Dream Life

noon on May 26th.

I was talking about the white military, Ray Arklight and his future.

Ray turned to Luke and said he wanted to reform the Holy Kingdom. For being a corrupt religious state and reforming the official enemy nation of the world's strongest frog empire, I feel I am not prepared.

For that reason, I decided to stir up his sense of crisis.

He first explained how dangerous the Imperial Chancellor, Duke Alexis Ezzarington, was and presented the options that the Chancellor could take.

Currently, the Empire faces a major problem, the question of who the next emperor will be. And he explained that the two leading candidates, Crown Princes Gigismunt and Leopold, both had major flaws and that the Chancellor was looking to emperor Prince Julius, a candidate other than the two.

As a way to annihilate both the Crown Prince and Prince Leopold, which the Chancellor is likely to do even more, he suggested the possibility of invading the two of them by Lukes and defeating them by Ray, a powerful force of war: the people of the meadows and the Beast Troops. However, I myself do not believe that the Prime Minister will adopt the method he has spoken of.

"I don't know if I'll actually do it. Because if the Emperor's health is worse than you can imagine, you can't use this hand, and there's a good chance that some mistake will cause you serious damage to the Empire."

"Is it serious damage to the Empire? Now, with our strategy, only two regiments are going to have to do damage to the Empire."

"I can't say enough. The power you have is more powerful than you think. If the Empire invades me backwards, I will be untouchable. In the field, there are invincible meadow people and a team of beasts who specialize in sabotage. If they open the gates to a cage fight in a fortified city, it's over. Then we can invade Ezarrington easily."

Ray groans in my words, "There's nothing you can't do," but he didn't say anything more.

"More troublesome than that is the creation of a powerful dictator in a country called Lukes."

"Is that about me?

"That's right. If you feel too threatened, you might think about gaining power to protect yourself. Man, you don't know what you'd do if you were cornered."

"I don't mind that, but it's a hard story to deny," he laughs bitterly.

"Oh. It is possible that the situation will not allow you to try to be calm yourself. As I have said many times, the power you possess is out of standard. Those who possess such power orient themselves to power. Moreover, its greatest power, the people of the meadows, are not attached to a country called Lukes, but solely swear allegiance to you. This is the trouble."

"That's true. I don't think we're going to run wild right now, but I can't say it's impossible."

"That's the thing. They don't care how much sacrifice they make to the people of Luke if it's for you. If there was anyone who defied you, it could be enough to kill everyone in every city. I can say the same thing about this to the Beastman Squad. Then you can reign over Luke as a dictator of fear politics. Doesn't he?

I'll keep talking before Ray answers my question.

"I understand you don't want it. But the problem is that you have the ability, that is, the possibility exists."

"Is it because the Imperial Chancellor fears that possibility?

"That's right. Simply a possibility can be a potential threat. If that were to be judged, it would take a ploy to crush Luke"

"So what should I do? Even if we crush the Light God, who is still the culprit, the Empire's plot will kill the country, or I'll have to become a dictator."

"Given what the Imperial Chancellor is after, and what another giant organization, the Commercial Guild, is after, the answer comes out every bit"

"The Chancellor's Aim... The Commercial Alliance's Aim..."

Ray started thinking desperately in my words. I'll keep talking regardless.

"Lord Ezarrington does not want chaos within the Empire in the long term, as well as in the short term. For the Duke, Luke needs to be moderately critical."

"Are you moderately critical…"

"That's right. If the Holy Kingdom of Lukes were to become completely one under you, the overwhelming power of the people of the meadows would be the threat of the Empire. I hope it's a potential threat, but if it's judged to be an obstacle to the survival of the Empire, there's no denying the potential for elimination."

The people of the meadows are a very powerful force of war. A warrior alone would be well over 100,000, overwhelming in the field, and even a regular army of empires would be destroyed in equal numbers in no time.

It is not hard to imagine that the leaders of the Empire would be eliminated if that power turned to the enemy kingdom of the Empire.

