Rewinding time to Isabelle's mansion, just before the soldiers burst in to arrest her.
After a few days of rest, the group gathered at Isabelle's house as usual. They had been notified there would be instructions regarding future schedules and operation plans.
As revealed in the previous situation, the demon army's operation was essentially a feint. The true intention behind the terror attack on Pritzenkaya was nothing less than targeting Droan.
As Ivan summarized the situation, Asidis raised her hand with an urgent expression.
"U-Uncle. Then shouldn't we leave right away...?"
"It's difficult until Elizabeta arrives."
Without the Krasilov 2nd Corps, the dwarves, and Elizabeta's permission, they couldn't execute the next operation. If either Droan or Krasilov were lost, it would be impossible to wage war against the demon army.
In the current situation, they were essentially the only military force of the allied kingdoms.
Assuming the 1st Corps had been annihilated, or at least something comparable was happening at the northern border, Krasilov's situation would be precarious without the 2nd Corps and Elizabeta.
As the supreme commander of the counterintelligence headquarters and an (unofficial) member of the Krasilov royal family, Ivan couldn't leave Pritzenkaya immediately.
The city was practically paralyzed administratively and militarily. Even now, Ivan had barely managed to find time after staying up for several nights.
Most administrative officials had died or disappeared, and the military was frantically trying to avoid responsibility. If another incident like before occurred before the system was reorganized under the king's orders, Pritzenkaya could suffer the same fate as "St. Yansk University." Meaning it would be finished.
And the responsibility would be his... especially since Elizabeta had led her corps south out of concern for his safety.
"I cannot leave this city until Elizabeta returns and stabilizes the northern front. And..."
What would happen if he sent these youngsters on their own in such urgency?
Ivan calmly looked around at the group. Of course, they could now rightfully be called a Hero Party. Given the right conditions, their combat power could "match" the Seven Dragon Generals.
They couldn't guarantee victory, but still.
However, they needed scouts regardless. Even with Lucia, scouting abilities were proportional to experience. There would inevitably come a point where ability alone couldn't solve everything.
Even the Hero Party of that era didn't set out alone to assassinate the Seven Dragon Generals and the Demon King. They needed guides to pioneer the way forward and provide direction.
Moreover, would victory be the end? No. Ivan needed to personally take the heads of all Seven Dragon Generals. He couldn't let these youngsters bear their curse.
And if there was one more thing he believed:
"Einar is not a man who would fall to this level of crisis."
"Uncle..."
"Trust your father. If this were a battlefield where the addition of my hand or yours would determine life or death, Einar would never fall."
If it were a crisis that could be resolved with the strength of a few people, Einar wouldn't die. And if Einar were truly in a situation where death was inevitable, a few people wouldn't be able to save him anyway.
Ivan comforted Asidis and said:
"Oskar, go to Tilles."
"What?"
"Gather the Eastern Knights and assemble troops."
Tilles had currently delegated most of its defense capabilities to Krasilov. Officially, Tilles didn't have enough national strength left to dispatch troops abroad.
However, that didn't mean Tilles was on the verge of collapse. They were simply dedicating their resources for maintaining military power to national recovery.
No matter how much civil war they had experienced, Tilles remained a powerful nation. The latent strength remaining in that country of knights couldn't be depleted by just one war.
The only person who could make them provide military support was Oskar. As the eldest son of the Guardian Earl, considering that the Etakrihi family was effectively ruling Tilles now, knights could rally with just one word from Oskar.
And then:
"Elfihera. Go to Kalion."
"Whaaat—"
"Call the Edelplat. We need to request at least a minimal dispatch of troops, if not all the elves."
Kalion was already fragmented. The royal family that could unite them no longer existed, and the Sword Angle, which had been among the most moderate factions, had been completely annihilated.
But Kalion still dominated the seas. Not as a single nation controlling a single sea, but as dozens of schools controlling dozens of sea areas.
Even at this moment, the Kalion Archipelago remained the center of maritime trade. Though they had lost most of their airships, they still possessed the world's strongest naval power.
If they could secure even some of them, their chances would increase dramatically.
The important thing wasn't Einar's survival. It was maintaining Droan's national integrity and preventing war preemptively.
Once they knew the enemy's grand strategy was to "eliminate Einar through a preemptive strike," formulating subsequent plans wasn't difficult.
"Lucia will support the northern front with Elizabeta, and the rest—"
Yu-jin, Yu-ri, Asidis, Isabelle.
"You'll come with me to Droan. Any questions?"
"Will we fight the demons right away when we get to Droan, brother?"
"No. First, we need to extract troops from the jarls. Einar's available forces are limited, and if the situation becomes urgent, the jarls won't willingly provide military support to Einar."
All Droan men are ambitious. Jarls were once kings who ruled their respective regions. Would such men sincerely pledge loyalty to Einar in less than a generation?
That's impossible even in feudal states. Moreover, Droan doesn't even distinguish between feudalism and democracy. Both are meaningless there.
We'll extract troops from them, whether through threats or by forcing them into submission. If "some kind of threat" has approached Einar, and if that threat is powerful enough to potentially kill him, only military power at the corps level can stop it.
After hearing Ivan's explanation, Asidis carefully said:
"But, umm... most people from other countries don't really understand what jarls are... They're not the kind of people who do what others tell them to."
"Hmm?"
"Especially if foreigners show up and give orders, they won't listen. They won't even listen to me if I go and tell them to provide troops, let alone to someone who isn't my father..."
