Because of her reduced body size, her clothes draped long over her, and violet hair cascaded down her exposed shoulders. Hilde held onto the sleeves that were now too large as she slowly crawled across the round table. The regressor muttered discontentedly at Hilde’s transformation.

“I should’ve shown that to those old geezers….”

“I sent them away precisely because I didn’t want them to see it! How else could I keep up the ‘Zikhrund’ act without doing this?”

The art of disguise involved manipulating the body itself. Hilde’s Qi techniques had reached a point where they neared the very edge of reason, but that didn’t change how mentally exhausting it was. Letting out a tired sigh, Hilde laid down comfortably on the round table as if it were her own home, kicking her legs playfully.

“Anyway, you understood, right? We’re going to exchange hostages.”

“Hostages?”

“Yes, hostages. A long-standing and time-honored method of securing trust!”

Hilde spoke cheerfully, but the regressor didn’t share her sentiment. With a hardened expression, she spoke even more coldly.

“Be careful with what you say. I’m not a fan of hostages.”

“Oh? Why’s that?”

“Why, indeed?”

‘Every time I try to do something, they take people who have nothing to do with me as hostages, dirtying the whole thing. Damn it. Just thinking about it gets me riled up again. Even the child I chatted with briefly at the inn or the merchant I made a short deal with… Tch.’

The regressor cut her recollection short. It seemed she had previously suffered because of a hostage situation in an earlier round. Shaking off the unpleasant memories, she muttered.

“It just feels dirty.”

“Hm. Sounds like someone important to you was taken hostage?”

“The exact opposite. I hate how they take people who aren’t even that important to me and use them as leverage.”

“That’s quite a rejection of the hostage concept. Hostages are meant to sway people, and you don’t want to be swayed?”

“Hmph. I don’t need anything like that. I don’t have anyone who’d be a valuable hostage in the first place.”

“Oh, really?”

With an exaggerated movement, Hilde looked around before pointing in my direction.

“Then, how about him? Father?”

“…I don’t know why he’s called ‘Father,’ but honestly, it’d be more convenient if someone took him off my hands.”

Haha, regressor, saying things you don’t mean…

‘Really, though. He’s somewhat helpful in certain situations, but he’s not exactly reliable enough to depend on. Someone should take him, use him when they need him, and then return him.’

Wait, seriously? You ungrateful regressor! Do I really have to list out my contributions just for you to understand?

“Shea, that’s too much. After all the effort I’ve put in, you’re just going to pawn me off? Even a brothel manager wouldn’t be so heartless!”

“I’m not a brothel manager, and I don’t know why you think I am, but let’s set that aside! What have you even contributed? All you did was disappear with the princess and the gunner!”

“Don’t you understand why I did that? It’s thanks to me that the negotiations with the military nation are happening!”

“What?”

“It’s just as Father said!”

Hilde leaped into my arms, sitting daintily on my lap as she adjusted herself comfortably.

“Well, to be honest, Father, you don’t quite measure up compared to the others, do you? You’re not particularly strong, and you don’t really exude anything impressive. But suddenly, Historia, a proud general of the military nation, joined your side, and everything started going weird. You look like you’d die with a single poke!”

“It’s true, but do you have to say it like that?”

“Did you seduce them with that smooth-talking face? But wait, there’s a guy with you, too, so that theory doesn’t hold! Though, seeing Shea’s preferences, maybe I was wrong to dismiss it!”

“I can’t deny that. It’s a clear fact.”

“Deny it! That’s clearly not true!”

‘Those two… They’re getting along disturbingly well! Now I get why I felt so uneasy about Yeonggwe. He reminds me of that one!’

Seriously, how long have they known each other that they’re already plotting together? Hilde, giggling, tapped her head against my chest.

“If there’s something you can’t explain with logic, then that’s usually the core of it. Naturally, the military nation thought Father was leading you all. There was that Pied Piper incident in Hamelin, and most importantly, Father’s actions resembled the escape of Colonel Lankart from before!”

It was true. That’s why Hilde had targeted me at the steel refinery. Although her guess was completely off the mark.

Sure, I played a significant role, but the true leader of this group was the regressor.

“Obviously? Hmph. Why would we follow that guy?”

“Really? Isn’t that the case?”

“Of course not…”

The regressor paused mid-sentence.

‘Wait. Azi, Tirkanjaka, even the gunner followed Hugh. If you don’t count them, it’s really only the princess and Nabi who barely follow me… Oh? Could it be that guy is the stroke of luck in this round…?’

Finally realizing it, regressor? Do you finally see how much I’ve been helping you?

Emboldened, I pressed the regressor further.

“Shea, do you finally see my worth? From now on, I expect a thank-you every month. And a modest financial reward.”

