Don't Stop Me. This Is Fun

The fire at the Sagittari estate.

But the death of Apostle Dierk was not made public.

I prevented it.

Humans controlled by Dierk have no memory.

You can’t punish crimes committed while controlled.

Moreover, the infected numbered in the hundreds at minimum, and included famous figures from all walks of life.

If this fact became known, it would create too much chaos.

So Dierk’s death was kept hidden from the world.

But the problem lay elsewhere.

The disposition of Uren Sagittari and Dargal Sagittari.

The Imperial Military insisted on taking them over for trial, but the Military Police and Central Police unanimously opposed this.

As tensions between the armed organizations escalated…….

I was at the hospital.

“Ah, delicious.”

Sitting on a bed in the capital’s central hospital, eating outside food.

The dark elf sitting beside the bed, Iselen, spoke worriedly.

A private room, just the two of us.

“Are you really okay?”

“I don’t have a single sword wound. I’m just exaggerating to rest.”

I spoke while chewing a tangerine.

“So what about the dark elf information network?”

“……It’s functioning now that I’ve rested a bit, but it’s much weaker. Transmission often fails and there are time limitations.”

Iselen sighed.

Dierk had interfered with the dark elf information network just before dying.

I thought for a moment and spoke.

“The Seven Sin God probably created him deliberately targeting you all.”

“Because the information exchange is similar?”

“To catch someone like Dierk whose main body hides around, you have no choice but to use the dark elf network. If Dierk in that main body state bit just any dark elf, your network would become contaminated. I bet they aimed for that.”

“……Really?”

Iselen was skeptical, but I explained.

“The Seven Sin God’s hobby is watching people stab and kill each other, right? Dierk and dark elf have similar sounds, no?”

“……”

Iselen’s face, which had been carefully removing the white parts from tangerines before giving them to me, hardened.

She knew the Seven Sin God’s vicious hobbies too.

I seized the opportunity to snatch the tangerine from her hand and chewed it.

Why bother picking all that off?

“Normally the problem would have been much worse. The fact that you, the queen, were bitten and are recovering is actually fortunate.”

It’s just my guess, no evidence.

But this would comfort Iselen.

More constructive than blaming herself for what happened through carelessness.

Iselen slowly nodded.

“……Yeah, thanks for consoling me.”

“I’m just stating facts. Anyway, how do you see the outlook going forward, Lagriz?”

When I called her by her family name, Iselen’s cheeks flushed slightly.

An embarrassed yet happy reaction.

A woman cold as ice before others felt happy from just my calling her.

Even I, accustomed to it, felt my heart race.

But Iselen suppressed her joy and spoke.

“……The Seven Sin God seem to be trying to return.”

“Yeah, that must be it.”

I led the Imperial Military to defeat the Seven Sin God but couldn’t kill them.

I merely banished them from Karakas.

“The apostles must be planning to shake the empire’s foundation and then summon the Seven Sin God back. So how do we deal with that?”

“I’ve been looking into it various ways but can’t figure that out. Even ordinary terrorists seem to know absolutely nothing about the Seven Sin God. You’d probably need to capture an apostle to get information.”

“Ideally we’d crush them all before that, but I’m not sure if it’s possible.”

When I spoke, Iselen said questioningly.

“Why? You shouldn’t reveal your identity yet, but soon……”

“I’ve become much weaker.”

I revealed honestly.

I hadn’t told Lang Ei or Arsen this, but Iselen needed to know.

Since she handles information.

The color drained completely from Iselen’s face.

“……Did you lose everything when you reincarnated?”

“I’m recovering through continuous fighting. So don’t tell me to stay out of the field.”

Iselen looked at me worriedly.

But I couldn’t avoid things just because I’d grown weaker.

To strengthen magical power, you must overcome real battles.

Fortunately, this body of Rigen had an incredibly fast growth rate.

Right after catching Dierk, I got the sense I’d crossed well past the middle of fifth rank.

Roughly 60%?

