Is it wrong to try to meet someone in a dungeon?

After all, even at this moment, the homeland (Shahrzad) and the commercial country (Islamic vassal state) where they are currently located are still threatened by the enemy country (Warshah).

We must devise a countermeasure as soon as possible.

"Your name is Boffman, right? Give me all the information about the Valsha army."

"Oh, yes!? Did you call me!?"

"Speak up, Black Pig." "What are you doing, Black Pig?" "Are you going to cry and beg for mercy, Black Pig?" "Want to get a beating, Black Pig?"

"Pfft!? I-I'll talk, I'll answer you right away!!"

Boffman was also forcibly dragged into the room. He heard Hedin's urging and was glared at by the four Jaliba brothers with eyes that looked at livestock, which terrified him so much that he almost lost control of his bladder on the spot.

Alyssa wasn't quite clear about the relationship between Freya and the others, but she suspected that Boffman was probably the unluckiest person there, so she felt some sympathy for him.

"The Varian and Valshavist armies are currently stationed within Sharzad territory for their suppression efforts. Furthermore, it seems that some small squads have been scattered throughout various regions in search of Prince Aram..."

A nation's economy and politics are inextricably linked to the profit-making of its merchants. As for war, it is of paramount importance.

In order to seize business opportunities, Boffman must have been gathering intelligence through the Chamber of Commerce. And this had been going on since before he made contact with Freya and the others, or even before Sharzad and Valsha went to war.

Boffman looked at Alyssa, and then trembled slightly as if he was having difficulty speaking before continuing.

"Although we don't yet have the exact number... based on the intelligence we have so far, the enemy force totals about 80,000."

"Eighty, eighty thousand!?"

"Not only the regular army, but also a large number of mercenaries have joined the war..."

Upon hearing this, Ari could hear her own voice trembling.

While reports of enemy numbers were received during the invasion of the capital, the actual number was far greater than it appeared at the time.

Despite being among the most powerful nations in the western part of the Western Caios Desert, Sharzad and Valsha still couldn't possibly send an army of up to 80,000 men.

Therefore, as Boffman added, it is only possible that countless mercenaries also joined the battle.

(Even if the estimated number is accurate, it is still unbelievable. The only mercenary clans that Valsha has hired in recent years... should be the Lashap Familia...!)

Alyssa felt a chill run down her spine.

She suspected that the war was no longer just a matter between Sharzad and Valsha, but had a strange feeling that she was gradually being drawn into another "torrent of power".

It seems that a "plague" is about to erupt, one that could shake the entire Caios Desert.

"Eighty thousand."

"Much better than endless enemies (dungeons)."

"But that sounds like a lot of trouble."

"It's incredibly troublesome."

However, faced with this fact, the Freya Familia did not waver in the slightest.

On the contrary, led by the four Jaliba brothers, who looked uninterested and complained in hushed tones, no one was afraid of this.

Seeing the completely different reactions from themselves, Alyssa and Boffman felt a sense of unease.

"Those who only know how to win by sheer quantity are not truly excellent. I will ignore these incompetent people. In other words, that's all there is to it."

Hedin ignored Aly and the others, looked down at the table, and said in a calm tone.

On a large table made up of several tables, there was a map showing the area around "Liod City", the Commercial State (Islamic State), Sharzad and the borders of Varsha.

Hedin carefully examined the terrain of the surrounding area, then squinted his eyes as if he had gathered his thoughts.

"As the nominal master, you are royalty, and even if you give orders, you cannot command anyone. Therefore, I will be responsible for issuing instructions. If you wish this matter to end as soon as possible, then you should obey."

“…”

"Since you have no objection, I will begin to explain the battle plan."

Hedin, who had raised his head, looked like a strategist assisting a king, completely taking control of the situation.

Perhaps because his intelligence was already widely known, Ota and the others did not interrupt.

"First, a project overview—"

Freya once said that she could ask an elf named Hedin for help.

Judging from his handsome features, he certainly exudes intelligence.

Add to that his glasses, and the term "wise advisor" couldn't be more fitting to describe him.

Even under such circumstances, Hedin would surely devise a brilliant plan that Alyssa would never have imagined.

Alyssa waited for him to continue, feeling both expectant and nervous.

"--The eight of us will go and annihilate the enemy. Over."

"Isn't that a bit too vague?!"

Yali tilted her head back and loudly complained.

She couldn't help but cry out at this violent method that was hardly a clever plan.

Such a terrible idea has absolutely nothing to do with tactical or strategic victory.

"What nonsense are you talking about?! How is that even possible?! Eight people fighting against an army of 80,000—"

"This is the most efficient approach."

Hedin, however, uttered those words with absolute certainty.

"Huh...!?"

"This way, we can completely avoid the unnecessary sacrifices you are concerned about. I proposed this simple and straightforward solution precisely because of your request."

Hedin seemed to be simply stating facts, without ever frowning.

Aota and the others remained unfazed.

This statement is serious.

He was not joking at all.

He... no, they genuinely believe that.

With just eight men, an army of eighty thousand could be annihilated!

"Do you think I would recruit soldiers and use strategy to defeat a larger force with a smaller one?"

"But, generally speaking...!"

"I'm sorry I can't meet your expectations. Even I would struggle with this approach. It's just too 'unrealistic'."

—What exactly does "practical" mean?

