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Davian gazed at Insanis.
He was about to collapse the stairs to prevent the members from escaping.
Thanks to Insanis, he would be able to walk out on the stairs later.
"Well, assuming there's nothing more, I'll go first."
Davian stretched out his arms to the left and right.
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
An operation involving the total personnel of base X-11.
They kidnapped the head of the Nauonne County and prepared eight levels of traps.
All the remaining personnel gathered in this underground space.
An operation solely to recruit or eliminate Davian.
Whoosh!
The underground base found to capture Davian turned into a hell of fire.
"Davian!"
Latia ran over.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah."
Edward Nauonne approached.
"Davian. My son."
"Yes, Father."
"I've heard the rumors about you. To think you've become so strong... I'm proud and amazed."
"I didn't know, but it seems I learn things a little fast."
"Thank you, Davian. I was so worried about you being harmed."
He almost got harmed in the last playthrough, but not this time.
They were using the same methods in a place he already knew, with people he already knew.
There were no risk factors from the start.
'Except for attracting the demons.'
Davian had many questions about demons.
First semester of freshman year, Zedikus felt like an insurmountable wall.
During the sophomore year field trip, he killed him directly.
But.
"He's a disgrace to our demons who just became a legion commander and got killed by a human. Are you comparing me to him now?"
Habiel, the legion commander of the Coccarus Legion he met this time, described Zedikus as a disgrace to the demons.
Absorbing the Archmage's heart.
He had become incomparably stronger than when he killed Zedikus.
Although he won, Habiel had skills comparable to Davian's current level.
'There must be legion commanders stronger than Habiel.'
Besides.
"It's a terrible memory. It took five dragons, including me, to barely manage to expel him back to the demon world."
Above all, Insanis's words were shocking.
A demon king that it took five dragons to barely drive away.
Demons grow stronger over time, and their lifespan increases as they grow stronger.
And the Demon King is known as the one who conquered such a demon world, with a lifespan close to infinity.
'The Demon King must have gotten stronger over the years. It's been over a thousand years.'
Can he even handle such an opponent?
'After the demon wave... is the Demon King's invasion quest going to happen?'
Fifth grade, first semester of the third playthrough.
He died during the demon wave quest and didn't experience the quests that followed.
'If the Demon King is that strong, should I destroy the Marino Empire altogether to prevent them from opening the dimensional portal again?'
Glacier will return someday, and Insanis is annoyingly stuck by Davian's side.
His friends have become stronger than ever and formed a solid relationship.
And the Davian Alliance.
Espen Elaina, the Marquis who became the captain of the guard, and the Meridian Family, the Specula Family, and the Arond Family.
And the Nauonne Family, whose power is not as weak as he thought.
And even the king, who has now come to his senses.
He didn't know the exact power of the Marino Empire.
But he thought it might be possible.
But as always.
The problem is the main quest, 'Academy Graduation.'
He couldn't start a war that might take several years without completing the main quest.
'I'll try to get information little by little. Let's start with what's at hand.'
Count Edward asked.
"Davian. Do you have to go back to the academy right away? If you have time, how about visiting the family for a while? You haven't been home once since you left for Elton City."
He was thinking of going sometime anyway.
To incorporate the Nauonne County into the Davian Alliance.
Davian took out a scroll from his pocket.
"It's a scroll to get close to home. It's still the weekend, so a day or so should be fine."
"Good thinking, son."
The starting point of the game Elton Academy is in a carriage heading to Elton City.
It's the Nauonne County where Davian was born and raised.
But this is only the second time he's been home.
Latia exclaimed as she climbed the mountain.
"Wow... what's all that mountain fortress?"
Latia was looking down at a long mountain fortress stretched along the mountain ridge.
It was quite high.
The length was so long that the left and right ends were obscured by the curved mountains.
Outside the high and long mountain fortress was a coastline with rolling waves.
Mons answered on behalf of Davian and Edward, who were walking ahead.
"This is also a border of sorts. People from the Ocid Continent invade this area from time to time. This is the closest area where the two continents are connected."
"So they keep raiding this area because the sea route is close."
"Yes. Raiding is especially severe when it gets cold."
The Nauonne family is located at the southwestern tip of the Pax Continent.
The Ocid Continent is a continent west of the Pax Continent, mostly consisting of mountainous areas.
To the south is the Desert Continent, which consists of desert areas.
Mons continued the explanation.
"The Nauonne County protects the people of the territory from all threats in this area. So the territory is also quite large. They have to incorporate it into the territory so that the county's private army can protect the area."
"Was it to expand the territory to protect the people, not because of the nobles' greed?"
