Chapter 7 – Survivor’s Guilt
The Seer sat down in his study and stared quietly into the emptiness.
Still, there was a heat in the silence. His irritation was palpable. Like a raging flame that needed no words.
In the end, it was true that he had acquired the result that he had wanted. Salia had lost her blessings and it would be harder for her to use her power to affect events.
However, the path to this result was horrible.
She was supposed to have been knocked off her pedestal and sent crying to the dragon god.
She would lose the trust of the other gods and the will to fight. And like that, he would be closer to victory.
However, she had sealed the blessings of her own free will, and abstained from any meddling. The other gods praised her actions, and their suspicions were mostly weakened. At this point, some would want to aid her from a distance, and may even offer some blessings.
Worst of all, she had been very close to exposing his schemes.
“Ridiculous…a fallen goddess…”
She was an upstart who had only risen due to the dragon god’s help.
“Very well. If you wish to oppose me with such weak power, so be it.”
He had already planned for this. And now that she could not use powerful blessings, she would likely focus on directing the monster army towards him.
The dragon would also help her more actively from now on. And so he could not lower his guard.
“Hero. How is the situation over there?”
In the mirror, the Hero was calmly facing his tablet. His finger moved across the surface as he managed everything related to the army without hesitation.
‘The reorganization of our main forces has been completed. The heavy cavalry unit has been temporarily disbanded after being reduced in size. From now on, it will operate alongside the infantry. We’re also conducting drills with the tercio formation so they can move in coordination.’
“I have finished putting a collar on the dog. How are things going with the strategy I instructed you on before?”
‘Currently, we are training the necessary personnel at each supply base and farm. It will take some time for the organization to be completed.’
“I don’t care how many of the men die. You will raise them to a usable level within one month. Hurry.”
‘Understood.’
As he watched the Hero work calmly, his own raging emotions began to settle.
Without a single unnecessary word, he acted obediently.
This was the right form of a Hero. They were tools.
Of course, tools were not only for using. They had to be properly maintained and polished in order to see their true worth.
“Yasuharu.”
‘Yes.’
A part of the Seer’s desk transformed.
The wood did not have a nine by nine game board, and there were twenty game pieces on top of it.
The shogi board did not have any opponent pieces. Instead, the Hero had the same board appear on his tablet screen.
“To reward you for your work, we can play for a while. Now, come with everything that you have.”
The stony face of the Hero changed just a little.
Deep in his eyes, there was a burning hunger, like that of someone who was dying of starvation.
‘…Thank you.’
He straightened his posture in his seat and put the table down on the table as if it was a precious work of art. And then the Hero picked up the piece that should not have been there, and placed it down.
