Alliance

Ren appeared before us in the Dragunov Empire, having used his Teleportation Magic once again.

"Yuri-sama, it’s an emergency!"

"Did something happen?" I asked, tensing up.

"Miranda-sama has arrived."

"…Personally?"

"Yes. Sasha-sama is currently dealing with her, but how should we proceed?"

Miranda was the eldest daughter of the Mastermind Family. She was the woman who had seduced the Second Prince, ignited a feud with the First Prince, and plunged the entire kingdom into chaos. If that Villainess was personally making a move, it didn't bode well.

Is she trying to cause my territory to disintegrate from within?

Unlike the power struggle between the princes, there was no traditional Lord in my territory—or rather, there was someone else besides me.

Sasha.

Unlike me, who had come here by essentially rebelling against our father, Sasha still held a place in his good graces.

"Is there any sign of her trying to win Sasha over?" I asked.

Ren immediately grasped the direction of my concern. "No, not at the moment. Curiously, she seems to be trying to cozy up to Al instead."

That was a curveball I hadn't expected. I tilted my head, trying to make sense of the report. "Why Al? Don't tell me Miranda is actually interested in the Meat fields?"

"It seems she’s trying to extract information regarding Emilina-sama…"

"Me!?" Emilina interjected, her eyes wide.

Miranda had gone through the trouble of coming all the way to my territory just to dig up dirt on the Saint? If she’d just asked, I would’ve tied a ribbon on Emilina and handed her over myself.

"She likely judged that Emilina-sama is the person most familiar with the territory's internal affairs," Ren suggested.

It made sense. Unlike me, who was single-mindedly obsessed with Magic Tool Research, Emilina was capable of making judgments that factored in foreign powers and domestic politics. The worst-case scenario—though I didn't want to consider it—was that Emilina and Miranda had been in league from the start.

However, if that were the case, Miranda wouldn't need to manipulate Al. She could have just gone to Emilina directly. This also confirmed that Miranda hadn't realized the connection to the Church yet. If you wanted info on a Saint, the Church was the first place you'd look. The fact that she was barking up Al's tree meant she lacked any real leads.

"If it’s Al, we can rest easy," I said. "He’s likely the one running circles around her."

"Exactly as you say, Yuri-sama. Honestly, after seeing Miranda-sama’s behavior, I’ve begun to wonder if she truly is the threat we believed her to be."

She must have been acting exceptionally pathetic for Ren to say that.

"Understood. Keep an eye on her for now and send me frequent updates. We’ll be returning shortly."

"As you wish. I shall relay that to Sasha-sama as well."

With that, Ren vanished as if he had never been there at all.

In the end, I hadn’t been able to get a single shred of useful information out of that damn insolent brat.

He kept spouting idiotic delusions—"The Meat is delicious," or "You can't grow Meat in a field"—so I eventually gave him a perfunctory thank-you and took my leave.

My searching led me to the local Dining Hall. From inside, I could hear the rowdy, boisterous shouts of sweaty Mercenaries. Under normal circumstances, I would never set foot in such a place, but the gnawing hunger in my stomach had become unbearable. I had no choice but to stop.

I realized almost immediately that I had made a mistake.

The moment I stepped inside, clad in my clearly expensive attire, the rowdy Mercenaries went dead silent. They were likely sizing me up, wondering who this newcomer was. I was used to such stares, however, and I ignored them as I walked deeper into the tavern.

A young child working as a waiter approached me tentatively. "U-Um… e-err, welcome. A table for one?"

"As you can see," I replied sharply.

"…Oh, so it’s for two? My apologies."

"Hah?! Where on earth do you see a second—"

I spun around, only to see Alexia standing right behind me. I had no idea where she’d come from. It seemed the Mercenaries hadn't been staring at me at all; their eyes had been fixed on Alexia’s exceptionally "ripe fruits."

"A table for two, please. Would you show us the way?" Alexia asked.

"Yes, Teacher!" the boy chirped happily. He led us to a seat, set down a menu, and scurried back to the kitchen.

"The children here are also my students," Alexia said warmly. "It’s so admirable of them to help out at the shop like this at night."

"It’s only natural for the impoverished masses to work," I retorted.

"It is because they exist that our own lives are possible, Miranda."

As usual, we clashed the moment we opened our mouths. Our fundamental worldviews were simply irreconcilable. I believed the nobility was everything; Alexia, following the path of the Saint, believed everyone should be equal regardless of race or status. Our conversations always ended in a stalemate.

However, the debate was cut short this time.

"Well now, Alexia. It is rare to see you in a place like this."

"Lucille-sama. The same could be said for you."

"Hahaha! I come here often. After all, the sweets—I mean, the dishes—here are top-tier!"

Almost instantly, a mountain of sweets was placed in front of Lucille. She must have ordered the moment she walked in. The two of them began chatting amiably until Lucille finally noticed me. She stared intently at my body before speaking.

"What is this Thief—this Cutting Board—doing here?"

"Who are you calling a Cutting Board?!" I snapped. "You’re even smaller than I am in every way that counts!"

"Hmph! I am still a work in progress! One day, I shall be curvaceous and well-endowed!"

"I-If that’s the case, then I’m just getting started too!"

Alexia watched us, a serene smile on her face. "I hope you both grow up well."

A vein throbbed in both our foreheads simultaneously.

"Perhaps," I hissed, "we should first take down that uselessly oversized sack of fat?"

"Umu," the Demon Lord replied, her gaze narrowing. "I was thinking the exact same thing."

And so, a Temporary Alliance was forged between the eldest daughter of the Mastermind Family and the Demon Lord.