In the evening, three days after the capture of Fortress LaPolca.
Me and my friends were in the Queen's chamber in Tiamo.
We hadn't had dinner yet, but I used to try to return to Tiamo every day as much as possible to discuss the day's activities and future plans.
(The Spirit King is still asleep with a glint in his eye. Is he in a cocoon-like to become a Spirit God? Will he hatch? Or will he transform?)
I looked at the Spirit King, glistening in the Queen's lap, but asleep showing his bell.
Ever since he said he was going to become a Spirit God, the Spirit King had been like that.
Then, turning my gaze back to the Queen, I gave my usual report on the location and number of the Demon King's army that we defeated that day.
"You've defeated quite an amount of magical beasts today."
"Yes. It took about three days, but now it looks like we can avoid being attacked from both the north and south. I'll tell you later about the location of the Demon King's army that we defeated today, so please collect the magic stones."
"Yes. I really appreciate it."
Marshal Sigur, the highest-ranking officer in the elven army, answered on behalf of the elves.
Me and my friends had been hunting the remnants of the Demon King's army in the lands south of the Fortress LaPolca.
The Demon King's army would attack Fortress LaPolca with a higher number of troops or at least similar to the number they used to capture Rosenheim's northernmost fortress.
The northernmost fortress, which had walls twice as tall as Fortress LaPolca needed 3 million troops to capture.
The elves were planning to fight a defensive battle at Fortress LaPolca, but if there were remnants of the Demon King's Army south of LaPolca, they are likely to be attacked from both sides.
We spent three days hunting for those remnants.
In addition, the remnants of the Demon King's army were moving in masses of 10,000 units.
We continued to hunt down the Demon King's army, ask the elves to collect the magic stones, and then find and defeat the next mass of the Demon King's army.
The elven Thieves were collecting not only magical stones, but also weapons and armor of the Demon King's army, as well as the remains of magical beasts themselves. The purpose of this was to prepare weapons for battle and to earn money.
As we discussed, I was getting more magic stones and all the materials were taken by Rosenheim.
"I'm not happy to share this, but it seems that the Demon King's army is speeding up its advance. We don't have much time before the Demon King's army arrives at Fortress LaPolca. Please hurry up and deploy your troops to the Fortress LaPolca. My friends too. I will cooperate."
"Oh, yeah, okay. Hmm? Friends?"
I was using E-rank Birds to capture the exact location of the Demon King's army that was advancing southward by land and ocean.
Since the elven side had been made aware of the Demon King's army's plan, they were checking to see if they could change their strategy. Their target was still Fortress LaPolca and Nest City, but they seemed to have sped up their progress considerably. It was originally faster than the march speed of the elven army, but it was getting even faster than that.
It seemed to me that the Demon King's army was competing in speed and numbers.
"Yes, I will be the only one to deal with the Maritime Demon Army this time. I think I will be fine on my own."
(Thanks to <Command>, I will be fine on my own.)
""What?""
Marshal Sigur and the Generals were surprised and looking at my friends and signaling with their eyes why they were not admonishing me for such reckless behavior.
Contrary to the Generals, my friends did not respond to my words.
After checking <Command>, I had already talked with my friends about the future operation.
300,000 elves and my friends were going to fight against the Demon King's army, which consisted of over 3 million troops.
And as for the 1 million-strong Demon King's army advancing through the ocean, I was going to fight them alone.
Since Nest City didn't have good defense, I had to completely destroy the 1 million-strong army otherwise we would lose.
"I hope to leave tomorrow morning."
"Okay, well, let me know if you need anything else."
Marshal Sigur was offering to help with food and whatever else he could.
"Thank you. The food in Rosenheim is delicious, as is everything else. Also, there's one thing I'd like to go over with you before we leave, if you don't mind."
(Well, it's complete speculation, but let's see.)
I had some things I really needed to check before leaving.
"No? Of course. Ask me anything you want."
"I have noticed two things in my time here in Rosenheim, fighting alongside the elves. Marshal Sigur."
"Hmm?"
Marshal Sigur was dubious about what was going on when he suddenly heard his name called.
"Sofiarone, Formar, General Lucidral, and Mr. Gatoruga, they all have the same characters in their names, don't they? The Spirit King's name is also Rosen." {TLN: In Japanese }
All of them, including the Spirit King, always had long syllables in their names.
