Chapter 73

After bidding farewell to Lilies and the others, who had been promoted from squad leaders to battalion commanders, I returned to my office.

As soon as I sat down, without a word, the drink I desired appeared. As expected of Sati; her attentiveness always soothes my heart after a hectic day on the battlefield.

The aroma of the coffee she prepared filled the room. This coffee was a gift from Etria, the leader of the Trade Union, when I visited Zenobia the other day.

I may not be an expert on the quality of coffee beans, but I am a coffee lover, and the scent always calms my mind.

Moreover, the high caffeine content in the coffee is much appreciated. Since my promotion to legion commander, my schedule has become even busier. Important documents from Ivreus and the cities under my control keep arriving one after another. Reviewing and approving these documents is one of my crucial tasks.

After going through them, Sati bowed respectfully.

"Master, congratulations on your promotion."

When she looked up, she was smiling warmly, as if it were her own good fortune. Indeed, it probably is. This is the third time I've heard these words today.

"Are you really that happy about my promotion?"

"Yes," Sati nodded.

"Even if I become busier and have less time to spend with you?"

"That's fine," Sati asserted, but then her expression changed.

"Actually, I'll be a little lonely, but I'm still happier overall."

She added, "If you work hard as a legion commander, a peaceful era will come sooner. Then you'll be able to stay in the office more often."

"True. If the war ends, I might become a lord in some region and live a leisurely life."

The war between the Demon King's army and the Alliance of Kings is still ongoing. The situation is roughly at a stalemate.

The end of the war is still far off, but perhaps there will come a day when I can spend my time drinking coffee or tea that Sati prepares for me.

It might be boring, but the thought of not having to return to the bloody battlefield is a relief.

"Still, a peaceful world means a life of boredom, doesn't it?"

I am currently busy as a legion commander, but I can't imagine myself doing nothing and just idling away. I don't like being overwhelmed by work, but I also don't like having nothing to do. Moderation is key in everything.

Thinking about this, I decided I should start a hobby. However, this is a medieval-like world, and options are limited. I could read or write books, or watch plays, or invite acrobats.

In my past life, Vlad Tepes, the model for Dracula, was said to have been obsessed with knitting in his later years, and Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette's husband, had a hobby of lock-making.

Such hobbies could be interesting. As I was thinking this, a person skilled in lock-making arrived at my mansion.

Sati reported modestly, "Lord Gunther is here."

"Lord Gunther? That's unusual."

The dwarf king is reserved and doesn't visit without a reason, unlike Jiron or Lilies.

"Perhaps something has happened, or he's just bored," I mused. "Does he look serious?"

"I'm not sure, but he does have a serious expression. Should I let him in?"

"Of course, that's fine."

I respected the dwarf king Gunther and had no reason to deny him entry.

Sati used the "Unlock" charm on the door, and the magic-powered door, created by Sefiro, opened with a click.

The dwarf king entered, bowed, and approached me, asking if he could sit down. Of course, it was fine, but his need for permission reflected his character. Gunther, the king of a fallen nation, was on par with the Demon King in status, yet he didn't act superior or demand respect. He insisted on being treated as my subordinate.

I had hinted a few times that he should act more like an ally, but he always replied, "I am just a vassal of Lord Ike. Treat me as a subordinate."

While I considered him an ally, Gunther insisted that "an organization must have a clear hierarchy to function."

Dwarves are indeed stubborn. No amount of persuasion could change his mind, so I had to respect his wishes.

"Please sit down, Lord Gunther."

He sat on the sofa opposite me and placed a small barrel on the table.

"Congratulations on your promotion to legion commander. This is a gift to celebrate."

It was a secret dwarven brew called "Dragon's Breath," nearly 100% alcohol. It's a tradition to serve this at celebratory occasions. I thanked him and asked Sati to prepare a glass, along with water and lemon juice.

I'm not a big drinker, and I was confident that a sip of such a potent distillate would knock me out.

I waited for Sati to bring the glass, then used magic to create ice, adding water and lemon juice. If I had carbonated water, it would be a lemon soda, but that was too much to ask.

I took a sip. The alcohol content was around 20%, but it was still quite strong.

On the other hand, the dwarf king was drinking directly from the barrel. Dwarves are known for their tolerance, and this king was exceptional. His face didn't even turn red.

Sati watched in amazement, but I waited for him to finish before speaking.

"Lord Gunther, you must have a reason for coming here, right?"

As mentioned, the dwarf king doesn't visit without a reason. I suspected he had some business to discuss.

"..."

It seemed my suspicion was correct. Gunther slowly nodded and took out a letter from his pocket. It was high-quality paper with a wax seal, indicating it was from someone of high status.

"What is that letter?"

"It's from my old rival."

"Old rival?"

"Perhaps 'rival' is too strong a word. We've disliked each other for a long time. We've never fought, but we both openly avoid each other."

"Ah, people have their likes and dislikes."

"Indeed. According to legend, dwarves were born from the beard of the mineral god Gustav, while they were born from the tears of the forest goddess Sharis. The two gods didn't get along, so it's not surprising that their children don't either."

"I see. So, this letter is from the elven king, then?"

"Yes."

Dwarves and elves don't get along in many stories, and it seems the same is true in this world. Dwarves are bold and stubborn, while elves are haughty and capricious, and don't drink alcohol. They are a difficult match.

I was curious about the content of the letter.

"May I ask what it says?"

Gunther nodded and explained the content briefly.

"In short, the elven king, or rather, the elven queen, is in a difficult situation."

"In a difficult situation?"

"Yes. It seems the humans, or rather, the Alliance of Kings, have issued an ultimatum."

"An ultimatum?"

"Yes. They are giving her two choices: join our side or be destroyed by the Alliance of Kings."

"I see."

"It's a typical move, but it's also your responsibility, Lord Ike."

"My responsibility?"

I was surprised by his unexpected words.

"You've pushed the Alliance of Kings too far. They are panicking, thinking they might lose."

"That's a likely scenario."

The Alliance of Kings still has a strong military, but the tide of the war is slowly turning in favor of the Demon King's army. Their panic is understandable.

"Also, they are threatened by the dwarves joining the demon race. Although the dwarf kingdom has fallen, dwarves are scattered throughout the land. If they all rebel or join the Demon King's army, it would be a significant threat."

"Especially the latter. Dwarves excel in technical skills."

"Indeed. The Demon King's army's past defeats were partly due to a lack of technical expertise."

Gunther pointed out a fact. The dwarves' support has been a significant asset to the Demon King's army. The humans might be terrified of other subhumans joining the Demon King's army as well.

"Elves lack technical skills but are powerful in spirit magic and are excellent archers. If they join the Demon King's army, it would cause panic. Elves are generally uninterested in the outside world, but the humans are driving them to act."

"When people are cornered, they can't make rational decisions."

Using force to intimidate an opponent might seem effective, but it's also foolish. The humans destroyed the dwarf kingdom with force but didn't gain their support. They seem to be making the same mistake again.

The leaders of the Alliance of Kings must be incompetent. There are capable men like General E-Ludre, but their overall leadership is poor. Attacking the elven kingdom is a terrible strategy. I decided to help and thanked Gunther.

"Thank you, Lord Gunther. This is valuable information."

"Hmph, I just relayed the content of the letter."

With that, Gunther stood up. He never explicitly asked for help, but his intentions were clear. His demeanor, typical of a dwarf, was stubborn and straightforward, but it was a form of tsundere. I decided to meet his expectations and began planning a strategy.