It was the first time in a long time that there had been a call from the castle as the winter came and the cold was getting really harsh.

When I went there, they seemed to have called the other brave men, except Fairis, and they don't all know why they were called. The fact that you called the brave men who only have about the ability to fight seems to mean that the battle against the Demon Empire is temporarily stopped, and you're rubbing it with another country?

"Brave men, you've come a long way. I have a job that I really want them to do."

"Is it work, what the hell is it?

"Um, actually, I want you to go to Leciana, northwest of this country, and form an alliance with the elves."

Leciana is originally the Greater Forest Zone of Leciana, where the Elves are located. They don't have a name in the Elves' country, but it's hard to call it that, so other countries borrow the name of the land and call it Leciana.

Each of the Leciana elves possesses stronger magic than humans, but they basically don't try to relate to other races. On the contrary, they relentlessly kill anyone but the elves trying to get into the back of the woods.

They say it's Wood Elves and High Elves that live there, and then Wood Elves are the only ones that show people what they look like. How do you know an elf you've never seen, it seems that an elf in this country is making a deal.

"But why did you think of forming an alliance by now? If you were to say prepare for the threat of the Demonic Empire, it wouldn't be strange to be diagnosing alliances earlier."

"There's a situation, the Elves of Reciana only speak Elf. The Elves hated that the Elves were known to humans, so there was no one who could speak the Elves."

"So you want us brave men with translation skills to go there?"

"It's quick and helpful. If winter is over, the Demon Empire will attack our country again. We have to get the elves to help us by then."

"I understand, Your Majesty. The elves will also cooperate with us if they know what the Devil Empire is doing. Please let us take on that role."

"Um, I believed you'd say that, Baron Alec. The other two will work with Lord Alec and help us form an alliance with the Elves."

"My pleasure."

Leciana, I don't know what you think, but it's not so bad if you think it's an opportunity to see all kinds of elves.

As much as I'd like to bring some back as samples if I speak of greed, but if I do that, I won't be talking about cutting off national traffic, so let's stop this time.

It was decided to leave for Reciana three days later. It is a decision that it would be better to look into the circumstances of the elves and negotiate with them. I'm better off on the ground after the investigation.

They said they would do the research at the library, so I said no to them when I asked Elle to talk to them and decided to let them go home one foot away.

"Dear Yard!

As I walked down the hallway, Sophie came running with quite a bit of momentum. I jumped in with the momentum as it was, so I hurried to take it, and my body turned back a little. I've been tending to skip exercise lately, so I need to reflect.

She lets me out of breath and hugs me here. I looked around to see if the other guy had seen it, relieved that no one was there, and gently pulled her away.

"What's the matter, Sophie? Is there anything serious about saying you were in such a hurry?

"I heard Master Yard is going to Reciana this time... I can't believe it hasn't been a month since I got back here and I have to be separated from Master Yard again..."

"Sophie, this is the king's life. I never want to leave you, either."

"I still miss you..."

I've held it here again, but I'm not sure if I can shake it off here. Unlike domination, thought induction can't be forced to obey, so if you hate it here, you'll have to devote wasted effort to repairing the relationship.

When I had no choice but to hug her back, she leaned over here and kept her weight. From the side, we can only see each other as lovers. I just have to hope someone hasn't seen me.

"Dear Yard..."

I thought she'd been staring at this one with her moist eyes, closing her eyes and looking at me. I wait for my mouth to be mouthed no matter how I look at it, so I gently overlap my lips and release them immediately. There's no way I can do this for long in the hallway.

She seems to know that too, smiling away from me without complaining.

"Dear Yard, continue in my room..."

"You! What are you doing there!

Turning to his sudden voice, there was one young man there. A typical nobleman with blonde blue eyes, but an unknown face.

Sophie seems to know who this guy is, looks a little troubled and looks at the guy.

As the man approached me, he turned a refreshing smile, ignoring me and facing Sophie.

"Dear Sophia, I never thought I'd see you like this."

"Well, Mr. Thomas seems to be doing well, above all."

