessed, war had already become an inevitable situation. It was unclear what kind of strategy Takuto Ira, their king of Mynoghra, was planning, but a battle against the holy nations would begin regardless of scale. As the weaker party, Mynoghra absolutely had to drag Fonkavun into the conflict as an ally. Even possessing powerful military forces, one can sometimes be helpless against the tyranny of numbers. Especially now, with one of those heroes—Atou—having been captured. The situation was extremely dire, to say the least.
"They... will need to be negotiated with as well, won’t they? On their end, they’d likely prefer not to meddle with other countries, but from our side, we can’t afford to be so considerate."
"I intend to make concessions on that front. In the worst case, we just need them to keep watch over both nations' territories in this dark continent."
After that, several topics concerning national administration were raised and decided upon. In the end, the twins' proposed conclusion and future policies were remarkably unexceptional. Continue allocating resources to domestic pacification, tighten cooperation with the key allied nation of Fonkavun, and thereafter act according to Takuto Ira’s commands as the situation warrants. Nothing special, nothing outstanding. It was precisely this inability to reach even such a bland conclusion that characterized the current upper echelons of Mynoghra. While the situation was certainly grim, it seemed these two girls were enough to avert at least that particular fear.
"By the way... how is the king faring? Is Lord Atou safe?"
And then the topic shifted. Or rather, this was what truly mattered to them all along.
The adults' eyes glimmered with interest, their gazes converging on the girls in hopes of extracting even the slightest scrap of information. What was there to worry about? Kallia mused from a slightly detached vantage, though she let out a soft breath, knowing that brushing off their questions would only breed greater discontent.
"The king appears to be in a village within Quolia — or as it now calls itself, the Holy Nation of Renea. The region known as the former Southern Province. The ones who attacked Mynoghra this time are also from that country."
The situation was changing by the moment. The very premises had been upended from the ground up. Kallia relayed to them what was currently known — that a faction had broken away from the Holy Kingdom of Quolia, that these dissidents had established their own nation bearing the meritorious deed of Takuto Ira's destruction, and that their territory corresponded to what had once been called the Southern Province within Quolia.
"The Southern Province, you say? That's fertile land stretching far and wide. For that entire region to secede from Quolia — and to do so after annihilating our king, no less! What arrogance! What insolence! It makes my blood boil! And more to the point — why in blazes wasn't this mentioned sooner!"
"Because it wasn't on the agenda yet."
"Also, for the record, it was all of you who asked about the king's movements before the agenda was even set."
At those words, Elder Mortar's bluster died in an instant. The embarrassment was palpable — they had been in a meeting that was far from over, a moment that demanded thorough scrutiny of every detail, yet they had allowed themselves to grow distracted.
Seeing Elder Mortar so thoroughly put in his place finally forced the adults to recognize just how badly they had lost their composure. And yet, given that they had witnessed the king come under attack right before their very eyes, their turmoil ran deep, beyond the reach of mere willpower. In this state, they could never hope to carry out a mission satisfactory to the king.
They sank into self-reproach, but Guia deliberately changed the subject in a forced attempt to dispel the gloom.
"Still, if the king has gone there in person, then our enemy is already a candle flickering in the wind. He may have already reclaimed Lord Atou."
It was an optimistic remark, but it also spoke to their absolute, unwavering trust in their king. None of them had ever actually seen the king fight. But his subordinate, the filth-encrusted Atou — and though she had been lost, Isla, Queen of all Insects. The other heroes who remained, and their countless subordinates.
There was no room in any corner of his mind for the notion that the King of Ruin, who led them, might be weak.
"That appears to be difficult."
But those words were immediately contradicted. In fact, the statement seemed to carry a warning against accepting overly optimistic assumptions.
"Why is that?!"
The one who could not accept this was the Elder Mortar.
"Have you forgotten their power? His Majesty was unharmed, yes. But in the end, Atou was still captured."
A low groan escaped him, and he fell silent—a clear admission that there was no room for rebuttal.
"Even His Majesty is having trouble gauging the enemy's strength. He said that currently, nothing is clear and not a single countermeasure has been taken. Therefore... it may take some time."
Carya whispered with a pained expression.
Her words sent a wave of anxiety through the Mynoghra leadership, enveloping them in a funereal atmosphere.
—The recent conversation was mostly lies.
King Takuto Ira had said no such thing. He had certainly not received any such situation briefing either. He had simply refused to answer when details were requested.
Carya glanced sideways at her sister.
