Chapter 42

――Once they passed through the forest, it was a wasteland.

After stopping by the capital of Raltestwood, Helian stood before the desolate land that separated the Great Tree Sea and the border city, momentarily overwhelmed by the vast landscape before his eyes.

To the east of the forest, as far as the eye could see, was a desolate land.

Several small hills, raised by tectonic movements, stood tall, and winding canyons stretched endlessly. Looking at the sheer cliffs, one could see layers of earth that had been formed over hundreds of years.

It was like the Grand Canyon.

He had gone on many expeditions to similar places in [Tactics Chronicle], but the scene before him was even more vast and desolate. Most of all, the sense of reality was different.

The feeling of the wind on his cheeks, the occasional dust hitting his skin, the relentless heat, and the hardness of the ground transmitted through his soles. It was a truly realistic experience, something that modern VR technology could not replicate, and it made him realize once again that this was undeniably real.

"There weren't even things like motion sickness in the game..."

Helian grumbled with a weary expression.

Most of the journey was spent in a carriage, but it was far from a comfortable trip. If it were an Alkymaira-made carriage, it might have been different, but to avoid standing out, they had bought a covered carriage in Raltestwood, which had no suspension and transmitted the ground's vibrations directly.

He thought he had a decent tolerance for motion sickness, but he was now painfully aware that it was only decent. Additionally, his buttocks were very sore. It was already the second day since they left Alkymaira, and it would take some time to get used to the shaking.

"Hmm, Great Master? ... No, that doesn't fit the setting of a novice merchant, so it's out. ... Master Helian? But that would overlap with how Reeve calls you... Hmm..."

Trying to distract himself, Helian looked forward and saw the figure of Ceres walking ahead. She seemed to be thinking about what to call the former King of Demons, now a novice merchant Helian.

They had already explained to everyone that they would pretend to be merchants to operate in human settlements. Since they couldn't be called "Your Majesty" or "King" abroad, they had asked for a different title, but Ceres was still struggling with it.

"Still thinking about it? Just decide already."

"Shut up, simpleton. What about you, have you decided?"

"Of course. I decided a long time ago."

"By the way, what do you call him?"

"Commander."

Ceres showed a face of exasperation.

"That's just removing the 'General' from the usual title. It's too lazy."

"Hey, even young merchants in Alkymaira call their seniors 'Commander.' What's wrong with it?"

"...You've always been efficient, even though you don't think much. That's what really annoys me."

With a frown, Ceres returned to her thoughts, occasionally letting out a troubled "Hmm."

"If you're going to think that hard, you might as well call him Commander too."

In response to Galdy's casual suggestion, Ceres gave a disdainful look.

"Hey, simpleton. Imagine me calling the King 'Hey, Commander' in a casual manner."

"......No way. Who is this guy? It's creepy. I can't even picture it."

"See? Got it. Be quiet and let me think of a suitable title for you."

Despite their conversation, which was ambiguously friendly or unfriendly, these two actually got along quite well. They had fought through many intense battles together since the First War of Chaos in the early stages of the game, and they were close comrades.

From their conversation, it seemed that even after materializing, they were still an odd couple. Helian smiled wryly.

Incidentally, the reason Ceres was included in this group was largely due to Galdy's presence.

Reeve, who had abilities that worked in tandem with the King, and Galdy, who was most proficient in the fully human form, were decided early on. For the last member, they had some trouble deciding between Camilla and Ceres. In the end, they chose Ceres based on the special mission in Raltestwood and her compatibility with the others.

"Master Helian, may I step out for a moment?"

"Hmm, what's up?"

Reeve, holding the reins of the carriage, was looking at Ceres and the others with a serious expression.

"The smart fool and the simple fool are too relaxed, so I'll give them a bit of a scolding."

"...Allow them to chat a bit. They can't always be on edge."

Reeve, as always, was serious, but Helian thought she was a bit too tense.

Perhaps she was still thinking about the failure of the previous guard mission, but that was almost an accident. There was no point in dwelling on it.

However, if he tried to comfort her, the serious Reeve would only worry more. He decided to change the subject instead.

"By the way, are you getting used to this body?"

"Yes, there are no particular problems. I was initially confused, but I'm getting used to the sensations."

Reeve turned back from the driver's seat, her usual calm face giving no hint of her feelings.

Normally, he could read her emotions from her tail and ears, but now those were gone. Reeve no longer had her fluffy silver tail or wolf ears.

"Fully human form... I never thought I'd use it like this."

"I agree."

――Fully human form.

That was the name of the form Reeve was currently taking.

In the game [Tactics Chronicle], all summoned monsters have the ability to change forms. Depending on the species, they can have two or three forms. The number of forms varies depending on whether their original form is a beast or a humanoid.

The first form:

The "Fully Demonic Form," the monster's original form.

For monsters like slimes, cockatrices, griffins, and dragons, which have forms that deviate from the humanoid, the "Fully Demonic Form" is their original form.

While they can fully utilize their combat abilities, this form tends to have poor endurance and can only equip unique weapons.

The second form:

The "Demonic Humanoid Form," a form that is a mix of monster and human.

For example, Nogard, the [Twilight Dragon], can take on a demonic humanoid form with dragon wings.

This form retains some characteristics of the original form, such as scales on the hands and feet, and is humanoid but different from humans. This is the "Demonic Humanoid Form."

Compared to the "Fully Demonic Form," this form has better endurance and can equip various human-standard weapons. Since the facilities in Alkymaira are standardized for human size, most monsters take this form for daily life.

For species like Reeve and Ceres, who are already humanoid in their original form, there is no "Fully Demonic Form," and the "Demonic Humanoid Form" is their original form.

