Creivis screamed from the report that has coming one after another since this morning.

  They are mostly about the war with Immenstadt Empire.

  「Your Majesty! Viscount Domoko is requesting an explanation about the outbreak of war in the east!」


  「I’ll write a letter. Wait for a while.」


  「Your Majesty! Baron Eiyu from the east said he cannot move yet because it takes time to reorganize his knights!」


  「Tell him to take his time to prepare and devote his fullest in defense preparation.」


  「Your Majesty! Leader Somasa of the soft silver march mercenary group is requesting an audience!」


  「…kuh! I’m busy but they are an able mercenary group. I have to face them…!」


  「Then I’ll prepare for the audience!」


  Creivis answered the reports that came like a storm as quickly as he can. When he was heading for the audience, he looked around and noticed something.

  「What happened to the Prime Minister?」


  When he heard Creivis, one of the guardsmen who is diagonally in front of him turned his face around and opened his mouth.

  「Ha! Prime Minister Yuta is taking care of other duties so that his majesty can focus on responding to the empire!」


  「Is that so? I’m a little bit anxious because I haven’t seen him since last night.」


  He said those words to the soldier and nodded. When Creivis stands before the door of the throne room, the two guards opened the door.

  There were a lot of silhouette in there.

  Majority of them are stern men wearing leather clothes. Though they are not wearing their armors, they are obviously the soft silver march mercenary group.

  Among them is one short, skinhead man whose wearing a mantle over his leather clothes.

  「Oh! Your Majesty King Creivis!」


  As soon as the man noticed Creivis, he kneeled and called his name.

  All other members of soft silver march kneeled and lowered their head deeply too.

  Looking at everyone on their knees, Creivis looked at the white cloaked man.

  「It is good to see leader Somasa of the soft silver march mercenary group.」


  When Creivis says that to show his appreciation to their group, Somasa lifted his face with a smile.

  「No no, I heard that his majesty is having some sort of trouble…Our force is at a microscopic level but we’re thinking of lending you our power.」


  Somasa said that with a smile and laughed while looking up at Creivis.

  Creivis nodded and looked down on Somasa.

  「Fumu, I appreciate it. Apparently, even Somasa-dono has heard the news.」


  When Creivis muttered so, Somasa shook his head as he smiled wryly.

  「It is because mercenaries are sensitive to the smell of war. That sense of smell differentiate the superior and inferior. Presently, we know that the Rembrandt Kingdom’s power is more than the other countries with the title of major powers.」


  「In other words, you came here to sell your favor to the expected winner.」


  「No, the other mercenary group will think like that but not us. Even if it becomes a losing battle, we want to help the Rembrandt Kingdom.」


  「You say good things. However, that fact that an able mercenary group will not become our enemy is good luck. I expect the contribution of the soft silver march.」


  When Creivis said so with a smile, Somasa nodded and opened his mouth.

  「By the way, I have heard strange rumors …」


  Somasa’s expression can be said to be uneasy. When Creivis saw it, he knitted his brows.

  「What is it?」


  When Creivis asked, Somasa vomited a short breath and knitted his eyebrows slightly.

  「…In the empire, there were those who claimed to be a disciple of god appeared.」


  「Disciple of god? Are you saying that an apostle of god appeared?」


  When Creivis heard it, he looked at Somasa with a reproachful gaze. Somasa tilted his neck with a difficult face.

  「No, apparently, the disciple of god is a follower which seems to be different from an apostle. However, there are a number of people who claimed to be a disciple of god and they said that the apostle of god that recently appeared is fake.」


  「What? They are calling his majesty king Ren a fake? Who are those idiots?」


  Creivis said that while repressing his anger. Somasa seemed to be sorry as he shrunk his body and opened his mouth.

  「The twelve high priests of the Melqart religion, their saints and saintesses. It is unusual for the empire to have them take important positions given their race and age.」


  TN: Ren = agent/caretaker of god , the twelve = disciple of god. There are twelve of them so I guess they are the ones who should be called apostles like the twelve apostles of Christ. I’ll just call them disciple since it’s already too late for me to call Ren the agent of god. You’re asking why I called Ren as the apostle of god in the first place? Well, is there such a thing called agent of god? Never heard of it.

  「…are they the same guys who control the saint army that is moving like a part of the empire force? The one who have sent a very poignant letter?」


  When Creivis disgustedly asked so, Somasa nodded.

  「Perhaps….they only not sent the letters to the neighboring countries but also to the leading mercenary groups and adventurers.」


  「The content of the letter is about slandering the Rembrandt Kingdom, the brutality of Rembrandt Kingdom, and the barbaric acts of the fake apostle of god who’s also the king of Einherjar.」


  「What? I thought those letters are about asking for help to the mercenary groups.」


  Hearing the content of the letter, Creivis rounded his eyes in surprise.

  Somasa shrugged his shoulders and made a vague smile.

  「They don’t seem to be hiring mercenaries either…To put it briefly, they said that they are dispatched by god to oppose the invasion of the Rembrandt kingdom that almost drove the empire into a ruin. It can be said that they are telling the mercenary groups to not ally with the kingdom…」


  「My army has always hired a large number of mercenary groups, so are they saying that without the mercenaries, they can kick us without difficulty? They’ve gone too far!」


  When Creivis roared to Somasa’s words, Somasa nodded gloomily.

  「I think so too. Although the confidence of the empire can be felt in the letter, it is impolite of them to threaten mercenaries like us who are used to bloodshed. My pride is also damaged greatly.」


  Somasa smiled like he was in trouble but his eyes were not laughing at all.

  Creivis sighed and tried to open his mouth.

  However, one soldier walked in at that time and quickly reported something to Creivis.

  「Your Majesty, the king of Einherjar is here.」


  「What? Ren-sama?」


  To the report of the soldier, Creivis was surprised and he panicked.

  「Show him in immediately.」


  When Creivis said so, the soldier bowed and hurriedly went towards the entrance.

  「…the king of Einherjar….the rumored apostle of god…」


  When Somasa muttered so, Creivis shallowly nodded and looked at the entrance of the throne room.

  「Look Somasa. The genuine apostle of god.」


  Somasa made a suspicious expression after hearing Creivis but he didn’t say anything. He turned his face to the entrance of the throne room.

  When the door was opened, four dignified figure entered.

  「King Creivis, this will be the first job of the international alliance. We’ll lend you a hand.」


  Somasa froze in astonishment as he saw the young man in the middle.

  「Your Majesty King Ren, I wish to express my gratitude for your help.」


  Creivis said so and bowed. The mercenary group including Somasa stared at the young man called Ren who’s approaching Creivis as if it was natural.

  「Leave it to me.」


  Ren smiled as he said so.

  ********************