Palmarian had been able to guess.

The reason Marquis Palatio was making the Divine Land was probably because he wanted to become a king. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

"......War?"

"Yes."

But even so.

He hadn’t expected him to reveal a will for war this blatantly.

Doing that was, in Palmarian’s eyes, such a low and stupid move that it wasn’t even something fit for a king.

"Fuh......"

Letting out a sigh, Palmarian thought calmly.

Was Marquis Palatio really trying to start a war?

"......"

No matter how much he thought about it, it made him tilt his head.

The marquis should have several better ways.

But when he recalled what he’d heard from his son, no matter how you looked at it, it sounded like nothing other than, ‘Let’s wage war.’

"......So....... What did you say you went through there?"

At Palmarian’s question, Tolenis took a steady breath, then reported everything that had happened in the Divine Land without leaving out a single thing.

From the words he’d heard when he first met Marquis Palatio, to the later explanation he’d heard from a knight of the Divine Land about the Divine Land’s “shortcomings,” and finally, even the fact that Marquis Palatio had refused all sponsorship proposals.

"......That’s all."

"Nothing beyond that?"

"None."

"......"

Palmarian let out a “Huh,” and sighed.

No matter how you looked at it, really.

No matter what thoughts and intentions you put into it.

The marquis’s meaning was so clear you could grasp it in one shot.

So.

'If you don’t want to go to war, let’s keep things nice and pleasant. Hand over the money, but not the amount you suggested—much more...... Is that it?'

He seriously agonized over it.

Marquis Palatio is strong.

He has tremendous achievements, so recently, his evaluation within the Allied Kingdoms was extremely high.

But no matter what.

This kind of open, blatant threat wasn’t good for the marquis.

No matter how strong the marquis might be, if the Allied Kingdoms truly made up their mind, joined forces, and attacked all at once—

If they did......?

"......Hmph."

......Could they not beat him?

Palmarian recalled the achievements Marquis Palatio had built up so far.

"......"

Then he recalled the ones who followed that marquis.

"......"

......Yeah, it didn’t seem like it would be easy.

While he was sunk in deep thought, the man who’d been silent until now opened his mouth.

"Your Majesty, may I offer a word?"

"Speak."

It was a noble who had been making his own separate report—Duke of Padrima.

"I think it may be best for you to discuss this by forming a coalition with others."

"That sounds like you’re telling me to prepare for war together with other kingdoms. Is that right?"

"Yes."

"......Aren’t you underestimating Marquis Palatio’s achievements?"

Then the Duke of Padrima shook his head.

"Not at all. In the first place, among those in the Allied Kingdoms, there will be no one who can ignore Marquis Palatio."

"Then why are you saying that?"

"Because of the future."

"......The future."

At Palmarian’s mutter, the Duke of Padrima continued.

"Marquis Palatio will become a king. But—will he be ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) satisfied with becoming a king?"

"That means—"

"In my opinion, Marquis Palatio will come to desire more than that."

"......"

Palmarian fell silent for a moment.

In truth, it was all a matter of possibility.

Because no one knew what choice Marquis Palatio would make in the future.

But the Duke of Padrima’s words were not an impossible prediction.

Even if he couldn’t fully grasp the marquis’s personality, the marquis possessed enough power that you could easily imagine a future like that.

And so, while Palmarian was stroking his chin again and again in contemplation—

"Your Majesty—"

"What is it?"

"They say Ashtalon has declared it will sponsor the Divine Land."

"......What?"

A knight came in and reported urgently.

"Is that...... true?"

"Yes—the informant reported it that way."

"Khhm—"

Palmarian frowned.

Of course, at the present moment, the Ashtalon Kingdom was in a state where it had bled so much military strength that its position as an Allied Kingdom was becoming dangerous.

Even if they truly waged war without Ashtalon, it wouldn’t become a major issue.

But what mattered was, the fact that Ashtalon had expressed a will to sponsor at all.

The moment this became public, Regardless of Palmarian’s intent, another country might also declare it would sponsor in agreement with that will.

And if that happened, it was the same as saying war had gone down the river.

'If I dawdle here and end up declaring sponsorship later than another kingdom—'

In many ways, there was a chance he would earn the marquis’s displeasure.

......And that was naturally not very good.

Marquis Palatio was not yet even the king of a nation, he merely possessed the Divine Land.

But the achievements he had made naturally made everyone reluctant to form a bad relationship with him.

And so.

"......It can’t be helped."

Palmarian realized clearly.

That from the start, there had only been one choice.

He let out a deep, sinking hum.

####

"Tsk—"

The Duke of Padrima, who had been earnestly pressing his will to Palmarian just a moment ago.

Inside the carriage returning to his estate, he clicked his tongue as if something didn’t sit right with him.

Because of Palmarian’s choice.

'Things got tangled again.'

The Duke of Padrima—

No, the man who had already infiltrated the Allied Kingdoms as a spy of the Eastern Empire Kasranoyia twenty years ago let out a deep sigh.

'Why do things keep getting tangled like this?'

His head throbbed from frustration.

When he first killed the duke and wore his skin, he had thought everything would go smoothly.