Rather than recruiting soldiers to confront an army of 80,000, Hedin naturally assumed that only eight men were the best way to defeat the army of 80,000, a thought that made Aly feel embarrassed.

Am I the one with a problem in my head? Ariel questioned herself, sweating profusely, but after seeing the dumbfounded businessman (Boffman) diagonally in front of her, she was convinced that her reaction was perfectly normal.

"...Let's put aside the number of people for now. The enemy was well-trained overall, and I remember there were several warriors (Kabir) among them."

Alyssa offered a reluctant rebuttal.

The enemy forces are a clan that has received "Pharna" (a form of divine favor). Valsha is a rather warlike nation, with a chief god who commands the military and numerous subordinate gods. As for the "Lashap Familia," there are certainly many upgraded members among them.

"So what? Do you really think that second-level adventurers can do anything to us?"

The elf's attitude remained unchanged.

We live in the age of gods, and modern iron is "quality over quantity".

How could a mob that relies solely on numbers possibly contend against an exceptionally powerful individual?

After understanding Hedin's implied meaning, Aly realized that her own understanding seemed too naive.

They completely underestimated the extraordinary combat power of the strongest faction (Freya Familia).

"Regarding Prince Alam's infiltration of the Commercial Kingdom (Islamic Domain), it is currently impossible to determine whether it was because the enemy obtained relevant intelligence or detected it through divine power or intuition. I suspect that besides Leod, they have also targeted other towns along the border."

Ignoring the stunned Alyssa, Hedin continued his explanation.

He pointed to villages on the map spread out on the table, located near the borders of Sharzad and within the territory of the Commercial State (Islamic Domain). After being glanced at, Boffman quickly replied, "Ah, yes, I've also received reports of attacks on other towns and villages."

"Under these circumstances, the advance force sent to Riod has lost contact, and the enemy will inevitably send another force. Assuming the enemy has noticed something amiss... they will likely arrive here tomorrow night."

This was probably based on observations of the enemy's weaponry and training in "Leod City," and calculations made based on the enemy's location and distance, Hedin declared firmly.

"Our first move was to engage this force and let them know that an 'unexpected force' had appeared in Riod."

Finally recovering from the shock, Aly listened intently to Hedin's words.

Rather than an unexpected force, they were simply the strongest adventurers, but Ari decided to stop complaining.

"If the troops we send out don't return, the other side will be more cautious, which will buy us time to prepare."

"Prepare……?"

"Arrange a location for a decisive battle with 'all enemy forces'."

"What!?"

Faced with another bombshell being thrown at her, Ari was once again terrified.

"As I said, it would be most efficient for the eight of us to eliminate the enemy. So the next task is to lure the enemy to the battlefield without letting any escape. In that way, we can end this war there."

"W-What are you talking about...!?"

"Just like when the Kingdom (Lachia) invaded the Labyrinth City (Orario), even a first-class adventurer like us would have to put in a lot of effort to annihilate a force of 10,000 men scattered in multiple locations."

The tone of this statement sounds like "I hope to get all the trouble done at once."

This is impossible. If Ari and her group had forces equal to the enemy's, Valsha might be willing to muster his entire army to fight. The problem is that they can only send eight men; the enemy is unlikely to lead their entire army in a desperate battle.

No matter what method they use, the enemy will never allow their entire army of 80,000 to come out!

Hedin seemed to sense Alyssa's thoughts through her eyes, so he looked at her.

"If you want your country to develop peacefully, the means you should take is not to 'repel' the enemy, but to 'annihilate' the enemy."

"!!"

"This statement is not a metaphor. I am not referring to the usual situation of weakening the enemy and inflicting heavy damage. If too many enemy soldiers escape, it will only prolong the war. If we cannot determine a victor in one battle and allow the enemy to escape, it will inevitably leave behind a future threat."

"But...!"

"We can launch a surprise attack now, but there will definitely be some who slip through our net, which is why I want the enemy to gather in one place."

Even though Hedin's explanation was logical, the content was still quite nonsensical.

At least according to common sense.

"We will now return to the labyrinth city of Orario. This is a one-time opportunity to help. To fulfill your request, we must utterly crush the enemy and ensure they never dare to act again."

Hedin was right; they were not interested in Sharzad's future.

Although he was only nominally in charge, he was genuinely making this suggestion for Ari's sake, who was currently considered her master.

Alyssa, who understood the situation, was unable to utter a sound and was at a loss for what to do.

"Therefore, you must also come and help, nominal owner."

"...!"

"I need you to act as 'bait' to lure both sides to our doorstep... Can you do that?"

Hedin's coral-red eyes, hidden behind his glasses, stared straight at Alyssa.

Not only him, but also Aota, Allen, and the others were looking at Ari.

Facing those eight gazes that seemed to be scrutinizing her, Ari clenched her fists tightly.

"No problem! Of course I can do it!"

Aly responded loudly, as if accepting the challenge head-on.

"The capital has been captured, the people are suffering, and many ministers have been lost! I have now made a complete fool of myself! If I cannot die for my country, even as a member of the royal family, I am but a figurehead!"

"..."

"Herdin, if you can fulfill all your empty promises, I'm willing to serve you at your beck and call!"

Ari put on the expression befitting a prince (Aram), revealing her determination without reservation.

She had already made up her mind about what she absolutely had to do. The goddess had also given Ari a push from behind several times.