I returned to the inn and checked the dining hall where I had spoken with the General earlier. My companions were no longer there, so I returned to my room.

“Oh, you’re finally back.”

Kuuza greeted me. Sylvie and Sofia were also in the back of the room.

“It feels like you’ve been waiting.”

As I closed the door and mentioned this, Sylvie began to speak.

“From the looks of it, are you going to tell us various things?”

“…In any case, everything will be after this battle.”

At my words, Sylvie shrugged.

“Well, I thought you’d say that. As for me, I assume you intend to talk eventually, so I’ll be satisfied with that for now.”

She said it casually and left the room. I looked at Kuuza and Sofia who remained, and Kuuza nodded slightly, as if agreeing with Sylvie.

As for Sofia… she mentioned something else, not about me.

“…Lefin and others often left my side; does that have something to do with Lord Ruon?”

I wondered what to do… but I also thought it would be wrong to lie, so I said,

“It’s true there was a connection, but I don’t think that’s the whole story.”

“Understood. For now, that’s all I need to hear.”

“…Aren’t you angry?”

When I casually asked the question, Sofia smiled faintly.

“You saved my life and even trained me this far. There’s no reason for me to be angry.”

“I see.”

I muttered “sorry” in my heart and then mentioned the General.

“Oh, and also, the General saw through Sofia.”

“…Given such keen insight, it’s only natural that he would notice me. What did he say he would do?”

“He said he’d keep it a secret until the battle is over.”

“Understood. We’ll think about what to do after the battle once things have settled down.”

Having made her conclusion, Sofia left the room, just like Sylvie.

In the end, it seems all my companions are prepared to wait for me. That must be a conclusion they reached after discussing it among the three of them.

I shifted my gaze to Kuuza, who remained.

“…Regarding the battle, I think we’ll have to follow the General’s instructions.”

“Right. So, what about us?”

“He said he wouldn’t treat us badly. It seems he has to decide what to do with us based on the Demon Race’s level of invasion, so he avoided making a clear statement.”

“That’s natural, given that we don’t know what the situation will be.”

Kuuza also voiced her understanding. A slight hint of dissatisfaction could be seen on her face, but—

Ruon, can I ask you something?

Sure.

I don’t think you would deceive us, Ruon, but is there a deep reason why you won’t tell us everything?

…Honestly, it’s hard to explain. But there’s one thing I can say right now:

Yes.

It’s not just my problem.

After saying that, I wondered if I had given away too much, but Kuuza just replied,

Well, for now, let’s focus on the battle at hand.

Yeah.

Let’s do our best.

Kuuza’s voice was filled with determination. I nodded in response and decided to rest slowly, preparing for the battle.

A few days later, the presence of the Demon Race finally became clear to the Kingdom’s Side.

In addition, reports came in stating that the monster army was approaching the Capital City. There were enemy sightings to the north, east, and west, and I was summoned by the General.

Well then, I’m off.

I told Sofia and the others and left the inn. The designated location was none other than the Royal Palace.

Perhaps considering Sofia, I was the only one going. However, after discussing it with my companions, we ended up with some concerns.

We are outsiders, after all. Since it’s the General’s proposal, I don’t think we’ll be forced into anything unreasonable, but it’s not good to be in a situation where we have no right to refuse.

Sylvie stated that. Kuuza agreed, and they concluded that a counter-strategy was necessary.

So, I had a companion, and that companion was—

I think this decision is correct.

I agree.

It was Lefin. She flew around me as we talked.

So, Lord Ruon, what should I do?

I haven’t told the General about Lefin’s existence, but I’m sure he’ll understand the situation quickly. For appearances, we’ll say that Lefin herself wanted to greet him.

Understood.

By the way, Lefin, have you ever met King Kanan?

No, I haven’t.

Have you ever sneaked into the Castle?

Twice.

You have, huh? I mentally retorted but decided not to mention it further.

When I arrived at the Castle, Bosuro was waiting at the gate. After greeting him and introducing Lefin, he chuckled.

I see, you brought her along as a deterrent.

He saw right through it. But the General’s words continued.

Unfortunately, such actions were in vain… I’ll be guiding you to my room this time.

Your private room? That’s even more surprising.

Bosuro smiled. Then we entered.

The Castle interior was bustling with activity; I could hear sounds like footsteps. Listening to them, we walked for a while. We reached a room and were shown inside.

It was an extremely simple room, with large furniture only consisting of a bed. There was so little in it that I thought it might be a guest room, but the stacks of documents on the table somehow made it clear that it was a room in use.

Well, we’re already in a state of battle, and the Castle interior is also active. Considering the monster army’s advance speed, the battle will likely begin within a few days.

How will the Kingdom’s Side respond?

We will meet them. The monsters are attacking from three directions: north, east, and west. In response, we will fortify the Capital City’s Castle Gates, defending all four sides.

In the game, there were no enemies at the South Gate… but that was merely a game-like presentation; in reality, it’s better to assume there were a fair number of monsters and troops. Even if there were no enemies, we couldn’t afford to relax our guard on the gate.

“According to the reconnaissance unit’s confirmation, the main force of the monsters are kobolds. They are armed, but their abilities are low-class, and we expect that our regular soldiers will be able to handle them somehow. Also, it seems the enemy’s main force is on the north side.”

“Then, General, that’s where?”

Bosuro nodded at the question.

“Yes, the largest number of forces are pushing in from the north. Depending on how the enemy moves, we will first need to deal with that.”

“What about the east and west?”

“The knights will be in charge of each of those.”

“…May I ask the names of those commanders?”

When I asked, Bosuro spoke the names of Atire and Shelk… Although various things had happened, it seemed certain that the Alastin Kingdom’s side would defend according to the game for now.

Here, I consider this battle to be a clash between armies. Although there is the tragedy of knights dying in the game, the difficulty of clearing it itself is low. However, in this situation where the nation faces ruin, there is a question of whether it will go as easily as in the game.

This will also apply to future battles… especially the Southern Invasion. Considering Richard’s testimony, the Demon Race’s Southern Invasion should be considered a difficult point. It is necessary to thoroughly understand what this battle is like and what these clashes between armies entail.

“I understand the situation. Now, regarding us…”

“Yes, that’s it. This time, I want to consult with you about that.”

“Consultation?”

In response to my question, Bosuro nodded with a difficult expression.