An ordinary profession creates the world's strongest

White mist swirled, and a thicker mist enveloped the spring, making it difficult for even orcs to enter. This measure was taken to ensure that Lutilis's true nature would not be revealed.

"Just looking at this place, it's really beautiful."

"Why wasn't that her first 'friend'?"

Natsu's tone was filled with regret, and Meredy and Mel wholeheartedly agreed. Before their eyes, a flock of beautiful, multicolored butterflies had gathered, fluttering around Lutilis as if to show their affection.

The butterflies that adorn Lutilis with vibrant colors are also her "friends," said to be second only to Wo's. Their names are "Extremely Colorful Dietriches." These dangerous butterflies inhabit the forests, possessing "highly toxic scales that vary subtly from individual to individual." While dangerous, they are beautiful in appearance.

“Haha, that’s fine, Onee-sama…” “Don’t come any closer, okay?”

"Hmm~ Thank you so much for giving me a reward out of the blue! Fufu!"

As if unable to contain herself any longer, Lutilis panted with excitement. Her eyes welled up as she staggered towards her elder sister.

"That's why I told you not to come close to me while breathing heavily!"

With a slap, Lutilis fell to the ground with a sexy cry. Mei smiled and kicked her, then stepped on her and spun her around.

"How many times do I have to tell you before you understand? Is your head just an ornament? Or are you deaf?"

“T-That’s… I just want to be closer to Onee-sama…”

"Who gave you permission to speak? Identify yourself. Or do you want to be tied up and thrown into the sea?"

Despite being trampled and scolded, Lutilis's expression remained blissful. Her face, as intelligent and beautiful as that of an "Apostle of God," became limp and dull with her silly smile.

"Onee-sama, Ryu is a bad boy. Please punish me."

"No, because that would only make you happy."

“How could this be? This is too much. Ah, but being left alone isn’t bad either…”

"Well, I've been having fun doing everything lately. What on earth is this strange creature?"

"I'm Lutilis, and I belong to you, Onee-sama."

"Eh? What? Are you a new species called 'Lutilis'? What a wicked existence."

"Thank you very much!"

"Tsk!...Be careful, I'm being gentle with you, okay?"

"Onee-sama has suddenly been so kind to me... I'm so happy."

"Ugh, Xiao Mi, save me! This guy is truly invincible! I don't know what to do anymore!"

(Illustration 011)

Mei'er flung her hair and tried to flee, but a swarm of poisonous butterflies fluttered across her path. Then, Lutilis crawled over, cheeks slightly flushed, and lay on the ground, waiting.

He looked at Mei'er with expectant eyes, as if saying: Please sit down, this is the chair reserved for elder sister.

"Mei'er's expression was filled with disgust, but everything she did was to please Xiaoliu."

"Of course this is due to Ryu's quirk, but... you two are just too compatible."

In the end, Mei still sat on the chair in front of her. Lutilis had a dazed expression that needed to be blurred out, while Meredy and Natsu looked at Mei with sympathy.

For the past month, Mei, despite her reluctance, had continued to abuse and reward her. It seemed that for Lutilis, she was indeed the best "master," or rather, the best "sister."

Meredith and Natsu conversed while she retrieved a tea set from the treasure vault. Mel, stunned by her sister's refusal to save her, seized the opportunity to attack the void in her mind.

Although we are in the midst of war, this is a brief period of peace (?).

While leisurely sipping tea, Meredith suddenly looked towards the south, lost in thought. It was truly an unintentional movement, and she herself was unaware of it.

"Haha, Xiao Mi is really something."

Mei gave up on her fight with Lutilis, and used her doggy-style position as a chair to sit at the table. Then, she suddenly said this, her expression as if she had eaten honey.

"Huh? What? What happened?"

Meredy asked sincerely, not understanding what she meant. Meier smiled and said:

"Oscar will definitely come."

