Dream Life

noon on May 26th.

White warriors, ray arklight and drinking.

At first it felt a little dull, but I enjoyed a light knob prepared by Mel and Sharon while sipping sparkling and seawell wines.

Where the liquor story came to a paragraph, Ray changed his expression to something serious and corrected his residence.

"I need to come in and talk to you."

"What are you going to do?," he nodded loudly.

"I'm going back to the meadows after this. Then we head to Luke's Holy King and we are looking to change that country......"

There are Liddy and the others sitting around me, and next to Ray are his people, Ashley and Stella. But nobody listens quietly without pinching their mouth.

"... Luke's leaders are completely rotten right now. Especially since I think light theism needs to be completely crushed once and for all. Just..."

That's where the word breaks off.

"Are you afraid that the reform will shed blood? Or not sure?

"It's both. The priests in the Holy City of Paxlumen will oppose reform, and every hand should be used to get in the way. It can be enough for them to trick the simple rural people into turning them into battles. I was wondering if I could point my sword at those people..."

They want to help everyone. That's what an ideally burning young man would think.

I would have parted somewhat, aimed at “maximum happiness" and tolerated making sacrifices.

"I want to help everyone."

"No...... I'm not thinking that arrogant"

Although I deny it, it's definitely in my head from that look.

"You must have seen many victims in the battle so far, too. You also understand that you couldn't win without sacrificing."

That makes me snort.

"Until now, I didn't have time to think, and the situation chased me to deal with it. But this time I had plenty of time to think. So I'm worried I can't do something about it. Isn't that right?"

He's turned a surprise look at my words.

"How did you know..."

"It's a difference in life experience..."

When I say that, I get a convincing look like I'm surprised.

"I just wanted to say, I just thought I'd think the same thing. You have gained the world's strongest power: the people of the meadows and the former Beast Slave Troops. It also solves the greatest threat ever to the godless (Vanitas). I figured I could handle it myself because I knew he wouldn't get his hands on it. Doesn't he?

Ray won't open his mouth while he looks at me.

"I understand that you want to minimize the sacrifice, and I want you to do the same. But the situation doesn't allow it"

"Are you familiar with Luke's situation?

"Oh," he says and nods.

I have regular information coming in from Doctus informant Cy Furman. There are other information coming in through the Empire's senior aristocrat, the Marquis Seawell, who thinks that poking them together brings them somewhat closer to the facts.

But in Ray's case, he just walked into Ars Street a few days ago, and he doesn't have time to gather information or hand it over. It would be to the extent that I have heard rumors carried by travellers. I'll see about that.

"I'm sure you know to some extent, but how much information do you have?

"I hear that the Archbishops and the Holy Kings are at odds, but more than that..."

After all, I didn't have anything as accurate as the information I had.

"Then I want you to listen to me. I have some pretty accurate information coming in to me. First of all, it's not a mistake to be flirting..."

Here's what I know:

Around December last year, two hundred thousand imperial invaders led by the Holy King Augustino returned to the Holy City of Paxlumen. Shortly before that, in Paxlumen, the scandals of the priests came to light one after the other.

Rumor has it that the Beastly Slave Troops ordered by the Holy King began to uncover injustice, but both Cy Furman and Marquis Seawell were of the view that it was not the result of a political dispute between the Holy King and Archbishop Rolfo.

But as the information gathered, it was found that the Holy King was severely punished for wrongdoing, not only the Archbishopric, but also those who were on his own periphery, leaving him in a situation where he had no idea what was going on to those who did not know the circumstances.

Fortunately, I had information from Theo in my place, so I knew that the Holy King had revamped it in Ray's words, that the Beastly Slaves were being freed and were helping the Holy King by Ray's instructions, and I could see the situation to some extent from the information that came in.

Its Holy King's counterpart, Archbishop General Bernardino Rolfo, is an ambitious and conspirator who obtained his supreme status with forceful means.

The ambitious man was at the heart of the regime for ten years. For this reason, the forces opposed to him were almost swept away, and few of those who side with the Holy King were in the centre of the Church.

Even under such circumstances, the Holy King used the Beast Troops to chop down the Lorfo faction after dissolving the invading army. But Rolfo wasn't watching in silence either.

I started using assassinations that I was good at. Its target was not around the Holy King, but the clean clergy of the province who supported him. Perhaps they changed their aim because there were liberated beastly slaves around the Holy King.

