Chapter 4 — Reinhard

As the sun set, Yagami had arrived at his lodging. He was having dinner with Aria, who had been waiting for him all day. Unbeknownst to her, Yagami had achieved significant gains—obtaining invaluable information about the Solandis Kingdom, their military tactics, and the conflicts currently plaguing the region. More importantly, he had also strengthened his power, drawing it from the fear of wounded civilians.

"Pha-ha-ha-ha! Aria, it seems we've completely misunderstood the information about the reincarnators."— Yagami muttered as he bit into a piece of luxurious steak, his expression brimming with newfound ambition that had long been dormant.

"W-what do you mean, my lord? Are we… caught in their trap? What exactly happened?" — Aria's usual calm demeanor instantly shifted to one of anxiety, fearing she might have unknowingly made a mistake.

"No— Quite the opposite, we are in an advantageous position. Why? Because they—the reincarnators—No, rather, the Solandis Kingdom, are the ones exploiting these reincarnated humans for their military purposes. ...Even more so, they are embroiled in intense conflicts of their own." — Yagami's gaze became vacant, yet his hand skillfully continued cutting the steak with precision.

"I... truly don't understand… So-Solandis, conflicts?"

"Yes! Exactly… From the information I've gathered, I can conclude that the rumors of the reincarnators planning to attack our territory—are false. In reality, they're too preoccupied dealing with rogue organizations operating in this region. This means someone deliberately spread the rumor about the reincarnators attacking us—Why am I so sure? Isn't it obvious? Even the adventurers here are of such poor quality, they're not on the same level as us."

"—So… this region is controlled by the Solandis Kingdom? And the reincarnators are being used as part of their military? And they're dealing with rogue organizations attacking this territory? Is that it? —Then who, if not the Solandis Kingdom, is behind this? Could it be… the rogue organizations themselves?"

"EXACTLY! You've finally understood… So, our next move is to infiltrate the Solandis Kingdom to uncover who's behind these rogue organizations. Once we find out who they are, we can act freely, whether that means destroying Solandis—or those beasts calling themselves an organization. ...This is truly unexpected; for them to so boldly manipulate my predictions." — Yagami declared as he slowly set down the steak knife, his expression indescribably furious, as though he felt deeply insulted.

Aria could only stare at Yagami's face, which now radiated an overwhelming demonic aura. The intensity left her trembling, unable to speak, as she witnessed Yagami's anger over his twisted prediction—a judgment he had deemed absolute.

Yagami continued, "So, prepare yourself, Aria. The time has come. This is the perfect moment to destroy them. I believe this will be our winter banquet."

"U-understood, my lord. Should we summon the floor guardians from Ryzon Alte to assist us this time? It might allow us to act swiftly before it's too late. —Moreover, I want to know who's behind these rogue organizations. Why are they scapegoating Solandis? Surely, Solandis doesn't even know about our territory, so far away from theirs?"

"NO, that won't be necessary. I'll enjoy playing with them myself. There's no need to rush. At the very least, before this winter ends... I'll ensure everything turns to dust."

"...."

After finishing his meal, Yagami left Aria behind at the inn once more. His face, full of ambition, remained shrouded in the guise of a calm and friendly human. Only a select few could see his true nature.

Yet, instead of fear, Aria found herself increasingly captivated by Yagami, whose cruelty surpassed even that of the most monstrous demons.

The sound of the night wind whistled through the buildings that still stood firm. Yagami walked toward the bar he had visited yesterday with Aria. Along the roadside, people were gathering around a bulletin board displaying a notice for forced military recruitment of young, skilled men, alongside news of a sudden attack in the square earlier that afternoon.

Some felt uneasy as Solandis Kingdom soldiers forcibly dragged young men, regardless of whether they were human or of another race, from their homes to be conscripted. No one said 'NO'; they obeyed orders without rebellion.

When he arrived at the bar—it wasn't as lively as the previous night. Many tables were empty, with only a few people resting and drunkenly flirting with the counter girl at the administration desk.

There, Yagami spotted the old man—Tatsuya, whom he would confront with questions about their collaboration.

The old man was clutching his large sword, wrapped in tattered bandages. He sat in the corner, away from the other patrons, with a calm expression as though awaiting death brought by the toll of age.

Yagami approached him and crouched down before him, "Hey, —How are you? —You understand, don't you? My arrival? …I think this is the perfect time to work together."

The old man opened his eyes, moving the sword away from his face. "Yes, I understand your arrival, but—"

"Shhh... You can't refuse this time. I already know exactly who you really are. You're a veteran of the Solandis Kingdom, aren't you? Well… truthfully, I've known from the start, but this situation came up suddenly." As he said this, Yagami extended his hand, as if inviting the old man to rise—to embrace death quickly (Yagami's version of it).

"Yes, I also know that you probably already know everything, don't you? About the tensions in this region? —Honestly, I don't want to get too deeply involved in this matter, considering my age is no longer young."

"Ha-ha-ha… You're trying to lie to me? No, that's a joke, right? I can feel it, and besides, this will benefit you, won't it? About your friend who's still serving Solandis?" —Yagami didn't hesitate to reveal this, though it was merely a guess, based on a sword he had seen in the shop earlier, with a handle engraving similar to Tatsuya's sword.

The old man, who initially seemed indifferent, suddenly stared at Yagami's face with a mixture of emotions, as if Yagami knew everything about him.

"Hahaha~ A friend? Yes, …I once was a hero of Solandis. But he—Reinhard, the strongest sword knight, …He was my rival. —But is it true he's still serving Solandis? The last time we parted… he was in despair after I defeated him in the best swordsmanship competition. At that time, he felt guilty and resigned from Solandis."

"Yes, of course, he's still serving Solandis. I have solid proof. As you said, the sword knight, right? —Yeah, I know it's him. He sold that sword at a shop earlier this morning, still in his Solandis uniform."

"Ah~ ha-ha-ha… Is that so? Well, what can I do? I surrender to you. —So, what do you need me to do now? With this old body of mine?"

Yagami grinned widely, grabbing the old man's arm and leading him to a table. He ordered some food to continue their discussion.

From here, one could see a pack of hyenas gathering to awaken a slumbering, wrathful king of the jungle.