"The Chancellor is not foolish, so he won't fight you head-on with Lukes at the top. But the faction that pushes His Highness Leopold tries to impose a reckless battle by singling out Luke's threat. The defeat of the Imperial Army is imperative, no matter how much power you put into it if you make the foolish choice of fighting from the front. If we didn't fight the other way around, the threat of you would remain. I mean, the spark of chaos keeps tickling."

"Are you saying that the Chancellor doesn't want that state...... commercial guilds are something similar. Because if Luke leaves his control and sets up with the Empire, we don't know what's gonna happen."

"Exactly. The merchants hate dramatic changes because they are surprisingly conservative. Especially large merchants like those in the upper echelons of the commercial guild would want them to move within their control. This means that the commercial guild also wants Luke to survive close to his current form. As useful as a shield against the Empire."

"I finally understand what Mr. Zach is trying to say. So if I go to Luke's, you shouldn't make radical reforms. Because when things change rapidly, the Empire and the Commercial Alliance will want to interfere with Luke."

"That's the thing. Even if we defeat the Archbishop, it is important that we weigh the reforms ourselves for at least a decade and they do not think we have turned into drastic. Or one more important thing. What shall we do with the people of the meadows? You're thinking about that."

"Yeah, as far as I'm concerned, when I get into Lukes, I'm going to take about 10,000 men into battle to contain the mess, but I'm going to have them back in the meadows when the Holy Kings win. Because I think they can only live in the meadows."

Be relieved by the answer.

"I like that. It's just how you make the Empire recognize that. I swear allegiance to you, the people of the meadows will remain within the Empire, albeit the meadows. I don't think the Empire will tolerate the fact that the forces of war are within their own country that we don't know when to turn the blade on ourselves."

"I agree with that. As far as I'm concerned, I'm going to ask the people of the meadows to pledge eternal neutrality. Even if Luke, to whom I belong, was a party, he would not take part in a dispute between nations, and I would ask him to declare that he would stand by the gods and fight only when their enemies appeared."

"That's how you get empires and guilds to believe that. Besides, I find it difficult to convince the people of the meadows. I was so happy to see the White King descend."

"I feel the same way about that, but I'll do something about it."

"I'll have to leave that to you."

That's where Ashley speaks his doubts.

"It means weighing in on reform, but what if the people want reform? I'm sorry to say, but the people of Luke have many simple ones. I'm not talking about it earlier, but if Ray hadn't been aggressive in carrying out the reforms, would he have thought he'd been betrayed?"

"Ray, I hope you don't get to the top. Let the present Holy King Augustino stand on the arrow and make you think that Ray is pulling the leg of the reform you are about to do. You can imprison anyone else who screams for radical reform and, at worst, assassinate them. That way, there will be a concentration of hatred among the conservatives."

"You say horrible things again..." Ray has said.

"Politics can't be clean. Besides, you'd better think those people who just scream for reform end badly than their enemies. Because it will divide allies in vain and empower the conservatives. He wouldn't want to be in his own camp if he were supposed to, but that's not how it works. So if you let them die as martyrs and use them to increase allied ties, you can make it positive"

The Rays look at me again as if it were something horrible.

"If you can't think about this much, you shouldn't think about being a leader of a country, etc. Unless you are worshipped by God by all the people, like Luna, but you do not have tremendous support from the people of Luke. Besides, relations with neighbouring countries are more complicated than with Sokius. Every single thing clean to deal with a monstrously stained organization called the Empire and the Commercial Guild will always eat a tail job."

"Master Zach is right. The country Luke was created by the Nothingness (Vanitas), but each of the Empire and the Commercial Alliance is allowed to survive as a result. If any of that stops wanting to survive, Luke will disintegrate in no time. That would cause a lot of people to suffer. If you intend to live as a mentor, by whatever means, you must choose without hesitation how to make many people happy."

Ray nods small at Sharon's words.

"Right. I have acquired great power. [M] But that doesn't make it all peaceful..."

