30 Years Have Passed Since the Prologue

Anger was quickly subdued. Because the target of anger was wrong from the start.

His anger should be directed solely at one person. Until then, any kind of emotion should not be wasted meaninglessly.

“Thanks for the information.”

“What for?”

Ivan bowed his head to the man in front of him. Just giving this information alone meant that the fate of the Grand Duke had been decided.

The moment he revealed Alexander’s contact, he was as good as submitting to Elizaveta.

“I felt greedy too. Am I not a dwarf? ‘That’ dwarf. Just like the current 2nd Legion, wouldn’t I have been tempted by the dwarven military supplies back then?”

“…”

“The Crown Prince said so. He said he would hand over all the dwarven military facilities just by keeping the military rule and sitting tight. When he rules Krasilov, he will grant independence to the military rule.”

Military rule independence. That meant recognizing the colony as a fully independent country. If they also transferred the military facilities there, it wouldn’t be a big problem economically.

An independent country combining the productivity of the demon military colony, the technological capabilities of the dwarven military facilities, and the military power of the 1st Legion. It even had the potential to surpass Krassilov’s national body.

“Wouldn’t it be too sweet?”

“…”

“A sensible ruler would never offer such conditions in exchange for worship. Assuming he fulfills all those conditions, it’s one of the two.”

Either he’s a complete idiot or it’s a sweet trap.

Alexander is definitely not an idiot. If he were, it would have been impossible to continue the struggle with Elizaveta for a dozen years. Elizaveta was one of the most capable politicians in the country.

So if at the very least the Grand Prince didn’t think Alexander was an idiot, then this was a trap. The Grand Duke realized the moment he became aware of Alexander’s contact.

And he remained silent.

Prepare to set out when the dwarves actually step on Krasilov’s border. He quietly waited at the Ministry of Military Affairs.

Several months passed like that.

“But suddenly, isn’t the 2nd Legion cooperating with the dwarves? I naturally thought Alexander had also contacted the 2nd Legion. What’s this? The 2nd Legion swore allegiance to the princess.”

The Grand Duke chuckled and tapped the table lightly with his dry fingers.

“So I hurriedly investigated, yes. You returned. ‘Little’ Ivan. The crown prince’s brother-in law. When I loosened the reins a bit, weren’t the noble families of the royal family recently purged?”

“…”

“I immediately sent you a summons. Remember? It was right after those damn dwarves opened their gates. I clearly asked you to meet once, didn’t I?”

That’s right. I ignored it.

Ivan nodded quietly. The Grand Duke chuckled incredulously.

“I wonder what my state of mind was. If the Counterintelligence Command had even half the Cleanup Unit back then, they could have anticipated Alexander’s contact in advance, and then wouldn’t I be classified as part of the ‘crown prince faction’ in the central government?”

“That’s…”

“I couldn’t sleep at night.”

The area under the Grand Duke’s eyes was blurry.

“If it were the little Ivan I know, no matter how well the colonial military rule is prepared, it wouldn’t be difficult for them to come for my neck.”

“Please don’t misunderstand.”

“…Then why doesn’t he come? Why ignore my letters on such a subject? What does it mean for the 2nd Legion to stockpile military supplies? Are they aiming at the rear of our 1st Legion?”

The jurisdiction of the 2nd Legion is the Northern Front. To be precise, they are defending the area near the border, which was once the Northern Front.

And beyond that, across the mountains, there is the colonial military rule of the 1st Legion. Deep in the demon territories.

If the 2nd Legion were to block the border, the 1st Legion would be isolated in the demon territories. After the supplies are cut off, the 1st Legion would undoubtedly be torn apart by the demons.

“…Then just report directly to the Her Highness.”

“The key figures of the central government are naturally you, and if you don’t respond to my letters, what’s the point of sending any message to the princess? You’ll intercept it.”

“I don’t work like that.”

The Grand Duke ignored Ivan’s objection. He sighed deeply and scratched his head.

“Should we raise the military now and at least attempt defense? Or should we contact Alexander again? If Alexander’s attempt fails, what options do I have? I’m pondering that, and suddenly news comes from Tylesse.”

“Ah.”

“The princess led the 2nd Legion herself and conquered the civil war i. What could be the reason for specifically the 2nd Legion? It’s not the Capital Command, nor is it a reason to send the Northern Legion all the way to the western end.”

“The Capital Command lacks military strength…”

“To confirm loyalty and test military mobilization, wouldn’t it be? I heard they finished their mobilization within ten days after the order was issued. It seems the 2nd Legion has passed the princess’s test?”

So he threw his military force into it. Emphasizing that he faced no resistance even as he marched beyond the North, passing through the 2nd Legion’s stronghold.

“His forces could attack Frechenkaya in just a few days, even faster than the information relayed by the Counterintelligence Command, from the border to the capital’s edge.

This was his own survival strategy. Not to display military might, but to directly demonstrate his usefulness to the princess.

Simply relaying this through letters would have been easily blocked by the man in front of him. It had to be so noisy that it couldn’t be ignored.

“Sigh…”

Ivan exhaled deeply and buried himself in the sofa.

He wanted to apologize first. How much heartache had this old soldier endured? The winter in Krasilov is severe. That winter, he had even broken through from the harshest northern regions with cavalry, conserving sleep.