In an instant, Meredith's eyes wandered around, her heart was shaken, and the teacup and saucer in her hands made a clanging sound.

"What? What are you talking about? Mei'er sister. Xiao Mi doesn't think that way. I don't understand what you are talking about!"

"You're too shaken, Meredith."

"Xiao Nai, stop talking nonsense!"

The nagging Xiao Nai knew better than to shut up. However, the deliberately ignorant older sister pursued him as if it was natural. She wasn't holding a grudge against being abandoned earlier, was she?

"You've been looking towards the south unconsciously lately, haven't you?"

"I, I didn't see it."

"You do, and you seem to be searching for someone."

"...Well, that's only natural, right? The sooner we reunite with 'everyone', the sooner the war will end, so of course I'm eagerly anticipating it. It's not impossible that Mimi's concern for the world's tenderness has caused her to unconsciously focus on the south. Ah~ Can Ben and the others please come soon~"

Meredith's expression was calm, as if she truly believed she was unwavering. However, Mel and Natsu, on the other hand, smiled.

"Are Mimi and Mr. Oscar boyfriend and girlfriend?"

Suddenly a verbal bomb was thrown from under the table.

"No, and Xiao Liu, it's almost time for you to sit in your chair normally."

"But then, Onee-sama, you won't have a chair..."

"Yeah!? It's just a chair!"

"...I see. You've made thorough preparations."

"Why did your tone suddenly drop below freezing? No, I know the reason."

Xiao Liu glared at the chair taken out from the "treasure house", but was ordered by Mei'er to sit down while swinging her long ears.

"One of my dreams is to chat about love gossip with my friends, because Xiaowo and Xiaodi are both boys."

"Ah~ Well, although I wanted to say that it was a question before gender, I held back."

"Middley, you've already said it."

Her Majesty the Queen chatting about love and gossip with insects... This is indeed a problem on many levels.

"I heard that Mr. Kona likes little girls and has captured the hearts of little sisters with his beauty..."

"Excuse me, Ryu. I need to leave for a moment. Please forgive me, but Meredith and Mel won't be coming back."

Natsu was filled with murderous intent, his eyes clearly meant to kill. Mireddy and Mel immediately bowed their heads in apology, then hurriedly tried to change the subject.

"S-Speaking of which, Xiao Mi, anyway, this seems to be the first time you've been separated from Oscar for such a long time, right?"

"Eh? ...Well, maybe."

Thinking back...it was indeed true. Or rather, since they'd met, Meredith and him hadn't even been apart for more than a day. Even when they'd been apart, it had only been for half a day at most. This was the first time they'd been apart for over a month. Meredith's fingers unconsciously touched something.

Mel and Natsu narrowed their eyes. Noticing their gaze, Meredith snapped back to reality and asked, "What?" with half-lidded eyes and an unhappy expression.

"It looks great on you, Mi-chan. Right, Natsu-kun?"

"Yeah, I've been wearing it a lot lately."

"...I wear it because it's convenient. Any objections?"

Mel and Natsu smiled and replied, "No."

Meredith's eyes grew colder and colder. Yes, Meredith was wearing those red-framed glasses she'd been wearing lately, the same ones Oscar had worn to preach.

It was indeed very convenient, but... from Mel and Natsu's point of view, she seemed to be using the glasses to relieve her loneliness.

Seeing the three of them getting along so freely, Lutilis put away her previous abnormal personality and spoke with a woman's expression:

"Over the past month, I've heard so much about your deeds. Even though I've only known the world within the sea of ​​trees... even knowing your anguish, your suffering, and the countless hardships you've overcome, your heroic lives still dazzle me to the point of overwhelming envy."

"...Do you hate the Queen's stance?"

Miredy asked seriously, removing the playful element from the address.

Meredith and the others had been honest with each other about everything, from their backgrounds to their travels. However, up until now, Meredith and the others had not proactively inquired about Lutilis's life and inner thoughts.