If I went through just one or two more fierce battles, sixth rank would come into view.

I needed to quickly reach seventh rank and aim even higher.

Fight while restoring the empire’s order and prevent the Seven Sin God’s return.

That was the immediate goal.

Iselen understood and nodded.

“……Alright, I understand. What will you do now?”

“The problem is the Imperial Military. Are there signs of a coup inside the Imperial Military?”

Iselen shook her head.

“Even dark elves have difficulty getting information from the Imperial Military. You know why, but……”

“Right, dark elves serving in the Imperial Military all declare their family names.”

Dark elves who prioritized their own race, but once belonging to state organizations like the Imperial Military, things changed.

They acted not as dark elves but as members of the empire, the emperor’s limbs.

Natural for establishing a nation.

“But there must be signs, indications?”

“……It’s true there are various conflicts inside the Imperial Military. The Sagittari family’s problem would have exposed that more. I’ll organize and inform you soon.”

Iselen spoke while gripping my hand tightly.

Worried about my body going forward.

“Take care of yourself, Sirik. If you disappear like that again, I absolutely won’t be able to endure it……”

“I’m resting at the hospital, how much more careful can I be?”

Even speaking with a smile, Iselen couldn’t hide her anxiety and kept fidgeting with the back of my hand.

I spoke again.

“The opponent isn’t even the Seven Sin God but their servants, so it’s nothing much. I need to quickly clean things up as tails get caught and then relax and loaf around.”

“Yeah, I’ll support you for life.”

“……”

Iselen looked shocked at her own words.

“N-no. I don’t mean I’ll stay by your side. J-just, I’ll send money.”

“Not Your Majesty the Queen but Your Majesty the Sucker.”

“It’s fine. I’m happy just knowing you’re alive.”

Seeing Iselen smile softly made my chest ache.

“Ah.”

When I grasped Iselen’s hand, she let out a quiet moan and twisted her body.

“……This is a hospital. Sirik.”

“……”

No, we were just holding hands to encourage each other.

But Iselen was side-eyeing the bed I was currently sitting on.

Mainly checking its durability and elasticity.

“This is a hospital, Your Majesty Sucker.”

“……Ah, I know.”

Knock knock.

A knocking sound.

Iselen quickly pulled her hand away and jumped to her feet.

Then she whirled around, crossed her arms, and leaned against the wall with a frigid wind blowing across her face.

The woman who’d been like warm spring weather instantly became a Siberian air mass.

“This is Luon. Excuse me.”

The one who entered was Luon from the Central Police.

After greeting, Luon flinched seeing the Queen of Assassins leaning against the wall.

“Ah, y-you were here, Your Majesty?”

“Speak. What is it?”

When Iselen snapped, Luon shrank back and read the room.

Thinking it better to speak to me, he turned his head and said.

“There’s been a problem.”

“What?”

“The Imperial Military came to take Uren and Dargal.”

“Again? Arsen’s there, isn’t he?”

The reason I, perfectly healthy, was faking illness and hospitalized.

Precisely because Uren and Dargal were on the floor below.

To confirm things with them, and also to provoke the Imperial Military’s reaction.

I stood up from the bed while speaking.

“Did someone with stars come?”

“Yes, well……”

Luon spoke cautiously.

“Grand General Lerik came personally.”

“Ah, really?”

“……You’re not surprised?”

If it’s Central Grand General Lerik, he’s the top of the Central Army, first among the five Grand Generals.

The military commander directly below the emperor.

Not a rank even Arsen could easily handle.

I sent a glance to Iselen and told Luon.

“No, this actually makes things easier. Guide me.”

While descending the stairs, I became lost in thought.

Central Grand General, wolf beastman Lerik.

A guy who’d fought through countless battlefields with me.

Strong loyalty, so trustworthy.

The image of him clutching the shoes I’d thrown like treasure was endearing.

If I revealed my identity to him and persuaded him, things would go much smoother.

“It’s about time.”

However, the atmosphere in the corridor was already ominous.

