Watching the Emperor deny reality and try to escape again, McClain continued in an even heavier voice:

“That is the truth. The reason for our delayed return was that we were gathering necessary equipment to counter him. He declared that he would soon take the Empire into his grasp, and all team members heard it.”

Of course, the demon lord hadn’t actually said that, nor had McClain and the team members heard such words.

When McClain first encountered the demon lord, he lost consciousness after being attacked before he could hear anything. And during their second encounter last night, all he heard was that the demon lord would temporarily entrust Natalie to him until she was ready.

In reality, Natalie was the one who had conversed with the demon lord and could most accurately guess his intentions.

But McClain trusted her and her judgment.

The reason he couldn’t mention Natalie to the Emperor was that the Emperor might suggest sending her to the demon lord to negotiate, asking him to abandon his intention to invade the Empire in exchange.

To the current McClain, Natalie, who was waiting somewhere in reality to regain her soul, was far more important than this mere illusion of an empire.

“Hmm…”

The Emperor sighed deeply with a rapidly darkening expression.

McClain was actually pleased to see the Emperor’s expression become more serious than he had ever seen before.

He thought the Emperor had finally begun to take the situation seriously.

However, the Emperor’s serious expression didn’t last long.

Whatever thought crossed his mind made his face suddenly brighten, and he began offering absurd speculation.

“Aha! That demon lord was just bluffing in front of you.”

“What? What do you mean?”

“If not, why would he say he’d take the Empire into his grasp but then return the Deloa territory? It must be because he was intimidated by your tremendous skill.”

“That’s absolutely impossible. He could kill me in an instant…”

But the Emperor was already so immersed in his own logic that he seemed not to hear McClain’s words.

“Besides, if he were that strong, he would have swept away the Empire immediately. Why would he just make a declaration and leave?”

“That’s…”

McClain found himself in a difficult position. He absolutely couldn’t mention that the demon lord was simply waiting for Natalie to grow stronger.

While he hesitated to answer, the Emperor clapped his hands with a brightening face and said:

“So clearly that creature was just bluffing. He saw the Empire’s greatest warrior and fled in fear. How could I not commend your achievement?”

“Your Majesty, it wasn’t a bluff. Soon, that creature will truly…”

“No need to be modest even in front of me. I already knew of your loyalty, but to accomplish such a great deed without showing it—how could I not cherish and trust you? I must order the banquet in four days to be even more magnificent. Make sure all expedition members attend without exception. I will personally bestow rewards.”

“Your Majesty!”

“The report seems to be over, so please send in the chief chamberlain on your way out. I need to move the banquet to a larger venue and send out more invitations.”

The Emperor waved his hand dismissively, indicating that the conversation was over and McClain should leave promptly.

McClain couldn’t tell whether the Emperor was acting this way because he didn’t want to accept reality or if he truly believed what he was saying.

Given the Emperor character’s optimistic yet reality-avoiding tendencies, both reactions were plausible.

“Haah—”

A long, deep sigh escaped his lips as he left the audience chamber.

Tasks that would have been easily accomplished through the Emperor had now become arduous processes falling into his hands.

With a single imperial decree, they could have quickly prepared troops to face the demon lord’s army and drafted mages from the magic tower. While all that was being prepared by the Emperor’s order, McClain himself could have focused solely on leveling up to reach the maximum level.

But now things had gone sideways.

The sudden order to attend a banquet was absurd.

The expedition members waiting for him at the military camp felt equally absurd. They had all come out to the training ground, saying they felt more comfortable resting there than anywhere else.

“A banquet at a time like this?”

“Does this mean we can’t draft troops or mages?”

“Given His Majesty’s disposition, I expected something like this. I didn’t have high hopes, but hearing the result still leaves me speechless.”

While everyone was expressing their frustration or disbelief, exactly two people spoke with sparkling eyes and excited voices:

“I’ve never attended an imperial banquet before. What should I wear? My Eastern Continent uniform wouldn’t be appropriate, right?”

“I don’t think so, brother. I’m really excited—we should go to the marketplace today to buy some clothes.”

Orlando, who was standing nearby, smacked both of them on the back as if telling them to come to their senses, and gestured with his chin toward their commander, who was frowning deeply in contemplation.

In truth, McClain wasn’t contemplating—he was checking his status window, which had nearly reached the maximum level. He was calculating how much time he would need to reach the maximum level.

Feeling his team members’ gazes, he spoke without relaxing his rigid expression:

“I’ll look into other ways to draft troops and mages. However, we can’t be too optimistic, so focus on building your individual strength for now!”

“Understood!”

“But we can’t avoid attending the banquet. We can’t appear embarrassing, so if you have preparations to make, finish them with minimal time. Invest all remaining time in training. Understood?”

“Yes!”

Hearing the team members’ resounding response, McClain made a vow.

He would definitely reach the maximum level before the banquet, or at the latest, before the demon lord appeared again.

※※※

“So we need to prepare two thousand gold by next week?”

Natalie raised her voice as she looked at her dejected father.

Sensing the household’s unpleasant atmosphere, she had cajoled and pressed Count Pereira until she discovered that the family was in crisis again.

She had thought the advance payment she received upon joining the expedition team and McClain’s exemption from repayment would resolve things to some extent.

It seemed the amount her father needed to repay was much larger than what she had been told.

“Yes. I didn’t want to tell you, but as your father, I’m truly ashamed. But don’t worry. I’ll find a way to get that money somehow…”

Count Pereira promised with hunched shoulders, but his weak voice practically revealed that he would fail to secure the funds.

“How will you get such a large sum in just a week, Father? We don’t have any more land or jewels to sell. Everything of value has already been sold to pay off debts…”

Not just land and jewels, but also various silver tableware and candlesticks. Even all of her formal dresses for banquets had been sold without leaving a single one.

An ordinary count’s daughter might have found this shameful, but fortunately, Natalie, who preferred wearing mage robes, didn’t particularly miss formal dresses.

Of course, that didn’t mean she wasn’t embarrassed by their situation.

“I’m thinking of visiting Count Meiforhn tomorrow. He’s received help from me in the past, so he shouldn’t turn his back on me this time.”

Hearing that name from her father’s lips, Natalie let out a small sigh.

She thought it was sad that Count Pereira still hadn’t developed an eye for people despite everything that had happened.

Trying not to burst with frustration, Natalie began to reason calmly:

“Father, who was the first to turn his back when your business began to struggle as the northern corrupted area expanded? It was that very person. How can you expect any help from someone like that?”

“He didn’t do it deliberately. He wasn’t trying to avoid me…”

Sensing the faint hope in Count Pereira’s voice wavering, Natalie emphasized each word:

“He was avoiding you. When the mines were consumed by the corrupted area and mineral distribution became difficult, he was the first to cut contact.”

“He didn’t cut contact—it’s just that Count Meiforhn happened to leave for the south on business when I went to see him…”

“Exactly. Every time you went to see him, he was either in the south, east, or west. Now it’s time for him to go north, but since the north is difficult to access due to the corrupted area, I wonder where he’ll be when you visit this time. Rather than that… you might have better chances visiting the Lindhart family.”

She hesitated momentarily but ultimately had to mention the Lindhart family.

Currently, that was the most promising name when she needed to ask for help.

However, Count Pereira was quite a conscientious person.

“How could I possibly ask the Lindhart family for help? After losing so much money in that previous investment… And especially when I’m already indebted to them through you…”

“You’re not indebted to them. I simply did my job and received fair compensation. Besides, the Lindhart family is the only one with enough wealth to lend the entire repayment amount due next week.”

“That may be true, but after they so generously exempted us from repaying that large sum, to ask for more help would be…”