I seem to have said a little too much and am about to lose confidence, so I'll put in a follow up.

"You have a great talent. I never thought as well as you did when I was eighteen or there. Of course, this is the story of the world before."

"That's not true. I can only count what I've been able to think and act on."

"Still, you've accomplished a lot. You can be proud of that. But from now on, I'm not going through the ordeal with just the people I've been with. There are a lot of people involved in an organization called Country..."

Ray is listening with a serious look.

"... so don't think about solving everything by yourself. I want you to listen to as many people as possible and choose from what you think is best, or what doesn't suck. We need to gather as much information as we can to increase the amount of judgment material."

"I understand what you're trying to say. But it seems difficult to gather information."

"If you're heading north to the meadows, you should meet an informant named Sai Furman in Doctus. He might be able to help us create a new intelligence organization."

The rhino's organization extends not only to the streets of Aurelia, but also to Lukes and near the imperial capital. It depends on Ray's bargaining power to what extent he'll cooperate, but if I get along, he'll cooperate to some extent.

"I would like to ask Sir Zacharias to lend me a hand directly, but is it impossible," Ashley said.

"Does that mean you want me to come with you?"

"Exactly. Even if I or my father Hamish can protect Ray himself, I cannot lend him wisdom. In that regard, you will be given the wisdom to confront not only the Imperial Chancellor, but also the Commercial Alliance adequately…"

"Ash. Mr. Zach..." Ray tried to block what she said.

"Let me finish. I understand you're reluctant. Lord Zacharias has broken a lot of bones for you and Luna so far, and as a result, he's had a hard time. But I still can't help asking for it. Sir Zacharias, could you come with us to Luke's?"

Ashley bowed her head wide. Does Stella think the same next door, she bows her head in the same way?

Her words are sincere, but the answer was fixed.

"In conclusion, you can't expect me to go to Luke's"

Ashley drops her shoulder disappointingly on that word, but continues the conversation regardless.

"If I move, there is no doubt that both the Empire and the Commercial Guild will be more vigilant. And that would be completely counterproductive."

"Then I don't care..."

"Let me help you. Because we can do enough from here to interfere with the actions of empires and commercial guilds. However, I hope you don't expect that excessively. Ray, you know what I mean."

"Yes. I hear Mr. Zach is alerted by the Imperial Chancellor. And also from commercial guilds. If you are known to be heavily involved with Luke, the Empire and the Alliance will be more vigilant, so you won't be able to get Mr. Zach's support afterwards."

"Exactly. Lord Ezarrington has already raised his guard against me and the Lockhart family. Besides, I seem to have a strong influence over not only the Blacksmith Guild, but also the Mage Guild, the Commercial Guild, and even the Adventurer Guild and the Mercenary Guild. Being able to move the five guilds is nothing but a threat to the Empire."

"In addition to that, it's a big deal that Theo and the others have accompanied us," Ray said.

"It is. Especially the most annoying thing that seems to have taken between the Humans and you. We gave the world's most powerful armed group to the enemies of the Empire. What's more, if Luna is known to be the leader of Sochius in the future, it could even crush the Lockhart family in the worst case scenario. So I can't move out of here."

"I understand what you're saying......" Ashley can't seem to give up.

Stella speaks to help Ashley.

"Even with the Chancellor, can't we crush the Lockhart family, which has a strong influence on the Blacksmith Guild?"

"There isn't," Sharon immediately denied,

"Don't take a sweet look at the Duke. If you want to avenge the Empire, you won't hesitate to crush the Lockhart family."

"If you set it apart from Dwarf, wouldn't it be Luke's two dances"

The Bishop of the Light Divinity has run wild and given a glimpse to the Rockhart family, and the Dwarves angry at it have come out to attract the Dwarf blacksmiths from the Holy King of Lukes.

So I answer on Sharon's behalf.

"You're the one who can make a cold decision about which is better for the peace of the empire. If comparing the positive when you erase the threat of me to the negative that Dwarf will be gone is any more positive, you won't hesitate to wipe me out and crush the Lockhart family, will you? Of course, I won't let that happen."