The smiling girl, seizing on the adults’ bowed heads and contemplative mood, pressed a finger to her lips with a 'shh' and let a cruel smile surface.
The intent was to muddle all information regarding the King.
Regarding this, they had received a tacit instruction from the King himself.
It wasn't that the King distrusted the Dark Elves. Rather, Carya and Mearia understood this was an action born from heightened vigilance regarding the enemy's capabilities.
The twin girls had not been present during the assault.
Therefore, they had not witnessed the situation firsthand, but they had still received detailed explanations of what had occurred.
Based on that, he had judged that the opponent possessed some extraordinary ability and that countering it would require the utmost caution. Therefore, he had explained it to everyone by deliberately mixing in false information, in a way that deceived even themselves.
"Then how about you all? I know you received power from Lady Isla. If you inherited power as heroes, wouldn't you be able to handle that mysterious force as well?"
"It would be difficult. The opponent's power is an unknown variable. You cannot forget something you do not understand."
"That's right, Big Sister... even if Carrie and the others were in a condition to fight with all their strength, the probability of defeat before that power is high. Above all, Atou was effortlessly brainwashed."
"I see..."
When they lost their second mother, Isla, they had personally experienced the danger of abilities they could not comprehend. An irresistible compulsion, as if it were a law of the world itself. These were phenomena that could not be handled by simple strength or wisdom.
Takuto Ira, King of Mynoghra, wielded god-like power to command his nation and servants of darkness, while his enemy also possessed mysterious abilities.
(There is absolutely no guarantee that the enemy doesn't have the ability to extract information from us.)
That was why the King was being evasive and sealing off information. The game on the board was no longer a simple contest of strength; it had shifted to a battle of deception between swindlers hiding and falsifying each other's hand.
It was not only they who were ignorant. Or perhaps, it might be harder to ask someone to perceive everything in this situation.
"Why does the King not rely on us? Why does he not reveal everything to us? We would never betray the King—does he find us that incompetent?"
"I think it's probably because he doesn't want to lose everyone. During the recent raid, several Dark Elf warriors were killed in action. They were certainly not weak, but they were utterly unable to resist."
"Chie and Pseudo-Humans died too. The King must find it painful to have that repeated."
Tears welled up in her elder sister Mearia's eyes. Seeing her like that, Carrie hurriedly rose from her seat, rushed to her sister, and embraced her.
"Big Sister, please don't cry. It's making Carrie sad too..."
And so, sobbing softly, the two sought to comfort one another.
Of course, it was all a fabrication from their mouths.
Every word a lie, a story they had spun themselves.
They felt no sadness at all, and these tears were a sham, forcibly squeezed out.
But this would do.
After all, the King was surely lying to them in the same way.
"Your Majesty... to care for us so deeply! Damn it, how worthless we are!"
Whether fooled by the young girls' fine performance or with vision clouded by emotion, the adults, led by Gia, wore expressions of profound feeling.
It was exactly what they'd aimed for, but seeing how easily the adults were deceived, Caria and Mearia felt a renewed surge of unease.
"What mercy! What boundless compassion! To think you grieve so for us! To go this far for our sake!"
The old sage, unaware of the truth, let loose a torrent of tears as his emotions erupted.
Having become citizens of Mynoghra, their dependency on the King was high, and thus the price paid was equally steep.
Conversely, the girls' eyes, watching these emotionally unstable adults, were strikingly cold.
Perhaps when there are only pathetic adults around, children have no choice but to grow up hard.
In any case, that wasn't the point.
Caria embraced her sister and thought.
(What comes next is a pure contest of information, of obfuscation and counter-obfuscation. What is truth and what is lie—no one will be able to tell...)
What methods had the enemy used to attack?
And why had the Demon Lord, even with her very heart pierced, risen again so calmly?
Why did the king depart alone for the Holy Kingdom?
What does the king know, and what does he intend to do?
Everything remains shrouded in profound darkness.
That darkness will likely never be dispelled until that moment when all is finally settled.
(Carey must be careful not to be deceived without realizing it)
Carey recalls the most important thing to remember in this situation, the thing one must not forget.
Yes...
(No one has ever said that the information given to us is all true, after all)
Truth and falsehood are intertwined, and they inevitably manipulate them. The only one who knows everything is the king of Mynoghra, Takuto Ira.
=Message===
Temporarily, the Erakino sisters, Witches of Regret, become the leaders of Mynoghra.
During this period, Takuto Ira will be absent from leadership.
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