The clean priests also feared the way the Archbishop had no choice of means. If we stand up and support the Holy King, we will no longer be able to move into a situation where we will be found dead the next day. As a result, the popular support that was geared towards the Holy King is also visibly diminished.

The Holy King seemed to have crushed the assassination squad using the Beastman squad, but there were no commanders specializing in these dark things behind him, and he kept turning back even though the Holy King's side was overwhelmingly dominant on the battlefield. Sometimes, after more than two months, the Archbishop continues to defend his status.

The Archbishop is even in counter-attacks on the contrary. By breaking the Holy Knight of the Holy Kings and instead applying the Secular Knight to the Holy Knight, he sought to expand his power. Further information has come in that the Holy King has begun to forcibly summon the peasant militias who sent him home.

"... the information that came into my place was around the end of February. It's already been three months, so I can't see what kind of situation it's turned into. However, the Holy King is responding in a positive manner to the Archbishop, who does not hesitate to use his dirty hands. I mean, with my hands and feet tied. They're working it out because there's a cavaliers led by Sir Fortunato, who has become a new general with the Beast Troop, but if you're not going to crush them together, you better not think you can afford the time."

"I didn't know you were struggling that far..." Ray exclaims.

"Apart from that, there's something I want you to know"

"What is that?

"It's about the Empire and Aurelia."

"Empire or Aurelia?... I know it does have an impact, but I don't think it's going to interfere within Luke's..."

It's only been a little over two years since he came to this world. Most of them are on the edge or on the battlefield. I've been to Teito, but to the extent that I've been in and out of commercial guilds and blacksmith guilds, I don't seem to have any detailed information on the balance of power in the world.

Had he known a little more about the situation in this world, he would have come up with it. But as you can see from Theo's treasure, there are few politically resilient people around him. It would just be confusing to be told to take international relations into account in this situation as well.

"You understand the state of the Empire."

"I'm asking Theo, for once."

"It's not strange when His Majesty the Emperor collapses, but he's still in a precarious situation with his successor. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince remains the same, and although His Highness Leopold triumphed, he did not make a great deal of points for saying that the Humane Horses were not going to follow His Highness..."

Prince Leopold led the Humans to triumph over the Imperial capital Primus.

Initially, in Imperial Capital, the prince succeeded in gaining the tremendous support of the citizens for his immense power.

However, when the representatives of the Humane Horse tribe beheld the Emperor, they publicly declared that there could be no other than to obey their own king, namely Ray, rather than the Prince, so that the fame of the Prince has plummeted and the support from the people gained in the triumph has almost disappeared.

The prince was furious with the Humans, but suppressed by the prime minister and the royalist elders. This made the race over the Emperor's throne once again chaotic.

This is the measure Theo aimed at, but some of it I suggested.

"In the present circumstances, the Imperial Enemy Luke is in prolonged chaos. What do you think the Imperial Ambitions would think?

"Are you saying that the main warrior, Prince Leopold, and his supporters, will attack Luke for merit?

"There's that too, but there's more dangerous people"

"Who is that?

"It's the Chancellor, the Duke of Ezzarington."

"Luna and Seo have told me that the Chancellor was talking about a cutter. But I also hear you're not the kind of man to wage a war without darkness?

"The Duke himself is an Imperial Senior but impartial and selfless figure who, as an individual, he thinks is worthy of respect"

"Then why?

"Lord Ezarrington is impartial and selfless in that he puts empire first. We want to put an end to the current situation, namely the successor dispute between His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and His Highness Leopold. It's also based on the premise that a third candidate other than the two of us will take the supreme seat."

"The third candidate...... you were Prince Julius. But I heard you weren't aggressively presumptive about Lord Ezarrington's marriage to his second daughter or something?

"It's suspicious around here. In terms of how that prime minister circulates such understandable information. Sharon would think so, too."

Talk to Sharon.

"Yes. The Duke of Ezarrington is a far-fetched man. And he's also a ruthless person. Master Primrose, the second daughter in the story, has no connection with politics, but the Duke doesn't hate to sacrifice his family if it's for the Empire. Instead, you don't even think about throwing it away yourself."

"Not so much......" Ray complains.

