The fortress the alliance used as its base was situated in a neighboring country opposite of Damores.
It was a place that would probably be returned to its country in a few days.
In one of the rooms prepared for the representatives was Lilisha, who was currently in the middle of casting several spells.
Although she had trustworthy subordinates stationed here permanently, this was still a place for diplomacy.
It wasn’t at all strange for measures to peek or eavesdrop on the representatives here to have been employed in the room.
It was only after thoroughly checking the room and confirming that there nothing of the sort that the princess finally let down her guard and sat herself on a sofa.
“Haa… I’m so tired… It’s really not easy having to play the part of the bad girl.” The princess said as she massaged her own shoulders.
When the maids who have been serving her for a long time saw that, they looked at her coldly.
“Who would’ve thought those words could come from the same princess who’s been so selfish until just a few months ago?” Asked one.
“Right? What’s the point of acting like a good kid now?” Said another.
“Others’ opinion won’t change that quickly, Princess,” said a third.
“…Hah! I don’t want to be told that by the very same dogs of that selfish princess,” the princess retored.
The master and her servants looked at each other and laughed.
Although there was a distance between them due to their positions, they were still close enough that they could talk without reservation.
Although it was only about 5 months ago that their relationship became like this.
“Ugh, Princess. Please don’t remind us of that! We’d really just forget about it!”
“Oh? But it was such a beautiful memory to me?
…Anyway, Stella. What do you think of the situation?”
While they were talking like that, the princess called out to the woman waiting at the side.
She had long light-blue hair that was bundled up by her neck and she wore a calm expression on her face. She was the head of the maids.
“…Archbishop Oreil-sama is the most careless of the extremists within the church.
Even if he is made to take responsibility, it is doubtful that the church would be affected in the slightest.
That general too only came into power due to the death of his predecessor.
A worldly-minded person who only wants the honor of being the one to vanquish the demon tribe.
Damores couldn’t be happier to be rid of him,” Stella said.
As far as the country and church were concerned, if they succeeded, then good, and if they failed, then good riddance.
The princess, however, found it troubling having to be the one to deal with them.
“Indeed. A brief moment with those chutes they call for mouths, and it is clear as day that they’re incompetent fools.
That man grinning beside them was a lot scarier.
A calmness that doesn’t get in the way of his faith. The most troubling type of them all.”
From the perspective of these girls who wished to be throughly rid of these anti-demon tribe extremists, the thoughts of these extremists were no different from that of an invader seeking to disturb their peace.
“…I’ll have someone investigate immediately,” Stella said.
“Please,” the princess replied. “Somehow, we managed this time despite our crude methods because their plan was a poor one from the start, but who knows about next time?”
When she anxiously thought of the future, she couldn’t help but shake her head at the coming troubles.
If she were to give her honest opinion, there were simply too few countries who were fully devoted in the alliance.
Other than Damores and the Rimoa Church who were leading the alliance, everyone else had joined reluctantly.
No nation would willingly walk a dangerous path so that it might find itself pricked by the thickets.
As long as the demon tribe was left alone, the demon tribe wouldn’t become the legendary enemy of the humans as spoken of in the legends.
A close inspection of trustworthy historical documents would show that the demon tribe has never been one to attack on their own.
There are also many politicians leery of them actually being followers of the evil god.
Most of the countries were wary of the demon tribe but did not consider them a threat that had be dealt with immediately.
Despite that they could not decline joining the alliance due to the influence of the church and Damores.
“Another way to look at this is the church confirming just how many countries they can move with a call,” Stella said.
“So this alliance really was nothing more than a preparatory step then? If so, then it was a huge success.
The church is really good at stuff like that. That’s why they can’t be trusted,” the princess said.
When Lilisha thought of how the church did things, her face became suspicious and the atmosphere about her became heavy.
Damores, which is said to have stopped the invasion of the demon tribe, and the church, which possessed adherents throughout the world.
Openly opposing the opinion of the only religious organization of the world and the heroic country that has fought against the demon tribe was simply too poor of a plan no matter which country it was.
Because of that they were able to gather most of the countries into their alliance.
And even with the distrust sowed from this last incident, if the church were to publicly ask for help, the nations of the world would not be able to deny them.
All the more so if their goals generally revolved around the subjugation of humanity’s greatest enemy, the demon tribe.
The church, which save for a handful of people, was the head organization of the religion most people adhered to. The power it held was simply too vast.
“The boons of manipulating information and impressions for hundreds of years. In a sense, they’re actually stronger than the demon tribe.
Because of that we’re always having to play catch up. Frankly, it’s a pain,” Stella said.
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