The Allied Kingdoms were full of loose, sloppy parts compared to the Empire.

Even though the Empire itself was split into four branches, this place, split into five nations and small duchies, was optimal for his objective of “starting a war among the Allied Kingdoms,” and at the same time, there were many places outside the Allied Kingdoms’ governance, so it was an environment so good that organizations he could use could grow.

That was why, until a few years ago, he hadn’t doubted his plan would succeed perfectly.

When an outer god appeared, he had even found himself applauding without thinking.

......Until Marquis Palatio appeared.

'That bastard, seriously—'

The marquis drove back the kingdom’s crises one after another, in a way that was bizarre.

And was that all?

From the moment he began acting in earnest, the underworld organizations the spy had planted and set loose also got torn apart one after another.

"Fuh......"

Just recalling that time made him sigh.

Even now, his stomach burned when he remembered those underworld bastards he’d raised so well disappearing one or two at a time every single day.

......Of course, the one who directly smashed those organizations wasn’t Marquis Palatio.

Even so, this strange snowball that had started with the marquis’s appearance had now grown so large it was out of control, and it was tipping his plan toward failure.

On top of that, the daughter he had been diligently laying groundwork with since long ago, trying to control Marquis Palatio somehow, had also failed.

And provoking Palmarian at the right timing had failed as well.

"There isn’t much time left....... I have to start a war somehow within the time limit—"

Muttering anxiously, he had no choice but to begin drawing up a new plan.

"......That’s some interesting information."

"Should we squeeze out some more information?"

"We should."

Without even knowing someone might be listening to that.

"......"

The Duke of Padrima, who had dared to try to manipulate Marquis Palatio.

To give him even a little punishment, the eyes of the elves and lizardmen who had come at Magrina’s command shone.

####

It was about a week later that Alon arrived at the Mage Tower.

"Wow— it’s huge."

Seollang exclaimed in admiration at the imposing Mage Tower visible in the distance.

"Hey—! You’re crowding me, seriously!"

"......"

Ryang-a shoved Seollang away, and Historia looked at the Mage Tower in silence, turning her gaze aside.

Watching them quietly, Alon suddenly recalled a week ago.

Rine and Magrina had left the moment the partner was selected.

In the first place, in Rine’s case, she was only manifesting through an artifact, so it was about time she had to do that.

And Magrina, too, was the one who led the elves, so she couldn’t stay long.

On top of that, Yutia had also left for a while.

'......She said she had something to do, didn’t she?'

Yutia, who departed for Rosario while wearing a deeply regretful face and promising a meeting in Teria.

In the end, Alon arrived at the Mage Tower with Ryang-a and Historia, and Seollang.

Of course, just because the number had gone down, that didn’t mean Alon’s carriage became quiet.

All the way there, Seollang and Ryang-a played around with each other constantly.

......A single “joke” would send a small mountain flying, or make an entire road vanish, but.

Anyway, thanks to that, Alon arrived at the Mage Tower without much time to get bored, and—

"......Huh?"

The moment he saw the panorama, a strange question popped up.

A conference that should have been very empty since no symposium was being held—

It was swarming with mages.

'......There are a ton of them?'

To what degree?

To the point he wondered if everyone inside the Mage Tower had come outside.

"What are those guys?"

"Homeless people......?"

Seollang and Historia muttered while looking at the crowd.

From their standpoint, it was understandable they’d think that.

Even to Alon, the mages outside the conference grounds all looked utterly haggard.

Looking a little closer, there were small tents clustered here and there, too.

As if they had to do something here for a long time.

'......Are they really homeless?'

Alon unconsciously thought that, then shook his head.

If you looked at the robes they were all wearing, it wasn’t hard to tell they were mages.

So in that state, Alon tilted his head even more.

Why were mages doing that around the Mage Tower?

He couldn’t understand it at all.

And then, in that moment—

"Hk—!"

"A-a carriage."

"W-who is it?!"

He heard the mages’ voices by his ear.

"M-Marquis Palatio!"

"Hk!"

"Marquis Palatio’s carriage has arrived!"

"I-is it really him?!"

"It’s real! It’s Marquis Palatio’s carriage!"

The mages shouted.

And with that, the mages who had been staring dully at the ground with haggard faces looked at Alon as if on cue.

And then—

DADADADADADA—

They started sprinting over like lunatics.

"Uh— uhh—"

"W-what is that?"

"Boss, should I blow them away?"

Alon hesitated for a moment.

When hundreds of mages came charging in unison with haggard eyes, the pressure was terrifying.

So Alon weighed his answer, and just as Seollang, with a serious face, was about to lift her leg—

"M-Marquis! Please pick me!!"

"?"

One mage shouted desperately.

"N-no, me! I’m good! I’m good at it! I’m good at basic computation!"

"M-move!!! I’m a professor—no, I am a professor! Me! Pick me! Please!!"

"Pick me! Please pick me!!"

"......Huh??"

As the mages charged to the front of the carriage like they’d been waiting for this, screaming like they were yelling, ‘I’m good at coding!’......

Alon’s head started spinning.