Contrary to common misconceptions, Droan people are extremely cunning.
Jarls ignore those with insufficient power and cite laws and rules when confronted by someone stronger than themselves.
In Droan culture, Asidis has no right to command the jarls. That right belongs only to Einar. And Ivan has no right to challenge a jarl. That right is granted only to Droan people.
So with this group composition, they couldn't subjugate the jarls no matter what they did.
As Ivan fell silent for a moment, Yu-jin suddenly started laughing ominously.
"I have a brilliant idea, brother."
"What is it?"
"It requires the understanding of Miss Isabelle and Miss Elfihera, but..."
Yu-jin continued with a chuckle:
"The problem here is that non-Droan bloodlines have no right to challenge, and the only person with Droan blood, Miss Asidis, has no chance of defeating a jarl, right?"
"That's right."
"Then, brother, you're confident you could win every challenge?"
"In a duel, yes."
Surely no jarl or their champion would be stronger than Edelplat.
"Then the solution is simple! Brother just needs to become of Droan bloodline!"
"Hmm...?"
"Marry Asidis!"
"...??"
A moment of silence fell, and as the group slowly began to understand Yu-jin's words, they raised their heads abruptly.
"What...?!"
"Is this some human joke? I-I don't... I don't understand."
"So that's why you said you needed permission from Bella and Elfi... Why don't you need my permission? Why am I already out of the running?!"
"That's a really good idea!!"
Asidis nodded vigorously while looking at Ivan. After examining Ivan's expression, Asidis glanced at "some" of the group members and smiled slightly.
"Yes, though it might ruin my marriageable future... I suppose this is also the duty of the Hero Party... If it's Uncle, *sniff*. I'm fine with it!"
"Hey, put your hand down. I can see you smiling!!"
"I'm finding it hard to follow this flow now. Lord Yeremov, I'll take my leave first. The road to Tilles is long."
"Hey!! Your childhood friend is suffering such a miserable fate, and you're thinking of leaving? The Hero Party should help the hero!"
"Bella, one must fight for one's own love. Should I spoon-feed you?"
Oskar left with a sigh. Everyone's gaze turned to Ivan.
Ivan slowly scanned the group and began calculating. He was already aware of Isabelle and Elfihera's affections. He had tried to maintain a relationship that was neither too close nor too distant.
As for Asidis... yes, that child had maintained just the relationship of an uncle and niece, and she had many such "uncles." That relationship was more familiar to her.
In other words, he was the only "uncle" she could rely on in this foreign land. And the situation was too urgent to worry about minor "social norms."
So, is there no choice?
If this matter concludes, Asidis's reputation will be greatly damaged. It would essentially be announcing to the world that she was engaged to another man. This couldn't be hidden during the process of pressuring the jarls.
Unlike him, a man, how great would be the sacrifice that Asidis, as a noblewoman in this primitive pre-modern society, would have to endure? She was saying she wanted to save her father even if it meant bearing that burden.
Then there's no room for deliberation.
Elizabeta, being a wise monarch, would understand all this. He and Elizabeta weren't the kind of people who formulated operations while worrying about social perceptions.
It was an extremely rational and logical decision. Flawless.
Ivan could only nod heavily.
"Then we'll prepare according to that plan."
"I did iiiiit!!!"
"Wow, my head is... my head hurts so much. Yu-jin. Stay behind when this is over. I'm sending you to the Lord's side today."
"Hmph, humans anyway. In 50 years, you'll all be old and sick. Go ahead and have your fun."
"For your information, vampires are immortal."
"Lucia, shut up. Before I exorcise you."
"...that is the plan. Your Majesty, I will go over as Einar's son-in-law and gather troops. Please grant your permission."
"You think I would... would... would permit such a... Ugh...!!"
Elizabeta collapsed, unable to bear her momentarily dizzying consciousness. She whispered with suppressed groans:
"Without even naming the child in my womb... you're taking a n-new wife? Is this, is this right? Ah, Grandfather... what exactly did you leave behind...??"
With eyes like those gazing at a crawling monster of chaos, Elizabeta looked down at Ivan and trembled.
"Rather, rather cut off your head!! That the man I personally chose, who would be my first and last, is such a philanderer... I can no longer trust my own judgment!!"
"Your Majesty."
Ivan looked up at Elizabeta solemnly. Indeed, he had heard that early pregnancy symptoms include mood swings almost akin to bipolar disorder.
This was a fact already proven by 21st-century health knowledge. While this primitive world had no concept of hormones, it was information taught even in elementary school sex education in his era.
Normally, Elizabeta would have cleanly acknowledged and moved past this entirely reasonable and rational plan, but now she was denying it, trapped in false emotions created by hormones.
Sadly, he was now the only one who could save Droan. Even such an intelligent monarch couldn't understand him.
Then there was no choice.
A well-trained agent always demonstrates rather than explains. Results ultimately affirm the process.
Ivan bowed deeply and withdrew.
"I will organize and submit a detailed report on the operation overview."
"Stop... stop there, Vanka. I haven't finished speaking... If a royal letter announces that you're marrying a foreign royal before my own wedding, what will happen to my honor...!!"
"I will call the royal physician. Please take care of your health."
"Stop pretending to be loyal!! You disloyal—!!"
Ivan carefully closed the door to the royal presence and left. The difficult part was now over. Everyone had understood, so it was time to implement the plan.
The next day, the Hero Party departed from Pritzenkaya.