Sophie was responding slightly to the pull. He was a man who had talked a lot to her, never worried about how it was going, but when her gaze turned this way, he looked at this one and stuffed it too.

"You, one of the brave... uh, what was it... okay"

The man stood to hide Sophie from my sight, pointing his finger at this one.

"You, Master Sophia, are the one who should be united with me! You're not a good match for a lowlife like you to touch!

"Oh, you know, Master Yard, this is different..."

You haven't even noticed Sophie's denial, and the man started talking about Sophie's relationship with himself, which hasn't even been asked.

This guy is named Thomas Barkfield, and he says he's the oldest son of the Earl of Barkfield. She fell in love at first sight with Sophie, whom she met when she debuted the social world of everything, and she says she has been courting her ever since.

If that's all you're doing and they're saying no, maybe you don't have a pulse, but he conveniently interprets himself as waiting for me to succeed the Count.

"Yet you are forced to embrace the reluctant Sophia and force her to mouth… shame on you if you are also a nobleman! No, she won't forgive you if you apologize, and I will never forgive you!

"Then what am I supposed to do..."

"Duel! If you lose, repent for what you did to her and swear never to come near her again!

"Dear Thomas, please don't ask for anything of your own accord!

"No, that's okay, Master Sophia. I fully understand how you feel. We must defeat this fool and show him."

Apparently this guy is the type of person who doesn't listen to people. I'm sure it's conveniently interpreted in this guy's head that her words are also remarks worried about herself.

I totally hate Sophie, but I'm telling him to hold her and reassure him that her expression even seemed anxious.

"I'm sorry, but I don't have time for duels or anything because I have research..."

"Tomorrow! Beginning early tomorrow morning, we'll be waiting for you at this castle training ground! If I break my promise, I will judge you for insulting the royal family! Come on, Master Sophia. There is only harm, such as being with such a person. I'll send you to your room."

"Ya, stop it! I'm talking to Master Yard..."

That's what he said, he took Sophie and left the place early enough. He was kind of like a storm.

Now, suppose we go talk to Elle about Leciana's elves?

"Is it Leciana? I don't think there's a way to get there, do you?

When asked about Leciana, Elle responded that way.

The Elves of Reciana hate a great deal of humans, and even the Elves who live beside them are the object of contempt, they say. He was also quite surprised when he heard he was doing business with this country.

When asked about the high elves, they live in a magic buildup in the heart of the woods and have much stronger magic than the other elves. Only some Wood Elves can see each other, and she doesn't know the details.

"Well, that just doesn't seem possible to form an alliance..."

"Oh, speaking of which, there are a lot of interesting rumors about high elves. Do you think magic doesn't come out because what they use is the beginning, or because when they get out of the woods, they die? Unlike the rest of the elves, they're very short-lived."

"I don't think that's useful information. Is there anything that might trigger more negotiations?

"Sorry, I don't know any more..."

I'm not going to be able to hear any more of this, so I'll take a look at the orb who pulled out her memory next time. But all I found out was that the Demon Empire was trying to reach them. Maybe he's already on the Demon Empire's side.

"Speaking of which, master. He seemed grumpy when he came back, but was there something wrong?

"Oh, you're tangled up by fools. I got caught up in a lot of trouble."

Don't let one troublemaker after another. Give me a break.

Let's get rid of this depression by adoring Tia this evening.

The next day, when I went to the training ground as promised, Thomas was already waiting. I can see several others, but does this mean referee and audience? There is also the figure of Sofi, the central figure in this disturbance.

Thomas wears knight armor and has a training sword. From what I hear, he's good enough to win a swordsmanship tournament for once.

"You've come a long way without running away. Well, if you ask me which one is better than shame in front of Sophia, it doesn't make much difference."

"You can count on me to get started. I don't think there's a lot of time for this."

"I wonder how long that will last?

One of the couriers will wave a sword over here. I never thought I'd use my sword, but just in case, I'm glad I asked Tia how to duel yesterday.

