"Hi, Leon. Phew, I'm so tired."
"Welcome home, Arus. Thank you for being safe. I didn't think we could really cross the snowy mountains to the east."
"What is it? You kept in touch with the comms."
"That's right, but I can't hear Arus-sama's raw voice in [Remarks]. In case you need to think about it, too. There was also a suggestion that if you could come back with a transfer stone, you should be able to come back along the way."
"Well, I suppose I could have told you if I could. But the Oriental expeditionaries who entered the Great Snow Mountain with me can't go home because they don't have enough magic, even with the transfer stones. In the meantime, if only I went home and slept on a warm bed, it would be morale."
"... sure. Even though it was Mr. Ars who succeeded in crossing the snowy mountain safely, it was definitely impossible to do so. Thank you so much for coming home. Let's arrange for enough food to feed the soldiers who are still out there."
From a variant built east of the Great Snow Mountain, I temporarily returned home with a transfer stone, and I was talking to Leon in the city of Fontana.
Apparently, I entered the Great Snow Mountain with the Oriental Expeditionary Army, and even though I had been contacted by the comms, I had doubts as to whether I was really alive.
It must have been recognized that it was impossible to cross the snowy mountains.
But when I came back in time for the New Year's celebration, the air changed.
Besides, he's not just back.
I saw what I brought back from across the Great Snow Mountain and I was admitted that I really succeeded in going east.
It is a fabric knitted with yarn taken from broccoli purchased from Sura.
Nishiki yams are creatures that do not exist on the western side of the Great Snow Mountain.
It was therefore acknowledged that he had officially crossed the snow mountain by bringing back unprecedented fabrics from the east.
"Does Ars aim to make it possible to trade by making the Great Snowy Mountain travel between East and West?
"Hmm, I wonder what happened. Installing the newly acquired ice absorbing stone will certainly make it easier to move around the snowy mountains. But there are monsters coming out. You can't trade without a profit commensurate with the level of danger?
"That's right. Using magic bags for business is impossible for ordinary people. It's not that light and bulky, and you might not be able to make a profit unless it's valuables."
"Well, in the first place, it's also opaque whether or not we can maintain the variant over there. I don't know what happens after we get to know the nearby factions and get rid of them in Atmos."
"There's going to be a recapture operation in Atmos, right? Will it succeed?
"For now, I'm scouting the variant to find out what's going on. If Sula's information is correct, it seems that there are people digging for spiritual stones in the current Atmos village. Depends on the security organization that protects them."
"But even if we win the organization, we must continue to secure the land of Atmos, which we recaptured. It's not enough to defend a variant."
I see. If there are any surviving Atmos warriors everywhere, I think we need to protect them until they can return home. I wish we had a certain number, but when will that be? "
"I can't read it first. But not even if you're looking east. What are you going to do south?
"You mean the Marshall Mercenaries, led by Najah. You think the Church is the enemy of God?
"That's right. In the wake of the church raid, the church decided that the gravity of the crime was a serious problem, and the Marshall mercenaries, including Naja, were designated as God's enemies. This will then make them enemies of God, along with anything that has any connection with the Marshall Mercenaries."
"Hmm. Is that a realistic response? It's like a village."
We should discuss how to move the Oriental expedition in the future, but there have also been new moves against the southern mercenaries.
This is because the Church officially recognized Najah as an enemy of God.
I've been risking Naja since the beginning, but as a Fontana Kingdom, I haven't dealt with the Marshall Mercenaries like this.
I never complained to any other aristocrats about Naja's dangers.
There's a reason for that.
Perhaps Naja learned how to use the Collect skill from her experience in the Labyrinth City and even collected the magic of the Doren royal family.
If you keep attacking the church and swell up the magic amount, you might be able to use the lost Magic [Light of Judgment].
But that's why I was reluctant to let the nobility of the whole territory know to a great extent about its potential.
Most people would be afraid of such a dangerous existence.
But on the contrary, you can think of it this way.
With Naja, it's a great opportunity to revive lost magic.
In other words, if you succeed in communicating the dangers of Najah's power to the aristocracy, there may not be any aristocracy who would like to take that power into their own faction and turn it into mine.
No matter how dangerous it may be, there are always people who want to keep it with them if the forces that can overwhelm others are under their control.
This means that the more sour I say about Naja's dangers, the more intense the counterpuncher proves against Fontana.
Therefore, Naja had to be seen as an enemy by all the nobles.
That's why I asked the church to deal with it.
The Church has always argued that the name and inheritance rituals are the protection of God.
Therefore, if the Church proves that it is the enemy of God, it means that it is the enemy of all.
If you put Najah at your disposal by your selfish deeds, the aristocracy will also be left out of the church as the enemy of God.
In other words, Naja has no more factions to rely on.
And while the empowered individual Naja may still be able to resist, those around Naja will be different.
How shocked would it be to be told by God, who is always watching people's lives closely, that you are an enemy?
Do you want to be on Naja's side until you become the enemy of God?
Perhaps you will be on God's side rather than Naja?
There may be mercenaries coming out of the Marshall mercenary regiment abandoning Naja.
In other words, here is the Church's policy.
Not only did they aim to sniper at potential Naja individuals, but they also aimed to reduce the number of people on Naja's side.
No matter how strong you get, you can't live on your own.
"I often say that. Aren't you the one who led it?
"Eh, what is it? I don't know. I'm sure I've had a lot of discussions with Archbishop Paul."
"Absolutely... There is no doubt that the Church will recognize the enemy of God. But I don't think this bounty system is just Archbishop Paul's idea."
Leon says so and puts a bunch of paper on the waiting desk.
It depicted the faces of Marshall mercenary cadres, including Naja.
And underneath it is written the words "life or death" and "amount".
Yes, it is.
The church appointed Najah and the church attackers.
With a bounty, I mean, set it as a prize neck.
This is also clear evidence of who the Church has recognized as the enemy of God, and a toast to the departure of the Marshall mercenaries.
Those who joined the mercenary regiment but escaped under the authority of God's enemies.
But even if they escape, they are not likely to be punished as enemies of God in the future.
That's where we have a remedy.
Bring the prize money prepared by the church, dead or alive, and you will be granted amnesty for being a brave man who defeated God's enemies.
In other words, it is officially recognized by the church that it is not the enemy of God.
Plus, there's a huge bounty.
Looks like Leon thinks I'm the one who decided to take the prize off these Najas and the Mercenary Cadets.
But I just gave Archbishop Paul the materials that the scouts and communicators sent to Fontana to monitor the Marshall Mercenaries.
I merely provided the church with an accurate depiction of my face and appearance as a resource.
I don't know how far this will go, but for now, will Naja-kun have a sleepless night? [M]
In the meantime, we'll manage to put an end to the Atmos relationship.
Thus, after completing the New Year's celebration, I jumped back to the variant with a Forward Stone.