I wondered if it was just a coincidence to Marshal Sigur.
"Yes, I suppose so. Well, that's the way we elves have always been named."
Why at this time, General Sigur thought, but he answered nonetheless. The Generals and my friends begin to buzz. I had not consulted about that with my friends beforehand.
"Thank you. I have a friend who is a dwarf and her name is Merle. Her father is called Nenek and his mother is called Kanana. So, each country has their own way of naming, right?"
(My father's name is Rodan, Kurena's is Gerda. So the names they give their children are somewhat similar to themselves.)
I had always thought that my name was somewhat similar to my father Rodan's.
"Um?"
'I don't know what you're talking about at all, but it's true that each country has their own way of naming', Marshal Sigur thought.
"May I ask one more thing?"
"Of course. But have you received the answer to your previous question?"
"Yes, I have. As for the other question, I think it's been about 60 years since we have been fighting the Demon King's army. I've heard that the northernmost fortress built for that purpose was very solid and wonderful."
"Mmm, that fortress guarded Rosenheim for decades."
"I understand that the northernmost fortress was built because the Demon King's army was coming from the north. However, I've heard that the Fortress LaPolca protecting the south of Fortenia was built long before the Demon King appeared. What were they building the fortress for and what were they fighting against back then?"
I heard that a Spirit Grand Mage had built that strong outer wall and a Spirit Grand Mage appeared about once every 1000 years.
I asked the question of "What" the elves had been fighting against before the Demon King's army?
Naturally, it could be considered a fortress for fighting magical beasts. However, there is something even more strange about it.
I had the feeling that there were quite a few cities and fortresses with strong outer walls here in Rosenheim.
""What?""
The Generals were puzzled by my question, which was so far removed from a military discussion about the Demon King's army.
"What do you want to say?"
"Exactly what I am saying, sir. I have studied countries outside the Central Continent at the Academy. I had heard that Rosenheim was a peaceful country that had not been invaded in the last 1000 years."
"Oh, um, I don't see the point."
The Queen couldn't resist saying.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for asking you such a roundabout question. But I wanted you to understand. It is indeed by the Royal Order of my country, the Latash Kingdom, that I lent you my strength. But before that, it is the country of my friend Sophie, and because you are a peace-loving country that I am lending you my help without reserve."
I began to talk about the reason why I was working together with the elves.
"Yes, Rosenheim does not like conflict."
The Queen replied to my words that I was right.
"The Commander-in-Chief of the Demon King's army that invaded Rosenheim this time seems to be named the Demon General Razel. Isn't it a name you've heard before? It seems to be a name with traits common to elves?"
"A name with elven features. That's..."
After hearing this much, everyone finally understood what I was trying to say.
"I was able to catch a glimpse of the Demon General Razel, who was dark and ugly with horns and fangs. However, he had long ears similar to those of an elf and spoke in a very calm tone. I was wondering if it might be possible for me to inquire about him."
I tried to get as much information as I could from the exchange between B-rank Spirit Ellie and the Demon General Razel. In the process, I felt that the Demon General was somewhat similar to an elf.
The room began to buzz even more.
I hadn't even told my friends about it.
"Maybe?"
"I'm wondering if his participation in the war was because of the previous conflicts between the elves. This world has not always been peaceful. Is there any reason why Roesnheim is being attacked by one of its own kind?"
(Even in the Central Continent, there was an Anti-Beastmen movement a thousand years ago, claiming that Beastmen were related to magical beasts. So the Beastmen were forced to move to the Southern Continent.)
At the Academy, I studied the history of the Central Continent.
History has never been all bright things.
"Allen, does that mean that the elves are fighting each other? Then what about the Demon King's army?"
"Cecile, I don't know about that. But you all seem to know something."
Cecile wondered, but in this place full of older elves, the Generals and Queens seemed to have noticed something.
"It may be a different story than Master Allen's, if you don't mind."
"Of course. Since it's all speculation on my part."
"First, there is something you must understand. We wished to co-exist with the Dark Elves."
With that, the Queen began to talk about the history of light and shadow that began thousands of years ago in Rosenheim.
