＜Infinite Dendrogram＞

■ Former Lunnings territory/Imperial base

There was an imperial stronghold a short distance from the border of the former Lunnings kingdom.

It's closer to the border than the supply depot that was crushed by King of Light , but that's why we escaped the raid.

The base is packed not only with the Empire's Master, but also with Tian, which serves as a supply point for those heading to the battlefield kingdom.

It is time to finish the first day of Tri Flags, but the entire base continues to move due to the treatment of the Master who has temporarily retreated from Kingdom territory.

A dark green tent was erected on the corner of the base.

The tent is marked... as belonging to the Imperial 3rd Clan.

"The war between the empire and the kingdom is now slightly inferior to the empire."

A man describes the situation in front of a map of the kingdom spread out on a table in a soundproof tent.

Tokens are arranged on the map to make it easier for anyone who sees the war.

…………

However, the group of men and women in the tent listening to it had an opaque face as to whether they were listening to the explanation... and above all, chewing on the food.

Incursion by Igoronak of "Immortality".This has damaged many Masters, mainly the AETL Federation. "

Remove the "Patriot" token and multiple Unknown tokens that indicate a certain number of combat units from the token placed in King's Landing.

"However, in the battle in the northwest, the Imperial Master, who formed around the battle forces, was destroyed except for you.Colonel Martinez and Igoronac have also fallen.Other bases, such as the Minecraft, have been raided, and the damage is enormous. "

The man removes the token on the side of the Empire with an explanation.

"We have also driven the members of the Death Period, including the [King of Annihilation], and the core combat power of the K&R to devastation... but the Northwest is a loser.It hurts to make a difference in the number of Super Falls. "

Yeah, I lost too.

That's how the man who had the explanation... [Eater] Kata said it was nothing.

"The item is gone, except for the reward material that came back to me."

"... I see. Withdrawal was the best way to keep your full battle out of sight."

Was it?

"The theory of results is that you were right to keep secrets."

The man who kept explaining showed a picture to Kata.

It was... a strange landscape photograph of an exploding mountain freezing.

There are also pictures of dragons that look like huge chunks of rock.

"... a dragon? It's also from the Severe Winter Mountains."

"Yes, [Frozen Dragon King] and [Lump Dragon King] appeared in the Nissa Border Territory, engaging the leader, the City's Master, a herd of unidentified monsters, and his ally, [Blood Emperor].We lost contact with the Codification Department, which was fighting nearby in this battle. "

Could it be the parade?

"No, I wouldn't commit such a suicide on a boulder.Coincidence... maybe the dragons were looking for something. "

That man's gaze... looked straight at you.

…………

Without saying anything about it, Kata took out and chewed the material left by an individual once known as the [Dinosaur King] from a new item box.

Thereafter, the man continued to describe the situation everywhere, and Kata was listening to it.

"That concludes our first day of reporting.After all, none of the flags have fallen. "

"Well, it's none of our business anymore."

Kata chews the metal on the plate as she says so.

He was listening to the state of war everywhere, not to intervene, but vice versa.

"Are you sure you can't move after refilling the item?"

"Yeah, I... I guess that's enough.I knew it, I'm tired. Enemies and allies... I'm tired of not being serious among real people. "

"... if the Harsh Winter Mountains were moving, I wouldn't be able to use any more of them."

There is one too. I've probably... had trouble carrying someone's thoughts.Now all you have to do is satisfy your tongue and stomach.I'm sure that would be more fun. "

Looking at the bonus material shards left in her hands, Kata exhales tirelessly.

"I thought war was complicated and duel was simpler."

"Really? Well, that's up to you."

"You don't have to go back to where you belong, do you?"

…………

"Your real owner's territory has been attacked by troublesome people, right?"

"I have no instructions to return yet.I have been entrusted with gathering information... knowledge in other countries.And it's the other person. I don't know how much it means to me. "

"That's humble....."

The bell rang near the entrance to the tent when Kata said so with a mixed sound of impression and wonder.

It's a visitor's message to a restricted tent except for those involved.

"Are you visiting us at this hour?... hey, who's giving it to you? "

And the man who had been explaining until then started talking like someone else while opening the entrance to the tent.

However, your tone may suit him better.

His fashion was Mohikan and goggle shaped sunglasses… like a triple down at the end of the century.

Rather, there was a sense of discomfort in the way the owner and his < Embrio > spoke intellectually.

< LotJ > Sub-owner, Mohican Elite is about him.

"Oh, this is a rare thing again."

The elite welcomes guests while narrowing their eyes behind the goggles.

It was the man in the uniform who came into the tent.

