《The Girl Raised by the Death God Holds the Sword of Darkness in Her Arms》 Volume 1, Prologue Volume 1, Prologue Translator: Skythewood Editor: Hiiro ¡°Grandma, read this one!¡± A young boy took a drawing book from the shelf, and hands it to his grandmother, Camilla, who was knitting in a chair. The warm light from the fireplace lit the smiling face of the boy. ¡°¡ª You want to read this again? Mikhail, you really like this book.¡± Camilla stopped knitting, and took the drawing book from the petite palms of the boy. This was Mikhail¡¯s favourite book, and he had read it a hundred times. The worn out edges were proof of that. Especially the book¡¯s cover, where the drawing on it had completely worn out. However, Camilla could clearly remember the cover¡¯s drawing: A dark sword stabbed onto a hill, and someone looking into the distance. ¡ª¡ªChronicles of the Dubedirica Hero. That was the name of this drawing book. ¡°Yes, I love it! Of all the drawing books I have, this main character is the strongest!¡± Mikhail waved his limbs with ragged breath, as if he was mimicking the main character of the drawing book. His cute figure made Camilla relax her cheeks. No matter which era it was, boys would always admire heroes. ¡°Okay then, Mikhail. Come over here.¡± Camilla reminded him, and Mikhail sat on her lap docilely. Children were warmer than adults, and Camilla could feel this warmth through her grandchild¡¯s back. ¡°Hurry, hurry!¡± Mikhail swung his legs, and urged as he looked up. Camilla flicked her silver hair, and turned to the first page of the drawing book. ¡°A long long time ago, there was a girl raised by the Death God¡ª¡± It was a story that happened in the distant past. A story about a girl called the Dark Hero. _______________________________________________________________ All stories start with a small beginning. Deep in a forest far away from the realm of man, towering trees reached for the sky, and the canopy turned the forest as dark as night. On top of that, an ever present fog hung over this forest, as if to mask the existence of the forest itself. It wasn¡¯t clear when it started, people gave the forest a name, spurred by the fear in their hearts. ¡ª¡ªThe Forest of No Return. If you get lost here, it was over. No matter how keen your sense of direction might be, you could never leave. That was the reason for its name. From time to time, there were daredevils who didn¡¯t fear the legends and venture in, but none ever return. And now, no one dares enter this Forest of No Return. In the heart of this forest, was a tower made from smooth black stones. The tower was covered in moss and vines, it still had a dignified atmosphere about it. Aside from the tower, there were six black pillars engraved with complicated patterns encircling the tower. However, three of them were half destroyed. It was clear from their deterioration that these three pillars had fallen a long time ago. The other pillars were covered in cracks and damaged badly. It wouldn¡¯t be a surprise if the pillars fell at any time. This shrine was named by people from ancient times as ¡°The Gate to the Underworld¡±. For some reason, near the entrance of the shrine long abandoned by people, was a baby sleeping in a blood stained cloth. There was also a man covered in blood leaning against a pillar. He had already breathed his last, and held a broken sword in his hand. The forest was ruled by feral beasts. The delicious aroma of the baby and the bloody smell of the human corpse were alluring to them. Normally, these two would be devoured in no time. However, the shrine was devoid of any animals, and not even the chirping of birds could be heard. It was so quiet, as if everything around the shrine had fallen asleep. Tranquility was a nice way of putting it, but another way of describing it would be an eerie silence. In the atmosphere that felt like a different world, three shadows that were wavering like phantom flames approached the shrine. The shadows stopped when they noticed the presence of the babe and the man. ¡°I was wondering what intruded in¡­ So it¡¯s humans, huh. To think he made it all the way to the shrine. The baby lives, but the man is dead. His soul vessel is already empty.