* * *
“Is it done?”
“Roughly.”
It didn’t take long to change the injury of Orea, the queen of the ant people, to the recovery stage.
Removing the curse and magic power was rather easy.
The more difficult part was changing Orea’s attitude of not wanting to receive treatment.
Of course, I didn’t struggle with that; her sister Etna persuaded her.
‘Still, it’s quite an excellent curse. It would have been difficult for ordinary curse casters or sorcerers to touch it.’
Considering that a curse caster existing among wild monsters cast it, even if that caster was the leader of the monsters, the level was quite high, but…
‘Even at this level, if she had just shown it to Echidna, she could have found a way to recover sufficiently.’
Although she might not have been able to directly remove the curse, she could have made a medicine to alleviate it.
If the symptoms could be alleviated first, even without showing it to a magician, a way to neutralize the injury could have been found.
However…
‘Given this woman’s personality, she wouldn’t have been able to do that.’
Within her common sense, it was naturally unthinkable for her, the queen, to leave this area during wartime, and asking other queens to come and support would have gone against the ‘agreement’.
‘Does she think of war as some kind of life-or-death confrontation?’
My direct visit was fortunate for her.
Even Echidna, who isn’t a curse caster, could treat it, so there’s no way I couldn’t clear it.
『Characteristics – … Specialization: Fire Magic, Advanced Specialization: Curse, …』
For me, curses are the third most proficient type of magic after necromancy and shadow magic.
I’m learning it myself, and I’m also teaching Sonia separately, so I’ve delved into it one step deeper than other magic.
If I couldn’t handle this much, I’d be disappointed in myself.
“Kyaak-!!”
Crack!
After completely resolving the ‘residue’ that leapt at me, the caster, as a result of finally removing the curse.
Orea’s face, now comfortable, could be seen.
We had moved to a bed for her treatment, and she lay there with her outer carapace, which acted as armor, removed, giving a much more delicate impression than before.
Now she looks more like a queen.
“If your regenerative power is as you say, you’ll recover within two days.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty! That’s great! Sister!”
“…Thank you, Libertas.”
“I’m glad if you understand.”
Etna greatly rejoicing, and Orea calmly expressing gratitude.
Especially Orea, despite being a patient, forcibly got up from her bed, drew her sword and offered it with both hands, performing a courtesy that seemed like something from a martial arts novel.
“Having received your grace, we will surely repay it, staking our honor.”
“I won’t refuse.”
“Please.”
No matter how you look at it, it’s better to just accept in order to make her lie down quickly.
Although I answered without any particular hesitation while receiving the sword, she bowed deeply once more to express her gratitude before lying back down.
“Mmm…”
“Don’t overdo it, sister.”
Orea lying down with Etna’s support.
Seeing her break out in a cold sweat from just that brief movement, it seems she wasn’t trying to deceive me about her injury while not feeling pain, at least.
However, the thought that came to mind while watching her in such pain wasn’t beneficial to her.
‘There were no traces of other monsters in the nest either. Even in a situation where they’ve been rebelled against. If it were other queens in this area, they would have subjugated other monsters and used them as meat shields.’
There were plenty of other monsters in this area besides the ants and their enemies.
I heard that the ants becoming the representatives of this area was quite an old event.
However, there were only ants in the ants’ nest.
In other words, there was no noticeable presence or sign of other collaborators.
That’s why I doubt their qualifications.
‘No matter how you look at it, she’s disqualified as a leader.’
Although it’s a subjective view, these women don’t seem to have the capacity to protect this area.
A blockheaded queen, and a sister who seems to think more flexibly but can’t stop that queen.
If I leave this area to them, only two futures come to mind.
Either they become ‘fertilizer producers’ and ‘something’ bred by humans to maintain this area, or they get conquered by others like the monsters attacking now and become slaves again.
‘Either way is miserable.’
I don’t see any vision from them to prevent such situations.
Only a vague will to respond to approaching situations is visible.
Then.
‘Before that happens, I’ll have to choose one of the two.’
Putting either them or this land under my influence.
I thought that might be better for them too.
As I thought when coming here, it seems I should talk to their enemies as well.
* * *
“Well then. I’ll see you at the conference hall next time.”
“We’ll end this war as quickly as possible, as much as you’ve helped us.”
“I wish you success.”
After parting with the Myrmikian sisters, we immediately got in the carriage and moved south again.
For about a day.
“Now… there are no watching eyes.”
The decision was swift.
I’ve come to trust Xue’s senses even more after this incident.
“Alright. Let’s go. ‘Black Curtain’.”
Just before turning the head of the carriage, I wrapped the entire thing in shadows.
This was a barrier magic that absorbed all sounds and presences within the barrier, and it was a simple technique that only required caution when releasing it, as all the presences held back until then would be released.
