Published: January 15, 2026
"Welcome, Apollo."
I raised both hands and called out his name to express my welcome. Then, Apollo hurried in through the door, blinking his eyes as he looked at me. Rather than surprise, his expression seemed like a wry smile, as if he had sensed something.
Apollo adjusted his slightly disheveled clothes and exhaled lightly before coming to the desk and looking at me.
"It's been a while, Lord Van. I'm glad to see everyone is doing well. First, I apologize for requesting this meeting without prior notice. I thought the matter was urgent enough to rush over, but it seems I was worrying unnecessarily."
Apollo smiled gently as he spoke and gave a slight bow. Kamushin, Til, and Arte, who stood behind me, returned the bow. Then, Apollo glanced at the map spread out on the desk. He had probably gathered some information about the movements of the Yelinetta Kingdom. Since he had come rushing over, it must mean that Yelinetta had taken some unexpected action.
The most direct impact would be if Seato Village were attacked, but somehow, that seemed unlikely.
"So, they didn’t come through the conventional approach, huh? Which side did the Yelinetta Kingdom choose?"
Unable to fully read the strategy of the Yelinetta Kingdom, I asked Apollo vaguely. I didn’t want to be embarrassed by confidently guessing wrong. Apollo nodded several times, seeming impressed.
"…As expected of Lord Van. You predicted their actions from Yelinetta’s perspective. As for the result, it seems that the Yelinetta Kingdom chose to use other countries as a means."
"Huh?"
I responded absentmindedly and lowered my eyes to the map. Arte and the others behind me also leaned in to look.
The only country bordering both Yelinetta Kingdom and the Kingdom of Scuderia is the Shelvia Confederation.
"What kind of country is the Shelvia Confederation?" Til, who was watching from behind, asked.
Apollo, though a merchant, was a visitor from the major commerce guild. Smiling, he nodded at Til’s casual question.
"The Shelvia Confederation is somewhat unusual. Originally, it was formed by the union of two small countries that joined forces to counter nearby threats. Due to this history, the east and west sides have distinct cultures. Instead of a monarchy, the country is governed by representatives from the east and west who alternate in ruling."
Apollo gave a brief explanation of the Shelvia Confederation. Til seemed to notice something and smiled awkwardly while bowing slightly.
"Ah, I’m sorry. I haven’t even served tea yet..."
Til embarrassedly acknowledged her own mistake. Though there were other things on her mind, Til seemed most concerned about that. I couldn’t help but laugh and agree, as Til was a big fan of tea time.
"Your tea is delicious, Til. Oh, and some sweets too, please!"
"Yes, I’ll prepare them right away."
Saying that, Til left the room with a light and happy step. After seeing her off, I turned to Apollo.
"So, Apollo, which side of the Shelvia Confederation—the east or the west—do you think is cooperating with the Yelinetta Kingdom?"
Apollo’s expression tightened and his voice lowered as he answered.
"The east side."
I nodded in understanding at his firm reply.
"But the Shelvia Confederation has an alliance with the Kingdom of Scuderia, right?"
I already knew the answer but asked to confirm. Apollo didn’t change his expression as he spoke.
"Before uniting, the west side had an alliance with the Kingdom of Scuderia. That remains the same. Meanwhile, the east side kept its alliance with the Yelinetta Kingdom. As a result, with this full-scale war, powerful nobles from both sides within the Shelvia Confederation are now staring each other down."
Kamushin, standing behind, seemed to gasp in surprise. Well, considering the surrounding situation, it made sense. Since Yelinetta had been winning the information war against us so decisively, we suspected nobles from the Kingdom of Scuderia or spies such as merchants or adventurers—of course, including potential foreign intervention.