Because they were waiting. Waiting for her to gain their trust, she would one day take the initiative to tell Meredith and the others, just like she would a friend.

Meredith asked this because she realized that Lutilis was about to tell them about herself.

How is it? Are you willing to speak up? Can we assume you're ready to reveal your true self?

From the look of longing in Meredith's eyes, it was clear she was thinking so. Lutilis smiled. It was only natural that Mei would treat her like a younger sister.

"No, I've never resented it, nor have I ever considered abandoning this position. Born with this power, supported by the people, and shouldering their expectations—all of this is a source of pride for me."

At this moment, she exuded the majesty that befitted a king, her smile revealing a strong will and the overwhelming feeling of shouldering the heavy fate of a nation.

"Because I truly love my country, the sea of ​​trees, and all the life there."

And that kind of feeling──

"If I can stop the conflict, even sacrificing myself is not a big deal."

It was even enough to make her think so.

"Xiaoliu! No, Your Majesty! That won't work—"

"Haha, yes, I understand. Bart has already advised me."

Meredy and the others tensed for a moment, then breathed a deep sigh. "They really are a good bunch..." Lutilis glanced around with a gentle gaze, then continued:

"Pride, yes, pride. Living here, protecting this place, that's my pride."

Her eyes gleamed with a strong light as she continued:

"But I also doubt whether that's enough... I had this thought long before I was even crowned."

"What does that mean?"

"It means... should I ignore the world and accept my fate, ending my life in a closed circle of happiness?"

"So, it's a longing for the outside world?"

"No, Mei'er, I'm not talking about personal feelings, but the 'mission' of us beastmen as a race living in this world."

"Lutilis...were you planning to fight against the Church from the very beginning?"

Natsu was dumbfounded, while Lutilis smiled wryly and shook her head.

"I don't have that kind of ambition. Didn't I tell you that? If I alone could settle the dispute."

"...I see, those aren't just words about self-sacrifice... Ahahaha, sorry, I misjudged you."

Meredith seemed to feel guilty and bowed her head in apology for looking down on her. Lutilis reached out her hand and gently stroked Meredith's golden hair.

"...I see. You wanted to be a bridge, didn't you? You're the king of the orcs. You were thinking of joining the Church, working with them, and trying to create a future where humans and orcs work together, right? In other words, you wanted to change the Church from within."

"So you want to fight differently from us... Sorry, I misjudged you."

"No, I now realize that was naive thinking, and I'm deeply reflecting on it, so please don't apologize. I'm ashamed of my shallow thinking."

Lutilis blushed as she spoke, but Meredith and the others couldn't laugh at her, nor could they. They couldn't help but admire the queen's awareness, her strong will, and her broad-minded outlook on the future.

Meredith was particularly moved because besides the liberators, someone envisioned a future where people of all races would work together.

"I see. That's why you accepted Bart's proposal and invited us here..."

The Orc King, who should have harbored only distrust and hatred for humans, had accepted Bart? And why had he followed his advice and invited the "Liberators"? This was the answer. Despite appearing stern in response to a proposal that every citizen would have rejected, the Queen was the only one willing to accept the "Liberators" from the outset.

"So why are you telling us this?"

Hiding the excitement that threatened to overflow within her heart, Meredith looked at Lutilis. Lutilis, with a queenly expression on her face, replied solemnly:

"Miledi said we can win this war, right? Then I have to consider our next move. That's right, what should we do when you, the 'Liberators', confront the Church?"

The answer is clear.

Although Meredith said she didn't want anything in return, the Republic wasn't so shameless as to truly refuse to repay the favor. Therefore, Lutilis's response was—

"Please let us go together."

This time, we are fighting for the liberators, no, we are fighting for the future together as a member of the world.

Hearing the Queen say this, tears welled up in Meredith's eyes.

Because this was the first time he had offered to fight alongside her. Normally, it was always Milady who desperately conveyed her wishes, constantly pleading with him to come along.