181 Something's gone seriously wrong.

Transferring from the Elro Great Labyrinth.

Since my sudden reappearance would cause confusion if I were to appear directly in the city—given that I'm supposedly dead—I've materialized far from the urban center this time.

First, using Longview to observe the city's condition.

Hmm?

The number of soldiers seems low.

The number of adventurers is also low.

Reduced to less than half.

What’s going on?

Anyway, whatever.

The Vampire Child remains unchanged.

Growing steadily within the manor.

My little darlings are growing faster, though.

Comparing them to that one is unwise.

Wait.

The town's mayor—the Vampire Child’s father—is also absent.

Hmm.

Soldiers and adventurers are missing.

The town's leader is missing.

Yet the city’s functions operate normally.

This—has some kind of war broken out somewhere?

If there were some powerful monster requiring extermination, there would be no need for the town's mayor to travel personally.

The mayor was, as far as I could see, quite strong.

For a human, though.

In that case, leading a force composed of soldiers and select adventurers could be considered, assuming a commander-like role.

Possible, but in that case, war would be more likely than monster extermination.

Could it be that I've actually started a war with the country of the man I killed?

There had been such a conversation before the Demon Lord's assault.

But was that serious?

I thought it was just a threat meant to improve diplomatic leverage—apparently, it was real.

Religion is to be feared.

Still only speculation.

The war had not yet been definitively confirmed to have begun.

Need to gather some information in town to confirm it.

New skill, concealment activated.

This skill—evolved camouflage—appears to remove the target from the opponent’s perception.

In other words, applying it to myself eliminates visual recognition.

The stealth skill, previously rendered half-inactive due to the title “Bearer of Dread,” has finally regained functionality.

The effect of the “Bearer of Dread” title is to instill fear in anyone who sees my form.

Therefore, if my form is not seen, the effect does not activate.

Confirmed: non-perception equates to non-visibility.

Now I can conduct stealth operations without restraint.

Activate concealment and stealth. Deactivate pressure-based skills like those of emperors, and disable all other continuously active skills.

Breached the town’s defensive network effortlessly. Infiltration successful. No one noticed.

Moving along the rooftops, overhearing the conversations of the residents.

Yes, war is confirmed.

Everyone’s talking about nothing else.

Take a few steps and it’s war, war.

Hardly anyone else is discussing anything else.

Apparently, we’ve gone to war with a country called Otsu.

That Otsu country—indeed, as expected, or perhaps not—was the country of the man I assassinated.

Moreover, it seems the country holds the exit to the Elro Great Labyrinth.

For years, the Saliera Kingdom and this nation have been at odds due to differing religions. Now, however, a monster that destroyed a fortress in our own country is being worshiped as a divine beast in Otsu.

Naturally, that would be unpleasant for Otsu.

Otsu follows a religion known as the Divine Word Sect.

Saliera follows the Goddess Cult.

The Church of the Divine Word has broader global influence, but the state power of the Saliera Kingdom significantly exceeds that of the Ous Kingdom.

In the midst of such a delicate balance of power, I arrived.

From the perspective of the Outsu Kingdom, it must have been a vexing issue.

Her status as a nation carries weight. They wish to eliminate me—this monster who destroyed their fortress.

Yet, I am enshrined as a divine beast in the enemy nation.

To eliminate without provoking resistance, one must first bring it into one's own domain.

So that is why that man was selected as the negotiator.

This, probably, would have been fine either way—success or failure in negotiation.

The upper echelons of Outsu had merely entrusted me with the pretext to instigate war.

Otherwise, they wouldn’t have assigned such an incompetent man to negotiations. And if that man were routinely acting as a goodwill ambassador to enemy nations, trouble would eventually arise.

A declaration of war from Saliera would be profitable.

A war could be initiated under the guise of defense.

As planned.

This time, since I killed the old man, both nations ended up in a delicate state.

Saliera could blame Outsu for attempting to unlawfully harm a sacred beast.

Outsu could blame Saliera for killing their diplomat on the sacred beast's behalf.

The conflict likely ended in a stalemate, and then my disappearance.

Now, it's being claimed that the one who killed me was a follower of the Divine Word Church.

In truth, I was slain by the Demon King, but the populace cannot know that.

It's unclear which side leaked the false information, but Saliera seems to have fully embraced a war mindset.

Overheard conversations among residents suggest widespread sentiment: "We must avenge the sacred beast."

Maneuvered perfectly.

I don’t know what the upper echelons of the nation are scheming, but at least one thing is certain—those in power have been eager to begin a war between the two nations.

So I’m the pawn they used.

Disgusting.

What’s the point of all this excitement without me present?

They ignored my will entirely.

If they’re so eager for war, why not just begin it without worrying about justification?

Don’t use me as bait.