But the uniform was hurt, and the man wearing it was covered in wounds.

The right eye is missing from the battle or wearing an eyelid, and the left foot is a prosthetic leg that has just been worn.

The man seems to have escaped from the hospital...

"... Heldine"

"Long time no see, Kata."

The second clan of the Empire, the owner... [Magic Cannon King] Heldain.

"I'm surprised. I heard that [Light King] and [Jealous Demon King] did it...."

The Elite was surprised that [Demon King], an ally of [Fresh Blood Emperor] 's "true owner", had missed his prey.

"Mireille... thanks to our subowner, Embryo.I have the skills to transfer pre-marked objects to a set home point. "

Loisoble. < Embryo > with a fairy tale motif bearing the name of a blue bird.

It appears to have metastatic ability and has many limitations when used.

It needs to be prepared beforehand, it cannot be used for your own departure, it is expensive and there is cool time.

Still... we had the power to get our owners out of the dead.

"I see, so I can beam you back to your base and treat you in secret."

Heldine, who was supposed to be, chose not to recover from Despecialty.

If you die, you can't join the war.

Therefore, I chose to live in a state of full-bodied trauma even after treatment.

(I pushed myself seriously injured and came here.Is it for revenge or....)

"Kata. I'm going to the Kingdom... to the battlefield."

Heldine looks straight at Kata as the Elite attempts to guess Heldine.

Kata stays in her chair even after Heldin enters.

I was a little nervous to return my gaze to Heldine.

"... should I go?"

I need your help.

Neither Kata nor the Elite were surprised by Heldin's words.

You don't have to go out of your way to say hello to the march.

The fact that I came to this < LotJ > tent meant that I needed something else.

"I'm going down now."

Juba fell.

"I heard."

[Stream Princess] Juba is a common acquaintance.

Choose five imperial quasi < super > fierce men and you will be named Kata, Heldine and Juba.

One of the other two is Chrono, and the fifth one changes from time to time.

We're losing a lot of power.

Scratch King Domingos was also defeated by someone.

The situation is completely different from the previous war.

"Ah, some of the players who thought they could win the battle have pulled back."

"Well, if we lose, we won't get paid.If you lose after losing due to wear and tear, you lose a lot.Players gathered for a give-and-take. That's what happens. "

"That's why, together with trusted talented people... I beat the kingdom to death.If the tide changes, the players who were trying to run to see opportunism will also move. "

Kata leaned her neck when she heard Heldin's words.

"So I'm the one you can trust?Are you serious? "

"Oh, it's you."

Even if Kata doubts Heldin's sanity, Heldin looks into her eyes with her ship's eyes.

"I trust you to protect people like me and Juba in that hungry dragon case."

――――

Kata opens her eyes to Heldin's words.

"Did you know?" and... the pain in my heart when I heard what I did once.

"... occasionally. Even if it happens now, it won't work the same way anymore."

"Still, I believe that your heart is right..."

"What do you know about me?"

Cata asks Heldine, frustrated.

"... many imperial masters are highly oppressive against Tian.That is because this country has become a country that would not have left without Master.Those who look down on the weak are everywhere.Particularly in < LotJ >, where the players were predominant and were granted certain privileges. "

That's right.

But you, the owner, didn't bully Tian.

…………

"Does eating something that is not human food 'eat anything' not reduce the food of the people of the empire who starve themselves?"

Heldine pointed to the tabletop plate… the metal material contained there.

"... you're looking at it so disgusting."

Cata turns away from her face to mislead her into pointing at the stars.

"That's why I want to fight with you.Previously, he was the owner of the < Full Metal Wolves > and led his people.But now I'm all alone..... "

Fighting clan members dropped due to previous base raids, and other members cannot be removed from the imperial village protection.

Heldin was no longer the only warrior in Full Metal Wolves.

"That's why, once again, as a master, I want to go to this war... and wager on the future of the empire. With you."

…………

Kata looks at Heldine.

In those eyes, which were but one, was a shine that was not false.

Even Kata could understand that this man was saying that from the bottom of his heart.

"... just now, you said I was right."

That's why Kata decided to ask Heldine.

"But if it's right... is it really right?"

"What?"

"Even if you think you're right, you're wrong, and you call the consequences you don't want..."

While recalling memories that you don't want to look back at past events... Kata spins words.

"Above all... the right thing isn't always right.And the King. "

…………

Heldine understood what Kata was saying.

◆

King Reinhardt C. Drive.

He is... a hero from the people's point of view.

He is said to have killed relatives other than his sister, a rebellious king who started a civil war, but in this hungry country he expelled many of the nobles who were only fattening themselves.