Incidentally, Balan, who is a beast-type species with the "Fully Demonic Form," rarely takes this form because he is a [Sword Saint]. His combat style involves using weapons, and his proficiency in the "Demonic Humanoid Form" and weapon skills is very high, making this form stronger.

The third and final form:

The "Fully Human Form," a form that is entirely human.

However, this form is almost never used by subordinates except for Galdy. The main reason is that it has a fatal disadvantage: all stats are reduced by two ranks.

In fact, this was the first time Reeve had taken this form since her evolution into a [Moon Wolf]. The "Fully Human Form" is intended for subordinates whose demonic humanoid form is too large to use human-standard tools and facilities.

"We need to blend in with human society first. Ceres can hide her ears, but your large tail is a problem. It's uncomfortable, but please bear with it for now."

"Yes, I understand Master Helian's strategy. It's a reasonable precaution. Besides, the monsters in this area are not much of a threat. I can fight in this form without any issues, so please don't worry."

As Reeve said, the monsters in this area were weak.

Actually, the monsters they had encountered in this world were all weak.

The strongest enemy they had faced so far was the fairy dragon in Noblewood, but its threat level, according to Reeve's appraisal, was only B. It was not a significant threat to Alkymaira. The significant difference in strength, which allowed Nogard, with an SSS threat level (mythical), to easily defeat it, was understandable. They could have defeated it with regular forces without deploying a commander.

From the previous war, it was clear that Alkymaira's military power was far superior to the standards of this world.

(While it's good that there are no significant threats... we might inadvertently cause fatal negative impacts on the political situation of the countries.)

In Earth's history, there were empires that, due to their overwhelming power, were continuously intervened by major powers and eventually ended up fighting the world. Considering their fate, they must avoid becoming "enemies of the world." They should continue to keep the existence of Alkymaira as secret as possible.

"Master Helian?"

"Hmm, what is it?"

"How is your body feeling, Master Helian?"

"...I'll have to endure for a while."

He wasn't feeling well, but it wasn't to the point of nausea. The light motion sickness was ongoing, and he couldn't say he was in good condition. However, the people of this world endured this shaking, and he needed to experience their daily lives, so he had to endure.

"If you like, you can use my lap."

"...Huh? Your lap?"

"Yes. I'll let Galdy take the reins in the meantime."

Reeve's expression was serious as she turned back.

Using her lap meant a headrest, and to prove it, she placed her hand on her thigh.

...The healthy skin color was glaringly bright.

"...No, that's not necessary. I need to get used to this shaking eventually. I appreciate the offer, but I'll decline."

"Understood. Please forgive my presumptuous suggestion."

Reeve bowed her head in apology, her expression remaining serious.

Normally, he could read her emotions from her ears and tail, but...

(...I can't read her at all.)

With the fully human form, Reeve had become a completely expressionless character. He couldn't tell if his response was correct or not. He was worried if he had offended her by declining.

If he had upset her, he should follow up, but without confirmation, it felt like making excuses to talk more... No, he had to admit it. He simply lacked confidence in his communication skills.

(Not just negotiation skills... I need to improve my communication skills too.)

He needed to be able to gauge his subordinates' feelings.

It felt like the troubles of a middle manager, and the college student sighed.

---

"Hmm... A good title... Something that fits my personality..."

"Ah, it's annoying. At least think silently."

Galdy complained in a weary voice.

It was a common occurrence for her to get lost in thought, but it was annoying to hear her mutter endlessly.

"When thinking, it's better to say it out loud. It's a well-known fact. It's even written in a book by Torus published thirty years ago. Have you read it?"

"Books are useless in the field. Practical knowledge is learned through experience, not by reading, bookworm."

"You're insulting books!? That's a declaration of war, isn't it!?"

"I'm not that crazy to start a fight in the middle of an unexplored area. Besides, we've been hearing that bandits are more common lately. Just be quiet and keep watch—wait."

Galdy, who was walking ahead of the carriage, suddenly stopped and raised her hand.

The horses pulling the carriage skidded to a stop in front of her large hand.

"---Enemy?"

Ceres, who instantly became alert, asked briefly.

Her hood revealed her bamboo ears, which were busy picking up sounds.

"No, not an enemy. But I feel something off. Just a hunch, though."

"I don't feel anything. Which direction?"

"About one or two o'clock. I'll throw you, so take a look from above."

"Okay."

Galdy lowered her right hand, palm up, and Ceres stepped onto it. In the next moment, Galdy raised her hand, launching Ceres into the air like a bullet.

Normally, the wind pressure would be intense, but Ceres, enveloped in a spherical barrier, reached several dozen meters above the ground without her clothes or hair being disturbed. She then activated gravity reduction and far-sight magic, focusing on the one and a half o'clock direction.

"...What is that? A giant beast?"

A few kilometers ahead, in a depression, was a massive monster, over twenty meters tall, lying motionless on the wasteland. It seemed to be dead. Around it, numerous humanoid figures were scattered.

Ceres remained in the air, expanding her field of vision to observe the surroundings. She then noticed a small human figure on a plain beyond the valley, to the south of the depression, on the other side of the cliff.

"I'm not as good at detection spells as Camilla, but... Eagle Eye."

She cast a new detection spell to confirm the identity of the figure.

Recognizing that the figure was out of place in the wasteland, Ceres sensed trouble and frowned.

"Reeve, what's going on? Did you find something?"

"I found the corpse of a giant beast and numerous humanoid figures in a depression a few kilometers ahead. Further south, beyond the valley, I see a human figure."

"---A human figure?"

There was a brief pause in the response from the carriage.

Hesitating for a moment, Ceres reported what she saw.

"It seems... to be a human."

・The next chapter will be posted on [March 9th (Friday)].