The activation of the procedure is forbidden in principle, and it is not possible to use demonic props. The inch stop is basic, but it's not irregular to punch it in otherwise. Pre-decided weapons, no use other than swords this time. Of course, bare hands are not allowed. Until the opponent arrives, or jumps a weapon and makes it incapable of combat, you win. Even if you kill him accidentally, it's not against the rules.

It's not the kind of rule that a magician does, but he doesn't usually do duels except for knights, so the rules around it seem to be tailored to knights as well.

I try to wave my sword, but it's still heavy though for training. If this hits you, you're not going to break your bone.

Put your armor on, sir.

"No, you don't have to wear armor. Shall we get started?"

"You're making a big mistake if you think I'm going to cut you off!

Seeing the two of them set up, the spectator also leaves in front. The surrounding human being, whose tension seemed to be running between the two, is watching in solitary spit.

"Then we begin the duel between Thomas Barkfield and Yard Al Werner with this. Do everything you can to make sure there is no remorse for both of them... here we go!

"I got it. Ahhh!

I didn't panic and threw my sword at Thomas, who was going in at the same time as the referee's signal. The sword, which flew at a rate that humans did not think they had thrown, smashed the armor into Thomas' belly and flew straight to the wall for each of them. I'm glad it's a training sword. If you were serious, you'd be dead piercing through every piece of armor.

There's no way I'm gonna do this really squarely. You can't win if you do that. The throw now is a pre-made sniper (sharpshoot) effect. It is a technique that greatly increases the accuracy and power of the target's projectiles and throws. It's supposed to be a sniping technique, but it works well enough to use it at close range.

Cheats and collapsing Thomas. Everyone sees the guy who stopped moving in one blow with a surprise look on his face, but the spectator confirms that he is close to him and unconscious.

"Thomas Barkfield decides the battle cannot continue and takes Yard Al Werner as his winner!

When the spectator tells him so, several humans rush under Thomas. I'm trying to regain consciousness by slapping and shaking my cheeks, but wouldn't doing that make me faint again due to severe pain?

If you come close, you are bleeding from your mouth and the area around your belly is oddly concave. Apparently, my gut is torn. Apply advanced healing (major heel) to fix it properly. It's pathetic to kill once and for all.

"Dear Yard!

When I left him, Sophie ran over. I'm not hugging you because you're in front of a lot of people on the boulder, but I can see you're sending a hot glance over here.

"I trusted you to win. Thank you for me..."

"Don't worry about it. Originally you just got caught up on your own."

Thomas' consciousness seemed to have returned when he was worried about what to do with Sophie, who looked like he was still going to hug him. The guy who stood up holding down his belly stuffed him with an irresistible foothold when he looked at this one.

"You don't think I won this. It is an insult to a sacred duel, such as throwing a sword, which is the pride of a knight. I'll make sure you get this reward."

"Dear Thomas! It's a disgraceful act to insult the winner of a duel!

Did you find Sophie angry, Thomas, as he moaned regrettably and stared at this one? You can't think of any other reason why you can blame me for not breaking the rules, tongue-in-cheek and try to leave the training ground.

"Wait, you haven't decided on the reward I won yet"

"Ha, is that what you think it is? Fine, say it."

"Then it is forbidden to approach Sofia in the future. I want you to apologize for all the insults you've done to me."

"Huh!? You!?

"It shouldn't be very different from the terms you put out, but are you complaining?

"Damn, I'm sorry for all the disrespect I've had. This is how I apologize."

Thomas comes to apologize, without even hiding his regrettable face. Whatever you look at it, it doesn't look like you're reflecting on it, but it was a reaction as expected, so I decide I don't think I have a choice.

When he raised his face, he glanced at this one and walked away.

To see your attitude when you leave, there are signs that you are going to make fun of something. Do you want to strengthen the boundaries of the mansion just in case?

When I got out of the training ground, Sophie told me she wanted to see the mansion, but politely refused. It's not like I know what kind of rumors would come up if I took you after a duel like this.

I felt my head ache as I sidelined Sophie with a sad look on her face and wondered if I was going to hang out with her again.