"I am Ronpaia, a member of the Fourth Knights of the Leniosegura Royal Palace and the commander of the border patrol force."
I thought, "What's the big deal when he just turns up out of nowhere and introduces himself?"
What's more, it managed to pull off the incredible feat of arriving suddenly, yet being well late at the crucial moment.
Look, all those Niosebuku thugs you were supposed to drive away are lying there, half dead.
Most of the time, an arm or leg is blown off and the victim is unable to recover, but you wouldn't call this an assault, would you?
We firmly claim self-defense.
"Don't worry. When we sent our troops, our country was already prepared for a clash with Niosebuku. I am actually surprised that no one has died, even though we have all suffered fatal injuries. You are a surprisingly kind person."
Oh my?
Maybe they're making fun of me?
I was surprised at how agitated I was, probably because I had just come off a fight.
It might be best to take a moment to cool down in order to have a calm discussion.
Just as I was thinking that, at the perfect moment, a certain voice came through.
"Sao!"
"Elder Sister!?"
That voice was unmistakably my sister, Caliba.
After hearing my voice, the creature appeared, ran towards me, and jumped on me.
"Why are you here?! And don't run or jump?! What if something happens to the baby in your belly?!"
"I'm not the kind of weakling who can be easily defeated by something like this. I'm Sao's child, so I'm tougher than a crocodile!"
What on earth is the basis for this?
But seriously, why are you here? Since I'm sure you've gotten pregnant because of my skills, didn't we agree to wait at the hot spring inn to be on the safe side?!
"Then, these knights happened to be passing by. We decided to go to the town together."
Is that so, Miss Staaf?
What the heck, have the girls carrying my seed that I left behind at the hot spring inn all moved away?!
Are you okay!?
Transportation by foot? Horse-drawn carriage?
If they were walking, I would be concerned about their physical strength, but if they were in a carriage, I would be concerned about the effect the vibrations would have on the mother's body!
"Please calm down. We came on the magical bus that Beaker-san prepared for us. We even used it to get to the hot spring inn, right?"
Oh yeah, that's right.
The bus that was recreated in the other world using that magical technology had very little vibration and was comfortable to ride, so it must be very gentle on pregnant women.
I feel somewhat relieved.
"Our goal of attacking the dungeon together hasn't changed, so let's see it through to the end! Sao! Let's join forces and conquer the dungeon!!"
That being said.
Sadly, the prevailing atmosphere right now is one in which this is not the case.
This city was supposed to be our goal.
There is now an air of tension as if war is on the horizon.
Hundreds of soldiers, calling themselves "border security reinforcements," entered the city.
It was quite a large scale, and with such a difference in numbers, the Niosebuku detachment of about 100 people could have been managed.
At least there was a firm determination to "protect the country."
Well, it didn't mean anything since the enemy arrived first.
"Sao-dono, we will retrieve the Niosebuku soldiers you subjugated. Fortunately, they still have mouths to speak, so we will have them sing the inside information they have."
Interrogation of prisoners?
Well, it was a given, and I was hoping that the reason they kept him alive was because there was a way to use him for such a purpose...
"But do they really have any valuable information? After all, they're just errand boys sent abroad."
"Either way is fine? We're also going to skip the interrogation and start with torture. They're the vanguard of the Niosebuku, the most despised group in the world, so their pain will be a source of pleasure for everyone."
The means become the end... right?
I can't sympathize with them though. They are people who have lived lives that should have been rewarding.
If you do not properly resolve your karma in this life, it will become a hindrance in your next life.
Did you say Ronpaia-san?
The knight in charge of the border patrol... a female knight? Her proportions were hidden by her full body armor, but looking at her face and long blonde hair, she seemed quite feminine.
"Fortunately, Lord Sao annihilated every last soldier of the detachment from Niosebuku. If there were no soldiers left behind, that means that no one fled back to the enemy base to report the sudden change. It will take time for the enemy to even realize that something is wrong, and it will take time for them to respond."
That means we still have some time before Niosebuku makes a new move.
That's 'yeah'.
"In the meantime, we will make full use of the time given to strengthen our defenses. Now, Sao-dono, what are you guys going to do?"
"What are you going to do...?!"
Then suddenly I was confused.
What should I really do?
The original goal was to go into the dungeon, bring back materials, and have a great time.
It wasn't anything particularly urgent, and it was the result of a spirit of wanting to do something useful with the club that I had worked so hard to start.
Before I knew it, I had gotten all the women in my club pregnant. Naturally, it came with the expense of childbirth and child rearing, so I began to crave it.
It takes money to raise a child!
I want money now, much more than I did just a few days ago. A large sum of money.
...By the way, why not change the club's activities to "Pregnancy, childbirth and childcare"?
At the fertility group, I reflected on the events that had taken place up to this point and thought anew.
So that's it.
Even though the situation is already extremely dire, now the Niosebuku Kingdom is making its moves.
Those guys aren't invited!!
We want to work hard for our families tomorrow, so don't bring in unnecessary trouble!!
I really hate those guys, their very existence is annoying.
First of all, what happened to the part about assassinating the king and causing chaos so that other countries wouldn't be inconvenienced in the meantime?
"The civil war is showing signs of settling down faster than expected."
Said the female knight Ronpaia.
"According to information coming from the intelligence bureau, the battle to become the next king of Niosebuku was initially expected to be chaotic, but contrary to expectations, it has turned into a neatly structured conflict. Currently, there are three candidates who are considered to be the most likely to become the next king.
The third prince, Gangasurah.
The fourth princess, Synthenoiser.
The sixth prince, Terracoas.
"Among them, the one who is taking the lead is the third prince, Gangastora. Even though there may be twists and turns, in the end, even Her Majesty the Queen believes that this man will become the next King of Niosebuku."
