A mont later.
The special forces agents were neatly seated on the floor of the room.
They ate their late-night al with a precise, rigid movent.
They used a knife-like action to pick up their food with a fork, opened their mouths like robots, popped a bite in, chewed precisely ten tis, and swallowed.
All five of them, as if performing synchronized swimming, repeated the sa actions simultaneously.
...
Watching this spectacle was making feel nauseous, even though I hadnt even touched my late-night al.
"Hey, um, that..."
I finally couldnt stand it anymore and spoke.
"Just stop being so stiff, eat comfortably..."
"What do you an, Your Highness?"
Godhand, who had been sitting on his knees, laid down his fork with a perfectly perpendicular movent and smiled chanically.
"Were perfectly comfortable right now."
"No, Im telling you, Im not comfortable! If youre all being so rigid, it makes uncomfortable!"
Cant you at least move in a more organic way? Stop with the right-angle eating, its making my joints freeze just watching you!
***
Finally, the late-night al ti was over.
The five special forces agents, with clean mouths, were sitting neatly in front of .
"We will treasure the grace, similar to a heavenly command, bestowed upon us by Your Highness in the depths of our hearts."
As Godhand bowed his waist in gratitude, the other four followed suit. I touched my aching forehead.
"No, its not so heavenly command or anything, its just a late-night al."
"You, Your Highness, have personally bestowed kindness upon us who were starving, if thats not a grace like a heavenly command, then what is?"
"Just stop it, please..."
Originally, I planned to make them relax by feeding them and then ask them so questions, but seeing their defensive attitudes, getting an honest answer seed unlikely.
It wouldnt be that easy for them to open up anyway.
So, instead of asking what I had originally intended, I decided to start with a less direct question.
"When did the five of you beco a team?"
It was an intended question to break the ice by asking about their stories, as they seed relatively close to each other.
However.
"Our Team 8 was only ford one and a half years ago. But, as we were all being trained as special forces candidates, weve known each other since childhood."
A sowhat heavy answer ca back.
I asked nervously.
"Special forces candidates? Being trained?"
"We, the elves, who lost our country and land, have only us as remaining resources. We are selling human resources in various ways."
"..."
"Children with combat aptitude are trained from an early age as prospective special forces. They are even deployed in minor combat. Then, according to the strategies set by the higher-ups, those with suitable skills are combined to form a team."
Godhand lowered his eyes and answered slowly.
"For this one operation, we were trained as a team and deployed..."
"...Regardless of the success or failure, you are discarded?"
"Yes."
I clenched my mouth shut.
From the perspective of a human and the empire, this approach is highly efficient.
No matter how dangerous the operation, they dont risk the precious lives of humans.
The risk is low. If they succeed, thats great, if they fail, they can just discard us.
Its the deeds committed by the other race, the elves, who once were the enemies of humans. There are likely various reasons to discard them.
Politically, pragmatically, the risk is virtually nil, and the gains are easy. How efficient is this?
However.
However...
How cruel is this?
The concept of using the lives of other races, unabashedly as bullets. How...
"Whos the supre commander of the Aegis Special Forces?"
I asked cautiously.
"Who?"
I wanted to know who made this cruel decision.
Godhand hesitated for a mont but eventually nodded.
"Why would I hesitate to tell you now? You probably already know. You must just want to confirm it."
No, I really didnt know...
"The supre commander of the Aegis Special Forces has always been the royal familys dostic policy head. Currently-"
Godhands eyes were briefly filled with terror as he spit out the na.
"The second prince, His Highness Fernandez."
"..."
Fernandez Ember Keeper Everblack.
The one who sent them to , my brother.
Upon hearing Fernandezs na, the faces of the other special forces mbers showed signs of disturbance.
I caught all of it.
The special forces mbers who felt no fear in sacrificing their own lives.
Even they felt terror.
Just what kind of person is he...
Anyway, the atmosphere beca too heavy, so I changed the subject.
"Hows the room? Can you live in it?"
The faces of the Special Forces mbers instantly brightened.
So were fidgeting with their hands, glancing at the cushions and pillows rolling around behind them.
They seed impatient to touch them right away.
"Your Highness. Weve been confined in a prison for death-row inmates for the past few months, and weve been dragged here in an escort carriage for the past few days."
Godhand smiled softly.
"This room is nothing short of a paradise. To be honest, we dont even want to step out of here."
"No, thats a problem..."
Please dont turn into a hermit... I too was a strear living in front of the computer...
"Is the food okay? I tried to be considerate."
While Elves arent unable to eat at, their diet is primarily vegetarian.
I asked the head chef to prepare a vegetarian-focused nu.
The food I brought as a late-night snack was also made from the leftovers.
"After having only prison als, indulging in this feast feels exceptional. Especially considering our younger agents still need to grow and develop."
Excluding Godhand, all the agents nodded in unison, agreeing with the sentint.
Thats a relief. Perhaps I should keep preparing als like this.
"However, I am genuinely grateful for your consideration, Your Highness."
Godhand cautiously spoke in a serious tone.
"We rely abide, eat, and follow as given."
"..."