Swoosh!
With a sound like a snake hissing, the darkened head of the carriage turns east.
The destination is the battlefield again.
Probably the border where the Myrmikians and their enemies are clashing.
I intended to grasp what kind of force the enemies were from there.
“Your Majesty. May I ask you one question?”
“Go ahead, Serha.”
While running for a while, Serha’s voice was heard.
She was looking up at me with a very cautious look.
Meeting her eyes briefly, I felt I knew what she was worried about, even though she hadn’t spoken her intention yet.
Probably…
“May I ask what Your Majesty wants?”
“Haven’t you seen already? I’m trying to maintain a friendship with the one who will become the ruler of this forest.”
“You’re not thinking of destroying both of them?”
She must be worried that I might clear out all the monsters living in this forest.
As if proving that assumption, the look in Serha’s eyes as she spoke to me revealed a firm determination to hear the answer.
“I don’t understand why you think I would eliminate them. Didn’t you see that I’ve already shown favor to the two women, Orea and Etna?”
“Your Majesty… is someone who knows well the benefits that can be gained from ‘pretending to be friendly’.”
“Hmm. Tell me more.”
Swoosh…
While looking around the coniferous forest still full of white darkness, I listened to Serha’s answer.
“There’s a lot for Your Majesty to gain here.”
“Oh?”
A forest where it’s difficult to properly observe the interior from the outside, and hard to distinguish directions once you enter.
Except for cutting down a few trees on the outside as humans are currently doing, if I maintain it while secretly disposing of adventurous or courageous humans entering this forest using my soldiers.
I can use this place like a second dungeon while simultaneously using all the existing iron wood as materials.
Probably until I arm my entire army.
This way, I can secure useful items that can be used for trade with humans or the demon realm, or for arming forces.
“However, the monsters of the forest are in the way in this case.”
“I suppose so. Their existence is all known.”
The leaders here don’t have time to hide themselves because they’re waging war.
And as the presence of the monsters in this forest grows, the possibility of trouble for me, who has a base nearby, also increases.
For now, it’s better for me if the war ends.
“To stop the war…”
“Cutting off two heads, or one of them, is the fastest. Is that what you thought?”
“Yes.”
And the easiest way to end that war was assassination.
Serha said this much, then assumed the benefits that could be gained after that.
“And there are benefits that can be gained by disposing of the leaders like that.”
“Benefits, you say?”
“Soldiers.”
Unlike the forces of other leaders, there are many soldiers dying here, and many soldiers that can be produced by both sides.
They are resources that can become my soldiers whether alive or dead, and can also be used as workers here.
So she must have thought that I could kill the two leaders to obtain those two things.
“…Serha.”
Meeting eyes again, her eyes now showed a hint of anxiety.
She saw that I was trying to meet the leaders of both sides, but since I didn’t tell her my true intentions, she seems to have become thoughtful.
However, this question wasn’t necessarily asked to preserve the lives of those leaders.
The proof is that I see sharpness shining at the ends of Serha’s anxious eyes.
In the end, I couldn’t help but smile.
“I’m truly satisfied that you, the heir of the alliance, are so brilliant.”
“Then, really…?”
“But that’s just one of the options.”
This small child got all the benefits I want to gain from this forest right.
She was just thinking about the process ‘too hastily’.
“When you say options…?”
“It means I haven’t decided how to handle this place yet.”
“Phew…”
A shallow sigh spreading after losing expectation.
The relief of one who is reassured about the safety of some of the monsters here, with whom she has a friendship.
On the other hand, it was a sigh containing the anxiety of a strategist who couldn’t get a definite answer from the allied monarch about the benefits her forces could gain.
‘It might be okay to reassure her here.’
My relationship with her is still just an alliance relationship for now.
While receiving help from that alliance, it could be rude not to say anything.
I still don’t like her trying to measure me carelessly, but her brilliance is useful.
There’s no need to crush her potential.
“However, Serha.”
“Yes…?”
“I always remember Kamaya and you, who became my first allies. So don’t worry.”
“Ah, yes! Hic!”
Immediately realizing that her thoughts had been seen through, Serha’s voice cracked, and she covered her mouth with her winged hands, blushing with embarrassment.
A considerable amount of worry had already been removed from her face.
What remains must be concern for the acquaintances fighting in this area.
‘I just haven’t decided who to kill yet.’
Whether it’s the two ant queens, or the king of the enemy the ants are facing.
I haven’t met them all yet, so the full-scale calculation of profit and loss hasn’t even begun.
“It’s the presence of blood, Lady…”
“I see. Let’s walk.”
Now it was time to decide that.
“Kyaaak!!”
“Kirruru…!”
Before me, the battlefield was visible again.
A battlefield of ants and ‘spiders’.