Chapter 90

Having concluded the pact with the elves, I returned to my territory, Ivalice, with my subordinates.

Including the demon army led by the dragonman Shigan and the elven warriors, it would take about ten days.

If I were alone, I could use magic to return more quickly, but there was no particular need to rush the journey. We had shared hardships together, and I wanted to march back with them and commend their efforts. As I thought this, Lilius rode up beside me and spoke.

"But, Sir Ike, is it really alright to leave Ivalice to Jiron alone right now?"

My response, "That's a concern," was half-joking, but I answered:

"There shouldn't be any major issues. If Rosaria's army were to attack, we would receive an urgent report, and there shouldn't be any problems with governance."

"But he might be embezzling public funds, taking advantage of your absence. I heard he was happy about having another child recently."

"Is that so? How many children does he have now? Was it 12?"

"16. Orc women can give birth to 3 to 4 at a time."

"That's quite a lot."

I prefaced my defense of Jiron:

"He may not be the most capable man, but he is trustworthy. I can leave the administration in his hands. While I don't expect much in terms of administrative skills, he's not the type to embezzle public funds."

Lilius laughed, half-joking, "I hope so."

"But, I'm sure when we return to Ivalice, there will be a mountain of paperwork waiting for us."

The thought of it made me sigh. Jiron must have left a pile of unresolved cases on my desk.

Handling disputes among the residents, petitions from farmers, merchants, and craftsmen, even mediations for divorces—there's a mountain of work for a lord.

Thinking about it, I longed for the leisurely life in the elven village. Picking mushrooms during the day, tilling the fields, and playing wind instruments under the moonlight at night.

A life of farming in good weather and reading in the rain, a slow life, indeed.

Such a life is hard to come by in Ivalice. However, there is a girl who is tired of such a life. Aneone, an elf who recently joined my 8th Legion, often asks:

"What kind of city is Ivalice?"

"Is there a circus? Is there a library? Is it true that the streets are paved with cobblestones? Is there a fountain in the square?"

"Are there many shops on the main street? Do my clothes look too country? What kind of clothes are popular among humans?"

"Elves can only eat vegetables. Can we get fresh vegetables? I love tomatoes. Are they available?"

I would nod and say, "It's just as you imagine," but it became too much, so I passed her to Lilius for conversation.

Lilius initially looked reluctant, but after a while, their conversation seemed to flow.

Women do have a lot to talk about. They even started discussing the colors of popular dresses and even undergarments among human women. I ignored them and continued riding.

As I moved away from them, Sati, who was riding behind me, spoke up.

"Aneone seems very interested in the city of Ivalice."

"Yes, I can understand her feelings. The desire to see the city is the same in both my past life and this world. I can understand the excitement of an elf who has never left the forest."

"I, on the other hand, envy the life of the elves in the forest. If this world becomes peaceful, I would like to build a mansion in a tranquil place and live quietly."

"That sounds nice. I would like to read books in a garden where sunlight filters through the trees and listen to the chirping of birds."

"But, shopping in the city would be inconvenient. Well, if we prepare a portal, we can go to the city whenever we want—though, that wouldn't be a slow life, would it? It would be no different from city life."

I chuckled, and Sati laughed, "That's true."

"But, will such a day come?"

Sati asked, looking serious.

"It will. No, I will make it come."

I said firmly and increased the speed of my horse. To create a peaceful world, mere prayers are not enough. Action is necessary. First, I need to tackle the immediate tasks. Peace will not come unless these are resolved. One of these tasks is, of course, the management of Ivalice.

To run the city smoothly, enrich the territory, provide abundant food and weapons to the Demon King's army, engage in trade, and accumulate wealth to prepare for the coming war.

This is my current goal.

"The coming war?"

Sati asked.

"Yes, I think it's about to start."

"Will Ivalice become a battlefield again?"

"No," I shook my head.

"We repelled the White Rose Knights who attacked Ivalice, defeated the Red Dragon Knights who besieged Aresta, and recently broke the Twin Vulture Knights, the main force of Rosaria. The Demon King's army is also on the offensive in other fronts."

"What do you mean?"

Sati looked puzzled.

"In other words, it's time for our Demon King's army to begin the assault on the capital of Rosaria, Liasus."

I boldly announced this and turned my gaze toward the direction of Liasus.

It was just the time when the sun was setting on the horizon. The horizon was burning red. When we capture Liasus, will the capital burn red like the horizon? Ideally, I would like to occupy it without harming the residents of Liasus—

But that might be too much to hope for. The decisive battle in Liasus is expected to be fierce.

If possible, I would like to resolve it with the least casualties on both sides and celebrate with Lord Demon King and Sefiro in the capital of Liasus.

"But, that's for later. For now, I need to return to Ivalice and focus on internal affairs."

I muttered this and spurred my horse toward the beautiful territory of Ivalice.