"Please, treat us more casually, as if we were objects."
No, thats the thing... Thats not comfortable...
If I were a true prince, perhaps that would be possible.
But Im just a small citizen from 21st century Korea. How can I treat sentient beings as objects?
Afterwards, we exchanged a few words about our future lives, discussing clothing and range of activities.
After wrapping up the imdiate living conditions conversation, I left the room.
"Lets continue to discuss and adjust going forward."
"We are truly grateful, Your Highness. May your night be peaceful."
Led by Godhand, Bodybag, Skull, Burnout, all respectfully bowed their heads. Only Oldgirl was waving with a big smile.
Before I knew it, I found myself waving back, then quickly regained my composure. What the?!
Boom!
As soon as the door closed, a sudden exclamation echoed from inside.
"Is the Third Prince a good person? Is he really good?"
"He seems like a good person?!"
"He saved our lives in the first place! Even if he has ulterior motives, we have to admit that~"
"He gave us a late-night snack!"
"Late-night snack!"
"I hope he gives us another late-night snack!"
... Maybe I should move them to a room with better soundproofing.
Leaving behind the bustling room of young ones, I walked down the hallway. My mind continued to spin with thoughts.
Ultimately, I couldnt ask the question that intrigued the most.
Even if I had asked, I wasnt sure they could have given a concrete answer.
Did they really trigger the war?
The war between the Everblack Empire and the Bringar Kingdom was a major event in the ga.
Starting from the ruin of the Bringar Kingdom, many large-scale events occurred.
Refugees from the Kingdom began to flood into Crossroad, and new high-quality rcenaries were also incorporated into Crossroad.
Hostile NPC groups were also created in large numbers.
Outlaws and knights who had fled from the Bringar Kingdom.
If properly assimilated, they could beco formidable forces in the Monster Frontlines here.
But if things go wrong, well have to face not just monsters, but humans in defensive battles.
I might even have to wage a war against a human army if things go south.
In the ga, they were easily absorbed.
Though the Monster Frontlines belonged to the Empire, they didnt have much to do with the war against the Bringar Kingdom.
But now, Ive accepted the egis Special Forces Team 8, who could be seen as the spark of that war, into my party.
No one knew how this would impact anything in the future, in what direction, or in what way.
As I grappled with these thoughts, I turned the corner of the corridor.
"Ah."
Lucas was hiding there, watching in my direction.
"..."
"..."
An awkward silence lingered between Lucas and for a mont.
I was montarily stumped, unsure whether to ask Lucas why he was hiding or if he wasnt uncomfortable crouching with such a large fra.
Nevertheless, I couldnt just stand there, so I asked,
"What are you doing, Lucas?"
"I was preparing to rush in, in case sothing happened to you when you entered alone, Your Highness."
Lucas cleared his throat awkwardly, avoiding my gaze.
"Anyway, they are convicts suspected of treason. It seems necessary to monitor them."
"I think there wont be a big problem as I have their leashes on them, but..."
There is a possibility, however remote it may be.
I should keep an eye on them for Lucass sake.
I raised my voice towards the inside of the mansion.
"Aider! Get over here, quick!"
After a brief wait, Aider ca rolling in, making a clattering sound. He seed to have been on the second floor.
"Yes, yes! My lord! How may I assist you?!"
I gestured towards the room where the Aegis Special Forces Team 8 was.
"Monitor them in case of any ergencies, and report back imdiately if anything happens."
"?! ?!"
"Who else? Youre the only one available. Should we, who are always in defense or going on free explorations, have to do it?"
Of course, its not that he should guard with that frail body of his. I ant that he should use so kind of system. He had plenty of thods, didnt he?
"But, my lord, you know... theyre not the type to betray..."
"Mmm~ I cant hear you~ Youll have to suffer a bit~"
Leaving Aider muttering sadly, Lucas and I left the place. This should be enough.
***
The next day.
[STAGE 4]
- Start in: 5 days
The start of the next stage was getting closer.
It was ti to step up the preparations for the defense battle.
And so, at the blacksmiths shop.
"These are the results of the equipnt dismantling you requested last ti."
The blacksmith master respectfully handed a box.
I swallowed dryly and accepted it. Please!
I dismantled four SSR grade equipnt pieces even though they were broken. The chances of getting a SSR grade magic core are high enough!
Please! Please, co out, please!
I prayed and checked the contents of the box. Did it co out?!
Rumble.
Inside the box, a golden magic core was rolling around.
"It ca out-!"
Picking up the SSR grade magic core, I let out a shriek of joy.
[Standard Special Magic Core (SSR)]
It might seem like a loss since four were used to get one, but where did I even get the four from in the first place!
Now I can make that equipnt!
Plans for how to use the magic core quickly fell into place.
With a smug grin, I promptly tucked the SSR-grade Magic Power gem into my inventory. Ill put you to good use.
"Also, the three Magic Cannons you ordered are completed."
As I was cheerfully dancing with the Magic Power gem in my hand, the Blacksmith handed over the weapons wrapped in silk.
Three Magic Cannons, each made with Ratman Champion Magic Power gems.
They were finally finished.
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