I've heard that name before.
From the soldiers I'd beaten.
"This third prince was not only a capable man, but also extremely ambitious, and it seems he saw the sudden death of the previous king as an opportunity. He was the first to act, and he ambushed and killed his own brothers, the first and second princes. It is said that he accomplished this on the same day that the previous king, Imasi Nunda I, was assassinated."
"Your father and brother died on the same day?"
Without even observing the mourning period for his father, he immediately began a secret struggle for the throne.
It seems fitting for royalty in the Beast Kingdom, and using it as an analogy for that kingdom seems rather disrespectful to the Beasts.
"His actions were harsh and it was a great opportunity for him to make his presence known, but it felt like he went too far. The remaining princes and princesses became wary of Gangasurah after that incident, and even banded together to oppose him."
"He's proactive, but he doesn't seem to think about the consequences..."
Because of this, they are pushed back by their younger siblings, who are considered to be inferior in ability, and are unable to attack.
"The Fourth Princess and the Sixth Prince, who were the most powerful of the lower-ranking candidates for the succession, joined forces and became an effective counterweight to the Third Prince. Thanks to that, the war situation has reached a stalemate, and now they are just staring each other down."
A glare at each other...
That's not good, right? For us...?
"Yes, because their movements on the front lines have been blocked, the Third Prince's camp, the Fourth Princess' camp, and the Sixth Prince's camp have been active behind the scenes. Their invasion of our Kingdom of Lenio Segura this time is surely part of that."
What a nuisance.
The soldiers were talking about increasing their strength, so I guess they were preparing for the upcoming decisive battle.
Don't bring your civil war outside the country.
"The town of Kitoteru has a dungeon inside, so it would be an ideal target for them. We were lucky enough to drive them away this time, but it's highly likely they'll come back to get it again, even if it takes some time."
"I was the one who pushed him away though."
The more I hear about it, the more serious the situation seems.
In an emergency situation like this, it's even more difficult to say, "Please let me conquer the dungeon."
I'm good at reading the atmosphere.
But if I couldn't conquer the dungeon and bring back materials, I was relying on them for child support!
I want money!
I want money!
"Of course, the next time Niosebuku attacks we will defend to the death even if it means losing our lives. However, the enemy is a 'country of tigers and wolves', and they say that once they set their sights on their prey, they will never give up, no matter how much time passes. I wonder if we can actually defend to the end... I'm worried."
There's nothing I can do even if you act like you're in trouble like that.
I'm also busy worrying about myself...or more accurately, my children and their mothers, so I don't have the time to worry about others!
However, I wouldn't be reluctant to do something if our interests were at least aligned.
"So, how about this suggestion?"
"Huh?"
Who's it this time?
That petite researcher attired is... Beaker-chan!? Actually, Teacher Beaker, a special lecturer at the Royal School.
"You're Beaker?! Rumor has it that you're the genius magical researcher that our country is proud of...?!"
The female knight Ronpaia also knew.
You're famous, Beaker-chan!?
"If you already know, then the matter is quick. I, a magic researcher, would like to offer an idea for the defense of the city. Is that okay? And, to put my idea into action, I need the cooperation of Sao-kun and his fun friends here."
"Hey Beaker?"
Why are you trying to get us involved?
As I've said many times before, all I want right now is money, for my unborn children.
"It's the same for me. After all, the new life you gave me is growing in my stomach♥♥"
Yes.
Indeed, during that wild party at the hot springs inn, Beaker-chan was participating completely naked and I poured my semen deep into her depths.
Right now, a new life is breathing in the belly of this genius girl.
"It is my wish to give birth to this child and raise it well. So I intend to provide an approach that satisfies all sides, okay? You can trust one of your wives."
Normally I would never believe these kinds of mad scientists no matter what, but when he said that, I was inclined to believe him.
You're already acting like you're my wife. I know I shouldn't say that after I got you pregnant.
"Let's start by looking at the problem. We are being plagued by our troublesome neighbor, the Kingdom of Niosebuku. They are targeting this town near the border, and the main reason for this is the dungeon that this town possesses. Is that okay?"
"Yes, more or less...!"
"In other words, the fact that this city has a dungeon makes it an attractive target. So what if that dungeon disappeared? Won't that remove a major reason for the enemy to try and take it?"
"Y-yes?!"
Beaker-chan? How bold is that?
Are you really planning to erase the dungeon itself to escape Niosebuku's pursuit?
I'm scared that she could do it!?
"Don't jump to conclusions. I understand that if the dungeon disappears, it will be a major blow to the city itself. No matter how many enemies we manage to drive away, it will be meaningless."
"I'm relieved to hear that you're thinking about that."
"Normally, the only way to stop the dungeon from functioning is to destroy the dungeon's core and eliminate the dungeon itself. However, I am Beaker, an unparalleled genius magical researcher. With the results of my research, it is possible to stop the dungeon from functioning for a limited period of time."
Really?
"That's right... how about suspending it for about a year? I'm sure Niosebuku wouldn't be happy with a long absence of a king. I'm sure both sides are planning to settle this within a year at the most."
"Y-yes, that's true..."
"In that case, they won't have time to worry about a property that will take nearly a year to turn a profit. If they want to win the civil war, they'll have to find another way. And this city will be free from Niosebuku's target. What do you think?"
"If that really comes to fruition, it would be a brilliant idea. Rendering the enemy's operational objectives meaningless has been one of the basic tactics since ancient times. If it doesn't cause any damage to us, then I have no complaints. I would really appreciate it."
The female knight Ronpaia-san says.
Both parties agreed and the matter was settled.
"Okay then, let's get this done... Let's wipe out the dungeon!!"