Thirty Imperial Military soldiers in uniform, and a similar number of Military Police and police in standoff.

People can’t pass like this.

Other patients and doctors were also watching anxiously.

“Hey, move aside a bit.”

“Ah, Headquarters Commander.”

The Military Police officers and police recognized me and quickly moved left and right.

The eyes looking at me were full of goodwill.

Having resolved even the Sagittari family’s problem, I was now respected by members of both organizations.

And in the center of the corridor.

A wolf beastman man matching the huge Arsen’s size was baring his teeth.

“You really won’t back down, Arsen?”

Grand General Lerik.

Flinch.

The Military Police officers standing behind Arsen shrank back.

Instinctively recognizing that Lerik was strong.

Both sides unarmed since it’s a hospital.

But Lerik could punch holes through this corridor barehanded.

Yet Arsen facing him was resolute.

“Stand down, Central Grand General Lerik. Just because you hold military authority doesn’t mean you can make impossible things possible.”

“If we’re talking logic, you’re the ones who’ve lost your minds conducting military operations inside the capital. Investigation headquarters? I never authorized such a thing.”

“The Third Empress sanctioned it.”

“How am I supposed to trust the schemes of a woman who hides and plots only assassinations and tricks?”

Lerik’s disrespectful tone.

Everyone swallowed hard.

For someone as high-ranking as Grand General to speak such blasphemous words about an empress?

Not in private but where everyone can hear?

“G-Grand General.”

“Your words are a bit……”

Even his subordinates from the Imperial Military thought Lerik had gone too far and were nervous.

Though the empresses weren’t respected for various reasons, Lerik was just going wild.

Arsen clicked his tongue.

“How am I supposed to trust you then, Lerik? For a Grand General to act this frivolously!”

“My subordinates caused an incident, so I just said to rest at a military hospital! And I wanted to hear their circumstances! But you won’t even let me meet them, so I have no choice but to think there’s a scheme!”

Lerik growled.

A hair-trigger moment.

An atmosphere like they’d clash any second, so I approached while speaking.

“Going to a military hospital won’t cure what should heal.”

“What?”

Lerik turned to me with a vicious gaze.

Eyes that would bite and tear anything blocking the way.

Why did this guy become like this in a hundred years?

Arsen quickly tried to bow to me but hesitated.

Even Arsen with his poor acting skills now knew not to reveal my identity in a corridor where everyone could see.

I spoke.

“First clear out the kids you brought. This is a hospital and there are other patients, you’re being a nuisance. No manners.”

“Who’s this human now? Arsen, is he your subordinate?”

Lerik snorted and turned to Arsen.

Arsen was aghast and sent some kind of look to Lerik.

A desperate wink.

Lerik made an incredulous face.

“Did you get an eye infection? Why are you blinking so much? Are you crazy?”

“Ah, that. Stop fooling around and withdraw the kids. I’ll explain everything.”

“Ah, are you that Rigen Librata guy?”

Lerik gave me a threatening smile.

“I heard you blocked every single meeting request the Imperial Military made to my subordinates? Was that your judgment? Or the assassination woman’s judgment?”

“……H-hey. Hey. Hey. Lerik! Lerik? W-watch your words.”

Arsen turned pale and tried to restrain Lerik.

Having been punished for speaking carelessly to Lang Ei, Arsen knew you mustn’t speak blasphemously about the empresses.

Lerik shoved Arsen aside irritably.

“What? Want to fight?”

“No, Arsen. Don’t stop me. This is fun. Let him keep talking.”

I laughed while brushing off my hands.

“The one supposedly commanding the Central Army as Grand General is completely advertising in public, where everyone can hear, that there’s discord between the Imperial Military and the empresses?”

“If you didn’t know, now you do.”

“Right, I’ll take note of that. Arsen?”

When I called, the frozen Arsen quickly snapped to attention.

“Yes, yessir!”

“Pull out all the kids and clear a room.”

The wolf doesn’t recognize his master.