"Yes. It's probably the largest territory of a single noble."
"Is it that much?"
"Otherwise, the county's private army can't operate freely by law."
Latia nodded.
A noble's private army can only fight to defend its territory by royal decree.
When mobilizing the private army for other purposes, they must obtain prior royal permission.
The Nauonne County had been forcibly expanding its territory to protect the people from the invasions of the Ocid Continent.
Forcibly expanding the territory, continuing to recruit and train the private army.
Building a mountain fortress on a mountain ridge that is useful for defense along the coastline.
"But as I asked earlier, what about the royal family? Why is Davian's family protecting the people?"
"The Ocid Continent is not a threat to the Alcancia Kingdom. Because it is so mountainous and barren, there are not many people, and there are small countries at the level of tribal societies scattered there."
"Even so... the people are being attacked by pirates from other continents, but the royal family doesn't move because it's not a threat to the kingdom?"
"That's true, but well. The Nauonne County is doing such a good job of blocking them."
While listening to Mons's explanation, they reached the top of the mountain, which looked so high.
At the top of the mountain was a castle that was neither too big nor too small for the county's castle.
Compared to the endless mountain fortress seen from below, it looked rather shabby.
"Why did you build the castle in such a high and inconvenient place?"
"There are two reasons. This is the place where the border is most visible, and the other is to avoid deploying troops to protect the county's castle separately."
"You don't deploy troops to protect the county's castle?"
"Because there are always not enough troops to deploy the private army in the large territory."
"Ah... the castle's location is only for observation and defense."
"Yes."
Creak.
The huge castle gate opened.
The third son of the Nauonne County, Davian Nauonne, rescued the kidnapped head of the family.
A splendid banquet began at the county's castle.
Davian's two older brothers also attended the banquet for the first time in a while.
The first brother, Dyke Nauonne, looked at Latia and opened his mouth.
"Davian brought a pretty friend. What's your name?"
The opponent is Davian's older brother.
Latia bowed lightly and answered.
"Latia Meridian."
"A name as pretty as your face..."
Dyke Nauonne, who was nodding, suddenly froze.
"Meridian? Latia Meridian of the Meridian Duchy?"
"Yes."
Dyke rose halfway in an awkward posture and bowed his head.
"I meet the Duchess's daughter."
The daughter of the Duke.
Not the second daughter, but the eldest daughter.
Due to the characteristics of the Duchy, where titles are inherited, she will naturally become the Duke over time.
Even the County has to bow his head, so a mere son of the County cannot speak informally.
All the classmates at the academy speak informally because of the academy's rules that all classmates are equal regardless of their status.
Even commoners speak informally to nobles.
If that rule didn't exist, not only the classmates but also the professors would have had to speak respectfully to Latia.
"Feel free to speak comfortably. I'm just Davian's friend."
"No. I wondered if it was really you when I saw your appearance. Please forgive my rudeness."
Latia Meridian.
She wasn't the type to flaunt the power of the Duchy wherever she went, but that didn't mean she was endlessly humble.
Before entering the academy, she was the eldest daughter of the Duchy, whom everyone bowed their heads to.
"If you really feel that way, do as you please."
Catherine Nauonne asked Latia.
She had a bright smile on her face.
"You followed him to rescue your husband, so you must be very close to our Davian?"
"Ah? Ah, yes. We're close... Davian saved my father's life once."
"Ah, I heard. Are you talking about the incident where Davian dealt with the assassin who infiltrated the Meridian Duchy?"
She was the County's wife who could only cheer from afar, but she had collected every piece of news related to Davian.
"Yes. It would have been a disaster without Davian."
Catherine Nauonne poked Count Edward Nauonne.
"When did our Davian become such a handsome man? Doesn't his face look a bit different?"
Edward Nauonne nodded.
"I thought he was just going to lock himself in his room and read books. I can't believe when Davian grew up so wonderfully."
After the banquet was over.
Count Edward Nauonne's private office.
"...Are you really saying that you're leading that huge alliance? An alliance with the Meridian Family, the Specula Family, and even His Excellency Espen, the Marquis of the royal family?"
"Rather than leading, we've just gathered our thoughts together."
It had only been about a year and a half since he sent his third son to the academy.
Davian came to Count Edward with a huge story.
"I've heard that the Marino Empire guys are plotting everywhere on the continent. So. What's the reason for telling me this? Do you want our Nauonne County to join forces?"
"Yes. We can't let the kingdom be taken by the Marino Empire like this. We have to combine our strengths as much as possible."
Count Edward, who had been contemplating for a long time, opened his mouth with a heavy expression.
"I'm sorry, Davian. Our family cannot share your intentions."
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