By the abyssal rift, a fsh of intense light appeared, and soon a rge number of demihuman people appeared on the open ground.

  "What's happening?!"

  "The location has ged?!"

  "This is a miracle, this is a miracle!"

  For the demihumans, who had no formal system of learning, the cept of magic was pletely fn. Unlike humans and other races, they typically possessed little magical power and relied mainly on physical abilities in bat. A teleportation spell capable of moving over ten thousand beings in one go was araordinary phenomenon to them – it was seen as a divine miracle.

  Strictly speaking, though, this spell was not far removed from a miracle in its ht. Farkonia was already a mortal spirit capable of tending with certain gods, and Aris' power even surpassed that of Farkonia. The scale of such a teleportation spell was now on par with divine abilities.

  "This is within the borders of the Abyssal federation. Soon, someone will e to expin the rules and the steps to you."

  As Misako spoke, several demons had already received the message and were on their way to assist.

  "Leave the demihumans to you. Als those humans back for interrogation. I suspect their identities are not what they seem."

  The humans, dressed in matg armour, were clearly not part of some random poag group. There was likely a hidden mastermind behind them.

  "Uood, Priestess. By the way, Lady Shirone asked if you could visit her office you return."

  "Visit her?"

  Normally, Shirone wouldn’t seek Misako out, as she didn’t wish to trouble her with her personal matters. If Shirone did approach Misako, it was likely because something had occurred that she couldn't handle herself and required Misako's assistance.

  "...I suppose I’ll go see her."

  ...

  "Lady Shirohis..."

  "I know..."

  A graceful woman, dressed in a white priestess robe with white hair and fox ears, sat in a chair, looking at the dots in her hand with a troubled expression.

  "I never expected that just after issuing the decration of nationhood, something like this would happen."

  It had beehan a week sihe 'Day in', the official founding of the Abyssal federation, and things were already beginning to unfold in the most unwele dire.

  Though they had anticipated su event, or rather, it was almost certain to happen, it was happening far earlier than expected.

  "Has the Priestess not returned yet?"

  "...It seems she has just returned, bringing a rge number of demihumans with her."

  "That’s great! Go and send word for the Priestess to e... No, I’ll go directly."

  "No need for that."

  Just as Shiroood from her chair, Misako, Aris, and others suddenly appeared before her.

  "You look very flustered. Has something happened?"

  "...Indeed, Priestess. Please look at this."

  Shirone handed a dot to Misako, who immediately began to read it.

  [The he abyssal rift is part of our kingdom’s inal territory, yet it has been unwfully occupied by demons as. As a human kingdom and as the nation whose nd has been vioted, the Kingdom of Lidolu hereby decres war on the Abyssal federation.]

  "...This is... a decration of war?"

  Misako looked at the official seal and signature at the bottom; ihis was an official dot from the Kingdom of Lidolu.

  Lidolu was a human kingdom, and in terms of humaablished nations, its strength was sed only to the tus Empire and the Holy Light Chur this region. Geographically, it was situated he abyssal rift, right o the Abyssal federation.

  "...How shameless."

  Misako looked at the dot with a sneer.

  Under normal circumstances, ah any sense of the witches’ reputation would hink to stir trouble he abyss.

  The reason other nations did not occupy he rift wasn’t just because of the desote nature caused by the nd’s sealed magical powers and the chaotic time-space leakage, but also because it was the site of the witches’ influence.

  The more one uood the witches' power, the greater the fear they instilled. Acc to legend, a king from a certain race had once spoken ill of the witches at a ba, and in the moment, he was twisted into a knot out of nowhere. This king was an immensely powerful figure, almost on the level of an upper-rank king, with at least ninth-tier strength.

  Yet, even such a powerful individual was swiftly dealt with for mere insolehis i left all races too terrified to ever oppose the witches, whether in terms of strength ic.

  And now, this so-called King of Lidolu had the audacity to publicly cim that the he rift was theirs. To Misako, this was nothing short of farcical.

  To put it in perspective, even though Misako and Farkonia had o the witch, and had been told that the rift was created by her, with future pns to be made by her, they only dared to treat it as a base with great cautio, here was someone boldly g ownership of it.

  "Priestess, what should we do now?"

  "This is simple. Since we've been provoked, we should strike back, of course."

  Ohe Kingdom of Lidolu had issued their official decration of war, it was clear that flict was iable.

  The decration itself not only belittled them, the demons, demihumans, and monsters, but also hi the king's attitude.

  If they allowed this to stand, it would be equivalent to doning the oppression of demihumans and monsters, something that ran ter to their goals.

  "But our numbers are clearly insuffit."

  The passageways between the abyss and the outside world had not yet stabilised, and those with insuffit strength could er from the outside, nor could they transfer substantial forces here. Meanwhile, Lidolu, with its human reproductive capabilities, likely had an army of several thousand. bined with their advanced magic tools, even if one demon could match dozens of humans, they would still be at a disadvantage.

  We 't send those demihumans we brought back, we?

  "Have you fotten? Your Priestess' strength is beyond measure, and it’s not just us."

  Fag Shirone's s, who had little experieh battle or war, Misako smiled fidently.

  "You all stay here for now. Leave the fighting to those who are in charge of it."