“…Ugh! Regardless of the truth, there’s no reason to think we’re following that slippery guy!”

Oh, trying to weasel your way out? Can’t bear to give a thank-you, huh?

The regressor pressured Hilde, who wiggled her fingers from side to side.

“Oh, but there is a reason~. If Father is a prophet or chosen by prophecy, it would make perfect sense! A person guided by prophecy gathers allies to defeat evil. It’s a common scene in epics!”

There wasn’t a single lie in that statement. After I’d exposed Hilde’s true identity, she’d called me a ‘prophet’ or something of the sort. She genuinely believed I was some kind of prophet or similar figure.

To correct that misconception, I subtly hinted at being the ‘King of Humans.’ It was a shame to reveal my trump card, but I don’t regret it. A trump card’s value only matters when it’s eventually played. Thanks to it, I uncovered secrets about the military nation and… protected ‘humans.’

“A prophet? From the Holy See?”

“Yes! The military nation got on the Holy See’s bad side! It wouldn’t be surprising if they attacked at any moment!”

“That’s true. There’s a sense of that.”

‘Yes, the Holy See was always watching the military nation. Even in previous rounds, whenever the military nation waged large-scale wars, the Holy See intervened actively.’

Though it was likely because of Uel, I decided to let that part slide for now.

“But! Father showed that there was room for negotiation! He came to talk alone with the Ancestor, leaving you all behind. That’s why the military nation was reassured and willing to talk. Thanks to all the chaos and clamor, this meeting happened!”

“What do you mean by ‘chaos and clamor’? You glossed over that!”

“Sorry. Explaining everything is exhausting.”

“Don’t be lazy with the most important part….”

Perhaps due to the overload of information or simply the exhaustion of dealing with both me and Hilde, the regressor clutched her aching head and looked over to Historia with questions in her eyes.

‘No, rather than asking him, I should….’

Though her thought process was unclear, she quickly turned and asked the somewhat more trustworthy Historia.

“Gunner, is this true?”
“Well…”

‘Not exactly. Hugh probably did go to talk, but it wasn’t for a peace agreement. He was likely summoned as the King of Humans….’

But regressor, sorry to say, Historia’s on my side. Even if she doesn’t fully support me, she’ll keep any information I don’t disclose.

Historia responded with words entirely different from her thoughts.

“Yes. Maximilian tried to interfere, but Hugh and I stopped him. We barely managed to take him down when….”

“Ah, got it. So that’s when Nebida appeared?”

While she omitted my identity as the King of Humans and Uel’s presence, the rest was close enough to the truth, convincing the regressor.

“I understand. So what? Since Hugh was so helpful to me, you plan to take him as a hostage?”

“Haha, of course not. Who would dare take someone like Father as a hostage? Even if they wanted to, they couldn’t, and if they tried, they wouldn’t accept it.”

‘Tch. That’s a bit disappointing….’

Would you really have handed me over if you could?

Damn. Knowing your real feelings thanks to telepathy just makes it all the more annoying. One day, I’ll get my revenge. Even if you’re taken hostage, I’ll make sure to let you stew before I save you!

While I silently swallowed my annoyance, Hilde giggled and revealed the hostages.

“Rest assured! Shea’s hostages will be the princess and her maid!”

“The princess?”

The regressor echoed, surprised at the unexpected choice of hostages.

‘I haven’t had much connection with the princess in this round, right? Plus, if they’re holding the leader of the Resistance as a hostage, it’ll mean they have to keep the Resistance in check. They can’t harm the hostage directly or indirectly until the deal is over.’

In fact, this might be beneficial. If I calculate it, it’s quite a favorable outcome. The regressor was ready to nod her agreement.

‘I haven’t really involved myself with the princess in this round. Maybe in a previous one, but….’

However, despite the apparent advantage of accepting the proposal, the regressor didn’t nod. Memories from a previous round, which didn’t exist in this timeline, briefly flashed through her mind. Though not a full recollection, she recalled specific memories tied to a particular individual, providing enough of a clue for me to read her thoughts.

In the second round, the regressor had tried to escape the military nation’s conscription by fleeing to Yulguk with the help of the Resistance. It was then that she met the princess, a seasoned leader who invited her to join the Resistance. Fearing the conflict, the regressor refused and headed to Yulguk, only to be ambushed and killed.

In the third round, realizing the need for power, the regressor joined the Resistance. Unlike the second round, the princess was less experienced and initially tested the regressor but soon grew to trust her deeply. With the princess’s full support, the regressor learned the forgotten martial arts of a kingdom, gradually growing stronger through official martial training and life-or-death combat experience from the first two rounds.

As she became involved in larger events, her encounters with the Resistance dwindled, but the princess remained a friend for a long time—even if not in this round.

The regressor spoke, following her heart.

“No.”