Enemy of my Enemy (1)

Twenty-seven completed runs.

If you thought you'd never be able to save the Kingdom of Tahalin, you're not alone.

A route no one else has ever taken.

Don't you just love a new path?

Goro, {sic}

I, too, was obsessed with this new path... and finally succeeded in saving Tahalin.

Though I was unable to completely free it from Imperial rule, I was able to achieve outward independence.

To be sure, Inner Lunatic was a open world.

Even though the first part of the game was played from the Empire's perspective, it was not impossible to save Tahalin.

However, two conditions would have to be met early on....

The first is the mental care of Kushan Adrian.

Some may ask.

'Why would I play a game where I have to take care of NPCs?'

I do.

But once you've done this, you'll be rewarded with a whole host of rewards.

Special powers, along with my lack of life. Plus the inclusion of three useful units in Kushan, Arya, and Liese.

In the grand scheme of things, that's not a loss, but arguably a gain.

So when I first met Kushan, I crushed his self-esteem.

I had no choice in the matter.

As I saw in the status window earlier. He's already down to nearly 40 percent of his loyalty to the demon Kramsar. He's not quite halfway there yet....

This is a bad thing, because it means he'll trust Kramsar completely.

You stop listening to other people.

'To prevent that, you have to make him think for himself. Let him decide for himself whether what he's doing is right or wrong, and whether he's getting what he deserves.

By increasing hostility toward me, I reduce the room for Kramser's instructions to intervene.

It's not a bad plan.

It may not seem to make sense, but it has worked quite successfully for several Tahalin saves.

After all, demons are sneaky, and they can easily take over and brainwash you.

To counteract this, it's better to use a zero setting, which is to say, to traumatize the target so badly that they can't think at all.

What I've done may seem cruel to him now, but after he's defeated Kramsar, he'll understand my deeper intentions.

The second condition is the girl who was brainwashed by Kramsar who is with me now.

We must restore her to her former self. Currently, she is in the process of guiding us to our desired destination.

Again, not voluntarily, but involuntarily.

As if realizing my intentions, Christopher telepathically asks from the side.

["Come on, Young Master. No matter how magically gifted you are, the magic she's afflicted with is black magic, a curse. Even if it were Kushan Adrian, the Scarecrow Prince, you'd be risking an all-out war with Reinhafer.]

[Apparently, the spell on Arya is black magic, the kind used by demons, and it's hard to break it using normal methods. But don't worry. I have a way].

I replied calmly, and then looked at Arya with a blank stare as she walked ahead.

'No room for failure.'

I thought to myself, recalling an artifact I had acquired in the past.

A tome I'd gotten as a reward for killing the demon Ludwig.

I'd spent quite a bit of time poring over the tome, which was called [Black Magic Essence].

The positive talent of [Mana Sensitive Genius] helped me learn spells more quickly, and of course, the book contained recipes for various drinks.

Also, where Ariy was headed now.

I have no doubt that the units there will help me greatly in my work.

Because of this, I am confident.

'It's a good enough curse to lift, Liese, if she's willing to collaborate...….'

I break off the thought and look around.

"First, let's go somewhere out of sight."

"Aye. Understood, Young Master Nox."

"Yes!"

Arya replies impassively, and Elena trots along beside her, looking as if she's just happy to be walking with me.

I feel a little uncomfortable with my arms crossed, but I can't help it.

Elena is going to be the most important part of this mission.

…Ha, if I had known this, I would have brought Mei along.

I've realized that I was wrong.

What the hell...….

I can only blame my past for backing me into a corner at a big party.

A few moments later.

Passing through the disparate landscape around us, we came to a hostel on the outskirts of town.

It's rarely visited, and because it's so out in the middle of nowhere, people don't really see the value in it, but I beg to differ.

'There are at least three things we can get here.'

The first is Arya's curse, the second is the blossoming of Elena's abilities.

The third is access to a special unit called Liese.

Mulling it all over, I pulled open the entrance to the ramshackle shelter.

"I'd like to stay the night."

My tone is calm, but imposing.

The petite girl manning the inn's counter glanced at me for a moment, then bowed her head in refusal.

"Customer. I'm sorry, but this is not an inn suitable for hosting nobles. You'd be better off looking for another good place...."

"So, how are the preparations for the rebellion going?"

At my words, the girl guarding the inn counter immediately reaches into her subspace and pulls out a dagger.

An attack that stabs towards me.

But his attack can never reach me.

"You're not being very polite to my master."

First, Christopher aims his sword at the woman's throat,

"Don't bully my husband!"

In the second, Elena, holding a potion bottle, glared at her with malice in her eyes.

"You seem intent on repeating the disaster."

Finally, in the darkness, the voice of a supposed member of the Black Sword Knights echoed.