Ashley and Stella also reluctantly gave up on the words.

The future policy was then specifically discussed.

At the end of the discussion, Ray slightly loosened his nervous expression.

"It made me feel better thanks to Mr. Zach. It's hard to see you, but thank you for your continued support"

"I'm glad I took the time to talk to you, this way. Even so, I'd like to talk a little more, but this is between you and me alone."

"Is it just the two of you?

"Oh, I don't mind talking to Mr. Ashley or Stella later, but I just want some time for the two of us to talk"

"I don't mind..."

"Well, shall we walk a little? There's a pond to the east, but we can talk quietly there."

That's what Ray and I are going to the storage pond.

I will ask about it in Japan as I walk.

"I heard you and Luna were classmates. What kind of relationship was that?

Ray becomes suspicious of my behavior when I ask him, "Uh..."

"I don't seem like a lover, but I just don't feel the same with my classmates."

"Well, that's..." he starts in a hurry.

So I kind of figured it out. I intuit that it's the right thing to do with just two men.

"Doesn't it feel like your one-sided opponent is Luna..."

So Ray sighed out loud, "Ha," he said.

"I knew you'd understand," he says, smiling bitterly.

"What do you think of Luna now? I know about Mr. Ashley and Stella, and I'm curious... I'm not asking you this out of curiosity. I want to know because I'm going to be heavily involved in Luna's future."

"Luna and I will never be more than friends"

"I'm glad you've cut off your old thoughts."

"Yes, it's just Ash for me."

That's exactly what I said.

"I support you as a friend, but you don't want to be with me."

"Yes," he answers clearly again.

So I exhaled heavily.

"I'm glad to be honest. If you're still untrained by Luna, it's not very good for this world."

"... right. It would be tough if the leaders of a troubled country called Luke were in love with a far eastern queen."

"That's what I'm talking about"

This is something I was seriously worried about.

I knew Luna didn't care about Ray, but I didn't know what Ray thought. Especially when I saw his actions after Luna was captured in Periclitle, because it just seemed like he was going to rescue his lover rather than save the world.

"I mean Luna, or I wanted to help Mr. Moon Palace. She doesn't have anyone else to help her personally besides Zach and I know her past so I can talk to her..."

So cut the words and look me in the eye.

"But I've discussed it with her. About this world."

"You mean this world?

"Yes, I was able to prevent the confusion caused by Vanitas thanks to Mr. Zach and the others. But many still remain unhappy, both Luke and Sokius. In Lukes, the poor are exploited, and in Sokius, displaced persons from the west are treated in a discriminatory manner, so much so that they were formerly made seedlings for demonic summonses. We agreed that we wanted to do something about the situation."

Vanitas, the culprit, disappeared, but indeed Luke's system of control remains halfway. I'm not sure about the situation in Sochius, but I've heard that the Demons reigned as a ruling class and were at an impossible war, so I guess it's a terrible situation.

You knew about that situation, so you thought you couldn't help it.

"I don't know what to tell you, but the culprit's gone. Besides, the culprit will not be resurrected for tens of thousands of years. The gods will be remedied in time because they think best of the stability of the world. So I don't think you guys need to rush into anything."

"I do think you're right. You may not have to hurry now. But there are also people who are suffering at this moment. And me and Luna can help those people. And yet I wondered if I could look and pretend not to look. Besides, I don't expect from the gods. Because that being is just about protecting the world, and I'm not going to actively help those who live there."

"I agree with that, but I'm sure you two are thinking of saving the world again."

My concern was that the two of us were forced to carry out reforms. As Ray said, God in this world puts the stability of the world first. I mean, it's very conservative.

"I don't mean to... I just wanted to say that until I heard earlier, I was thinking of creating a democratic state that would make everyone happy"

"At your age, you'd want to."

Around the age I want to pursue my ideals. I have the power, and I have a successful experience, so it's not strange to think I can.