I fed the people and hired Heldine-like Masters extensively to protect them from monsters.

A typical example of this is the Hungry Dragon case.

Therefore, although some were hostile like Splendida in the Civil War, many remained neutral.

And the reign until the war with the kingdom after the civil war was good governance, both objectively and in real ethics.

A policy that puts the people first, even though mastering power was made possible by "reducing the number of nobles".

Such an appearance shall also be regarded as the righteous king for the people.

This includes the subsequent war with the kingdom.

The direct cause is unilateral Alliance destruction from the Kingdom side.

Even before, there was an opacity in the negotiations between the former leadership of the Empire and the Kingdom's [Great Sage]. In the Empire, it is believed that "originally there was a strong connection with the ancestral emperor and the First and Second Prince factions".

The destruction of the Alliance has resulted in a collapse of trade in resources and food exchanges via the Barbara and Erdona territories.The empire, which is hostile to the kingdom and has no access to the sea, cannot deal with the Legendary.

It was fatal for the Empire, where food self-sufficiency had been significantly reduced by unexplained soil contamination.

In other words, the Empire was suddenly cut off from a life support device.

Naturally, popular discontent and anger go to the kingdom.

Without King Reinhardt's measures at this point, the number of starving deaths would have jumped.

That is why there was nothing to deny vocally in the war against the kingdom.

From the point of view of the imperial people (...), the kingdom appears to be a fat outer path.

Then it became a war, and the players... including < LotJ > were hired to join the battle as imperial forces.The worldly faction, which was a protective force, was also put in.

As a result of the war, the Empire effectively ruled the territory of Lunnings.[Gloria] I've taken a lot of damage to the environment since the attack, but it's better than most of the Empire.

... at least it can't be repaired in < Embrio >, rather than the heavily contaminated zone that continues to expand.

It is... fortune or misfortune that Cardina did not intervene to defeat the Kingdom at this time.

If people like [Destroyer King] and [Pope] become rebels (Partisans), the damage to the empire will also be great.

It was also expected that Cardina would not erase their save points.

The Imperial side of Infinite Terrorism can do the same with [Beast King].

That's why the second time, Tri Flags, was a war with rules that allowed it to choose what to do afterwards.

Until now... until the last war, the emperor's problems were invisible from the viewpoint of the people and the worlds, except for the claim that 'the war itself is NG'.

The problem has been the repeated terrorist and peace conferences to the Kingdom since then.

Surrender the kingdom with an off-the-board tactic of terrorism to avoid war.

Attack the Ruins to prevent the Kingdom from gaining the power to reverse the Empire.

They are not yet understood, but unlike wars, which 'have happened', they can also be described as active and brutal means.

Choose 'Make sacrifices to the kingdom to reduce imperial bleeding'.

Until then, it's still close to reason.

So, what really should be questioned... is the next hand hit by the king.

◆

"I'm sure you've heard about the King's attempt to set up a kingdom at the Conciliation Conference.I heard from the members who participated in the peace conference. "

…………

"Reconciliation conference. I wonder why the King set a trap."

That day, the peace conference broke down because of a story by Ray Sterling.

The Imperial press has closed him up as an accusation and he is disliked by the Imperial people.

However, I know that if someone other than the press has access to information, his remarks cannot be exhausted.

It was a kind of treaty that contained a trap...

"In line with the peace conference, Zeta, who ran away from the imperial kingdom, got caught up in terrorism in King's Landing, and it smells like Kina."

[Bandit King] Zeta once ran away from Grand Barore, so it's no wonder he ran away.

However, it has been rumored among the Masters that she was surrounded by personnel to be used in such off-disk tactics.

Moreover, the members who participated in the peace conference also heard the mysterious remarks of Empress Claudia.

"Apart from solving the emperor's hunger and tranquillity, the emperor may have other purposes.Is that the right thing for you? "

…………

Heldine is Maiden's Master.

It recognizes the world and moves to protect people living in the empire.

Among the imperial worlds, there are many worlds that are representative of the good conscience and guide his actions.

There are many Masters who are in the war because he has agreed to the war and is in it.

Such a situation is something that Kata knows, and that is why I doubt it.

I wonder if Heldine is right now.

"The people of the empire still support the king.It's kind of... biased. "You were right" to "you should still be right".I'm sure you have a bias.I was following the right person, so I thought I was still following them. "

…………

Heldine is silent about Kata's words.

Is there no word to return or are you seriously considering it?

Or are you already deciding on the words to return... and waiting for his story to end?

Neither elite nor need-head engages in a conversation.