It was all I could do to speak to her, mockingly.

"You'd better listen to me, don't you think?"

* * *

The southern part of a barren continent.

A wagon drawn by two horses rattles for a moment, then comes to a stop at a spot.

As she watched the direction they were headed, she realized that the place was very familiar to Talia.

House Reinhafer, where she had once trained as a knight.

Standing in front of the imposing gates, Talia shivered for a moment.

The reason was simple.

She had arrived at ... by accident.

"Dad, are we really going…?"

"Of course, my daughter. How dare the man who made our little girl put on a tie announce that he won't marry her? I can't stand the thought of it. I'm even willing to fight that man, Theo, if it comes to that."

"That sounds a bit like... dad would lose...."

Talia said timidly.

But her words seemed to fall on deaf ears.

For the record, the story of how they ended up in this Reinhafer's Estate was simple.

A few days ago.

Talia and Robert von Steiner had written to the Reinhafer family. They had received a unilateral request for a divorce, and they would have to take responsibility for it.

The Reinhafers were just thinking about discussing the matter, and as a result. He wasted no time in pulling his carriage up to the door.

"Greetings, Lord Robert von Steiner."

A moment of thought.

Then Rodwell, the head butler, approached and greeted him.

He's a butler in the family and a very skilled knight, so he's a favorite.

A man he would have liked to have scouted out.

But since he was the butler of the Reinhafer family, a close friend of his, he had to put up with it.

'Of course, if I'm not responsible for my daughter's tie problem, I'm not going to go over it. It's friendly, it's nasty, it's not forgivable.

Inwardly, Robert thought so, but he didn't show it, just smiled a friendly smile.

"Ah, Rodwell."

Robert greeted him warmly and shook his hand.

Soon, he had the carriage parked and headed into the estate.

All eyes were on him as he moved about, wondering if the lords had heard the news of House Steiner.

The arrival of a duke's head of household was a big deal, and it was a strange sight to behold.

Only Talia was left out of the excitement. She sighed and looked troubled.

She sighed and thought, "Why can't my father understand my feelings when I told him I don't want to come?"

If she just tried a little harder, maybe Nox would fall for her....

Young Talia believed Emma's made-up story about their romance with a grain of salt, and that's what she was thinking.

She has no doubt that Nox will eventually become her captive!

But her father, being the short-tempered man that he is, decided to make sure things were in order.

Otherwise, the case wouldn't have gotten this far.

"Come this way, my lord, the patriarch is waiting for you."

"Sure."

Rodwell quickly led the two of them to Theo's parlor.

Theo was soon seen sitting in the rarely used parlor, and Robert offered his hand in greeting.

"Look who it is, Theo, long time no see."

"Robert. Please, have a seat. We have a long story to tell. Talia, it's good to see you. Have a seat."

The three people shook hands and took their seats. Anyone who didn't notice the cool breeze blowing between them would have to be insensitive or a man unloved by his wife.

Their eyes were smiling, but there was never a smile underneath.

This was especially true of the Steiner family.

Robert von Steiner was the worst.

"I've heard the stories. I hear that Nox has won the top spot in Eldain this time? Congratulations. He's your son, after all, despite all the rumors."

"The compliment is undeserved."

He gave the proper greeting, but they didn't speak first. Robert sipped the tea in front of him, feeling a bit on edge.

"Now, let's get past the pretense and talk."

"That would be nice."

"Why, of course I realize that the opportunity to marry a princess is not a common one. But it is by no means a betrayal of the pact between the dukes. She is not yet a proper heir to the throne. Was Princess Penelope's talent the cause of your judgment?"

Robert was right.

The normally unthinking man had been the Duke's chamberlain. His ability to read national politics was second to none.

Theo considered his words for a moment, then continued in a calm tone.

"I have no comment on that incident either. The Reinhafer Family was unilaterally contacted by the Imperial Family and had no choice but to accept the offer."

"It seems that the rumors ... were true after all."

"There were rumors?"

Theo asked, and Robert nodded vigorously.

"Rumors, Nox… rumors that your youngest was so incredibly beautiful that he was able to charm all the women around him, even the Princess. Somehow. My daughter came back from her knighting lessons and told me all about Nox, too. I guess everything happens for a reason after all...."

"Ah, Daddy!"

Talia exclaimed, then stopped herself.

She paled as she remembered what Emma had told her.

-Miss Talia, you're not allowed to scream at the top of your lungs at House Reinhafer, okay? You understand? Because if you do, my head could go flying off with it, please...….

Emma's instructions, before they first arrived at the mansion.

On the way home, Talia realized she should ask her father not to yell at Emma so much.

That she had yelled at her, too.

Talia's face flushed.

'How nice....'

I didn't think so, but this....

It was more embarrassing than she could have imagined.