"I somehow understand what you're trying to say. I liked history, too. If you hadn't listened to Mr. Zach and Mr. Sharon, you might have become an unknowingly rampant revolutionary."

"Let's get back to it, she'll take care of Luna."

"Yes," I say clearly.

Honestly, it's a good thing, but there's hardly any image left of a white military master.

"Lai Lai"

I think younger kids will hate me for talking any more serious, and change the subject.

"So, I want to ask you one more thing," he says, grinning.

"What is it?" and lean his neck.

"What are we going to do about Mr. Stella? I just said it was just Mr. Ashley. You know how she feels."

That's where his face turns red.

"I know, but... I can't. I can't believe I got more wives like Zach... because I never had romantic experience..."

This one gets in trouble for too much of a beginner reaction.

"I'm not in a position to say this, but just tell them what you think. 'Cause halfway through it just makes each other bitter."

"Okay," he replies with a serious look.

But he immediately made fun of me with Nico's face.

"But it's amazing, isn't it? What's it like to have four wives?"

"There's nothing particularly difficult about that. If only I loved you properly."

Shoulder to shoulder for my answer,

"You haven't enjoyed it at all. That's Prince Harlem in all directions."

"I'll give you that title whenever you want. Not for the two of us, but if we can get about three more."

"I don't want to! I'm Ash!

I was walking under the blue sky talking about that.

■ ■ ■

Six months later, information came in about Lukes.

It's information that the Rays have won the Archbishop. Moreover the people of the meadows made a declaration for the whole world.

Reeva Sorrell, the leading family of the Humane Horses and chief of the Sorrel tribe, spoke of the following:

"We are God's warriors and do not intervene in the battle between nations. However, if the God of the earth (Mons) is entrusted, no matter how much justice is appealed against, a declaration of war is made against that nation. Whether that nation is the Caerm Empire or the Holy King Luke, it doesn't matter. We fight only by the Word of God '.

The Empire received the proclamation with surprise.

And the Chancellor, Lord Ezzarington, sent out a messenger to the meadows, but he said the answer was the same when he returned.

But he said he answered the question about Ray clearly.

"Cooperation with Lord Ray Arklight is due to Mons' divinity. If Mons orders us to eliminate Lord Arklight, we will not lose sight of the spear. But Lord Arklight was loved by the gods, and I can't imagine being the enemy of God."

I heard that word and learned that Ray's persuasion had not been entirely successful.

(You didn't seem to convince Mr. Leeva well. Well, you seem to have made me admit the least I need to do... well, maybe I should have thought about it. Because Ray is on God's side and those who are hostile to it won't be able to get their hands on it cheaply if you think he will be God's enemy...)

Ray's did well on his own, but Luna's had difficulty navigating.

It was a negotiation with her opponent, Queen Katrina, but the queen honestly didn't nod even in a bargain with alcohol.

'If you don't prove to me that there really is a country called Sochius, it won't even be a negotiation.' Cause I'm just saying there's Mr. Luna now. '

In that word, the Kingdom of Kaum sent out a fact-finding mission named Diplomatic Corps against Sokius. This is because the Queen asked for an excuse to gather information.

Ulrich Drexler, the blacksmith guild's master craftsman, said he didn't protest and told him that there was only one thing.

"It's six months to wait. Every day late, we reduce the quota of new liquor kati by one percent '

It seems that this operation was conceived by Theo, and that the Queen made a candidate for the fact-finding team in just half a day, and the next day let him leave for Fort Toa. They said Luna and the others were more acute than they could follow.

By the way, the liquor that is going to be made in Sochius cannot be from the sea or from the mountains, and I thought it could not be used to threaten. But with Theo teaching "Brother Zach was interested," and “Mr. Kati," it seems the "queen” began to rush.

Sure, I was interested in rice, so it's not a mistake, but it looks like Theo's operation hit me brilliantly.

I know it's time to figure out this result, but it hasn't reached me yet.

However, we know the results somewhat.