"But the right thing isn't always right."

Then Kata repeats the previous words again.

"That's what I think, and I can't be sure the empire is right now.That's why I want to ask. Do you have any confidence that the empire is right now? [M]And that's... well founded? "

That's the question from Kata to Heldine.

Whether it helps or not, and how Kata sees Heldine, all depends on this response.

In response to this question, Heldine...

His Majesty has other purposes.

I clearly affirmed Kata's guess.

Instead of guessing, tell the truth.

The emperor affirmed that there was a purpose other than to save the empire.

But....

"But I have not forsaken saving the empire.He also said that another purpose was to avoid going through it. "

"... did he say (...)?"

Kata answers Heldin's words with surprise.

That's like...

"No way."

"This is what His Majesty himself told me when I negotiated directly."

…………

Kata cried out at Heldin's continued words.

(Direct negotiation, huh...)

In what way was it said that 'you told me'?

There must have been something like the King telling him to negotiate directly.

Perhaps Heldin also questioned the King, as he did today.

If you point it at Fenrir and decide that the answer is only a lie or a lie or an undesirable thing… If it is only harmful to the people of the Empire, then you will not quit being a great traitor to the Kingslayer.

"Your Majesty is not a tyrant.But I'm scratching more than anyone for this country.That's why I keep believing in His Majesty.Fight for the future of this country. "

Some will believe it blindly.

But Heldine's eyes... like Kata's, "I don't think this world is a game." Maiden's "master" eyes weren't cloudy.

…………

Embrio's abilities derive from the Master's Personal.

It is the Fenrir who pushes beyond all defenses, eating and breaking enemies.

Whatever it is, it can be said to be a personal expression that penetrates your righteousness.

And his correctness is the normal (...) 'correctness'.

Sacrifice others for what you want to protect… the "righteousness" of the choice of abandonment for everyone.

He just keeps going through it.

World-class, Maiden's Master.

(Heldine is crazy, too... just like me.)

Kata had an abusive feeling about Heldine's way of being... and felt intimate (...).

I need your help with the future of the empire.

So, I guess.

"... how are you going to use my power?"

Kata's answer has changed a little while ago.

"Owner!?"

The elite who was listening beside her raised her voice in response to a different feeling.

The elite was attentive to the importance of the information (knowledge) surrounding the King, but in a sense more than that, she was shocked that Kata had changed her attitude.

"Kata....."

"I'll just ask. What are you going to do?"

Cata points to Heldine as she looks at him as she feels it, pointing at him as she pushes ahead.

And Heldine answers the question.

Drop the kingdom's fort.

"... sorry, can you say that again?"

Kata responded unexpectedly to her unexpected response.

◆

Heldin then explained to Kata the details of the operation he had brought.

"... I see. Yeah, once we've decided on that combo... yeah"

Heldin's operation was in the middle of acceptance and rejection.

Desktop theories, sandboxes, human beings who are too far away and... enemy dependent maneuvers.

But if it fits... it's terrible.

Um, is this operation the King's idea?

"Ah, I was told by correspondence when I left the Imperial Capital."

"... wow, are you going to do such a crazy operation in the fateful war of the Empire?"

The more the elite murmured their thoughts in a plain tone, the crazier the royal plan was.

Prerequisites and preparations are too...

"What if this operation isn't ready?"

"At that time, it moves as a guerrilla, and the < fort > 's strategy becomes linked to other movements."

"Really?......"

Close your eyelids and think.

(Did the Emperor already know about me? Still....)

A minute or two.He meditated and kept thinking, and Heldine waited for it.

And...

"Okay, I'll help you when you're ready."

"...! Thank you!"

Heldin thanked her while holding Kata's hand with both hands.

"... owner"

"That's why we're moving.The northeast carceratan is a little far away. "

Kata stood up from the chair, followed by the needs head next to him.

Then Kata, Heldine and Needs Heg leave the < LotJ > tent.

Elite. Bye.

"Understood, my lord..."

Both of them have different meanings and interact with each other.

Neither of us... will be in the kingdom or the empire when this battle is over.

◆

"But I'm surprised you could help me... today."

"What happened?"

I can't believe Kata thought so deeply about the Empire.

"Are you kidding me?"

"Not really, but there's a gap with normal...."

"... it's easier not to think about it.But I had to think about the Empire... just thinking about it. "

"... I see."

"Rabbits and horns, what I do depends on the situation."

"Yeah, I know."

The stage before dropping the Kingdom's Fort.

Prepare for that....

"--Will the Emperor's (...) fort be as His Majesty reads it?"

--We are attacking and defending our own fortress.

To be continued