“I… will convey to the Her Highness appropriately.”

“That’s right.”

“You should be able to announce it soon. If we disarm the accompanying forces, we will allow entry into the capital.”

“Understood.”

“And… I’m sorry.”

Ivan was a reasonable person, so he didn’t abuse the old man. Unlike in pre-modern fantasy worlds, filial piety and morality were part of the elementary curriculum on Earth.

Because of the unconscious act of ignoring one letter, he couldn’t help but feel responsible for this situation where a man over seventy had to cross half the country hanging on to one horse in winter.

Even the man in front of him had helped him retire when he decided to retire…

At that time, even with Elizaveta’s power alone, there was not enough to completely remove him from the military and treat him as dead in society.

So perfect that even Alexander himself wouldn’t notice, so thorough that even the survivors of the annihilation unit wouldn’t know.

As Ivan politely bowed his head, the Grand Duke smiled bitterly and waved his hand.

“So what are we going to do now? Go to Kalion? It won’t be easy.”

“If we go through official diplomatic channels, it shouldn’t be difficult. The elves won’t recognize me.”

“Well, that’s true. Elves are too arrogant to remember a ‘human’ who died four years ago.”

The Grand Duke chuckled and nodded his head.

“Then I’ll stay here for a while. I should take a look at the trainees you’ve been raising.”

“They’re like orphans, Your Grace.”

“I have eyes too.”

***

“Absolutely not,” a resolute voice rang out in the silence.

“Impossible!” With a bang, a small hand pounded on the table, causing the glasses on top to rattle.

“I can’t allow it! Absolutely can’t!” Elizaveta was almost having a fit, her concern palpable. Ivan sighed; she had inherited the qualities of a military leader but worried excessively.

“What were you going to do there again? What if you get hurt when you come back? Is your leg healed? Can you move?” she fired off questions.

“Yes, Your Highness,” Ivan responded calmly.

“Your arm?”

“It’s fine.”

“Performance?”

“It’s about 30% recovered.”

“Look at this!” Elizaveta was one of the few who could communicate effectively with Ivan; he never lied to her when answering quantitatively.

So asking if he could move was actually meaningless. As long as his limbs were attached, he was a man who moved.

Therefore, if you ask, you should ask about the physical functions quantitatively. But it’s 30%. Considering Ivan’s superhuman recovery ability, it means that even after a month of proper treatment, he’s still not in perfect condition.

It was an injury severe enough that even the Saint’s healing would find complete recovery difficult. In fact, it was natural. When a person becomes such a wreck, mere four weeks of treatment cannot recover from the injury.

Moreover, that man even firmly refused medical treatment like healing potions. Foolishly. (Ivan never used healing potions on his allies, so he had no choice but to resist Elizaveta’s insistence.)

“It’s 30%. And the danger of the big-eared tribe in Kalion is ten times… no, a hundred times greater than the knights in Tylesse! Challenging a stronger military force with reduced power, what kind of military strategy is that?!”

“But, Your Highness. We cannot abandon Alexander. The consequences are endless.”

“Don’t you know why my brother slipped into Kalion?”

Elizaveta sighed deeply as she spoke.

“That traitor has already lost all his bases inland! The impulsive plan in Drovian, it failed. The Dwarven civil war? It failed! And even the rebellion in Tylesse failed! Who would willingly sponsor someone who has only seen failure in his attempts at overthrowing the country three times in a row?”

At this point, the support base should collapse entirely. The reason the elves helped him? That was obvious. Because they’re elves.

Elves fundamentally dislike peace. (It’s true.)

Because in peace, and in a stable situation, they cannot gain any benefits. As chaos intensifies, elven diplomacy becomes sharper.

Perhaps the reason they helped the United Kingdom was because they judged that otherwise, the Alliance would exterminate the demons too quickly.

Elizaveta was almost certain. They were the most unbelievable race in the world, so it wasn’t strange to want to use the repeated failures of Alexander as leverage.

Who knows. Maybe someday they’ll use Alexander to incite Tylesse again.

“So you must absolutely, absolutely, never leave this country. This isn’t a request, it’s an order!”

There was even a way to invade with a military force in Tylesse. But even that was a diplomatic absurdity that Ivan had committed, thinking he was dead.

Once would have been enough. Losing this man.

Kalion can only be accessed by sea route. And there is no naval power in Krasilov. Moreover, there are no flying mounts, so all sea routes are blocked in winter.

The only way she could contact Kalion was through the trade route via Tylesse. Since it was impossible to lead military forces through that route, Kalion was truly another world.

It was a task that could never be tolerated.

“I understand your command.”

Ivan nodded quietly.

Elizaveta tried to comfort him with various words, her expression softened, but Ivan just nodded silently without continuing the conversation.

He was a trained agent, so he didn’t repeat his failures twice.

Once would have been enough. Missing the enemy right in front of you, and watching longtime friends dying.

He was a reasonable person, so he didn’t try to persuade the stubborn young woman in her late twenties.

That was impossible even in his Earth days. Since he had never succeeded in love even once in his Earth days, he didn’t know how to persuade women.

Moreover, the extermination unit does not persuade.

As he once recalled. Only to prove.

*

“I should prepare smuggling ships heading to Kalion.”

“And that’s my specialty again!”

Elpheira finally laughed brightly.

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