"So what do I do? Ray is the most mind-breaking of us all, but he's never dealt with so many people. I hear Sir Zacharias and Lord Sharon have crossed with Lord Ezarrington since they were younger. Will you lend me your wisdom?"

That's what Ashley said and I've been bowing my head. Next to it Stella bows her head just as deeply.

"Of course I'm going to. I just wanted you to know how dangerous the Imperial Chancellor is."

"Is that because I will be the guiding position of the Holy King Luke?"

"That's right. Being Luke's leader means being the enemy of the Empire. Turn a country more than five times the size of a nation against its enemies. You better understand that."

"I don't think I can be optimistic, but I don't see how the Empire can easily beat Ray with a Humane Horse tribe or an Orc unit,"

Ashley expressed her doubts.

"Surely you would have a better advantage, Ray, with the people of the meadows in your possession, militarily. Successful use of the Beast Troops is also likely to give you an advantage in intelligence warfare. Ray, you have as much knowledge and ability as you can. Still, I can't insult the Empire. Because if Lord Ezarrington is serious about plotting, it's hard to prevent it."

"What exactly is the possible strategy," Stella asked.

"I would use Aurelia and Periplus to wage an economic war."

"Is it an economic war? I hear Luke is a rich country with high food self-sufficiency if he doesn't even fight a war."

That's what Ray has said.

"Your perception is not wrong. But Luke's system as a nation is immature. It is a vice that has a dual structure: the administrative organization called the Holy King's Office and the Congregation of the Light Divine Church, but the place of responsibility is unclear. I would make Aurelia and Peripples merchants buy up Luke's food at a high price by means of luxurious funds and threats. I guess it would leave the minimum necessary reserves, but that control has not taken place. In other words, if the Holy King's Office and the Church make each other think their opponents are doing their administration, they can buy and collect food beyond their limits"

"When that happens, there will be starving deaths... is that possible throughout Luke's territory"

"I guess it's impossible. But I know where food can be collected as taxes. If we buy a large quantity of food there, the reserves in the region will soon be depleted. Besides, if a ship can't use it to transport food, it's impossible to carry enough food to feed hundreds of thousands of people. If the Empire suppresses Aurelia and Periplus, it will be possible."

"But it would be a year. Just because the Holy King's Palace and the Church are together doesn't mean we can use those hands every year."

"That's true, but rumors circulate when food is scarce. The Holy King's Palace and the Church are dressed. If that happens, the Holy King's House and the Church will go further together, and it is fully conceivable that the people will riot."

"I don't think there's a riot. Because Luke's peasants were just submissive people. We were reluctant to go to war where we might die, but don't complain, because we were in it."

"It would have been before. But not now. The reason for this is because a savior named you showed up."

"Me, sir?" I'm surprised.

"That's right. As you say, the people of Luke have until now been submissive people who do not defy the Holy King's House or the Church. But if you defeat the Archbishops, you'll think the people are the saviors who defeated the evil men who were tormenting themselves."

"That's true..."

"If the Holy King's House and the Church began to torment themselves there again, I would definitely count on you. But in fact, what the Empire is doing has nothing to do with the Holy King's House or the Church. Then you can't move."

"Shouldn't we just flow the right information here?

"It's no use doing that"

"Why is that? I'd believe it if someone called me the Messiah."

"Surely for a moment you might believe it. But what if we could keep the same rumors flowing over and over again? People believe the information they want to believe. The people want to think that the Holy King's Palace and the Church that have tormented them so far have done it. And I expect you..."

I've talked to him so far, and I think I know what I'm trying to say. But I'm listening without saying anything.

"... but you cannot punish innocent people. Then the enthusiastic support for you disappears at once. I think I was betrayed the other way around, and I start to think you were just like the bad guy. In that case, the rest would be a civil war or a repeated uprising and repression..."

"... maybe so," said Ray,

"So what does the Chancellor get?" he asked.

"I would invade the Imperial Army in this situation. Tell me this is your best chance to recapture Luke. Send both the Second Regiment, led by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, and the Third Regiment, led by His Royal Highness Leopold, and say that it would be better to yield Luke first to the seat of the next Emperor."

"So if you let the people of the meadows end both the Crown Prince and Prince Leopold... you think terrible..."

That's what Ray says and stares at me.

It had changed from an alertless look like before to one that contained fright to see something that was difficult to understand.