¡± The shadows looked at the babe and then the corpse, then commented disinterestedly. ¡°A babe, huh¡­ A frail soul like that isn¡¯t enough to satisfy my hunger¡ª but this is an easy meal ready to be reaped.¡± Another shadow materialized a scythe that had an unsteady form. The scythe was raised high, and it swung it towards the babe¡¯s heart without any hesitation. However, the last shadow put his arm in the path of the scythe to stop the swing. Right before the scythe touches the arm, it dissipated as if it had never existed. ¡°¡­ Why did you stop me? Do you wish to devour it?¡± ¡°No. I just want to observe it a little.¡± ¡°Observe¡­ that bad habit of yours again?¡± ¡°Really now, what¡¯s the point of doing this¡­ Never mind, have it your way.¡± After a short conversation, the two shadows melted into the ground and vanished. The remaining shadow drift quietly to the baby, and picked it up with arms that seemed to shimmer in and out of existence. At this moment, the baby opened its eyes. it¡¯s dark clear eyes reflected the image of the shadow. The baby looked at the shadow bafflingly for a moment, then smiled. ¡°Yes. There is merit in observing it.¡± On the neck of the baby was a ruby. The shadow alternate its gaze between the ruby and the smiling baby, then grunted. _______________________________________________________________ It had been ten years since the shadow picked up the baby. The girl lived in the shrine that had dark walls along with the shadow named ¡°Z¡±. However, they didn¡¯t eat, sleep and play together. More specifically, Z didn¡¯t do all that. Aside from observing the girl, Z didn¡¯t accompany her. ¡ª¡ª And right now was observation time. On the training grounds outside the shrine, the girl was having a match with weapons against Z. The girl was using a brilliant white short sword, which contrasted against Z¡¯s large dark scythe that was covered in a black mist. The girl leaped back after her blows were fended off by the scythe, pulling away from Z. She panted hard and used her sleeves to wipe her sweat from her brow. It had been 30 minutes since he started his observation. After battling for such a long time, the girl realized that her stamina was running out. Z rests his scythe on his shoulder, and asked calmly: ¡°What is it? Are you tired?¡± He wasn¡¯t being sarcastic. After all, Z was never sarcastic. This was just the conclusion he drew from observing the status of the girl. ¡ª Even so... After taking a deep breath, the girl charged forward. Her surroundings turned into thin lines, and Z was within range of her sword in an instant. The girl swung across at Z¡¯s stomach. Unfortunately, the white blade didn¡¯t touch Z¡¯s body. The girl¡¯s all out attack was parried easily by the scythe, and the sword was stabbed into the ground. ¡°Hmm. Your ¡ºFleet Footed Rush¡» is fine, but your movements are too simple.¡± Z muttered, then kicked with amazing speed. The girl pulled out her sword and used it as a shield. The girl couldn¡¯t block it completely, and was sent flying. ¡°Ughh!¡± Her brain went numb, and the girl almost lost consciousness. But she bit on her tongue to stop herself from blacking out, and landed after spinning a few rounds in the air. ¡°Ha, ha, ha¡­¡± The girl slowly caught her breath, and wiped away the blood from the corner of her lips. She then noticed that her hands were cramping. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m¡­ still alright.¡± The girl gripped the hilt tight to suppress the spasm, and swung the sword in a large arc. This was a barrier created with a sword. One of the sword techniques taught to her by Z, this defensive stance had no blindspots. ¡°Are you ready?¡± The scythe twirled around Z¡¯s hands like a stick. The girl didn¡¯t answer the question, and tightened her grip. ¡°You seem ready.¡± The moment Z said that, the girl felt a chill on her back. She jumped sideways immediately, and evaded the attack that appeared out of nowhere by a hair¡¯s breadth. The girl moved behind Z and swung her sword up to counter¡ª¡ª but she stopped. She had to, since the figure before her was just an after image. Z had already moved behind the girl, and held the blade of its scythe against her throat. A drop of cold sweat rolled down the girl¡¯s forehead. ¡°You can almost keep up with me. That¡¯s all for today.¡± With that, Z melted into the ground and disappears. The oppressive air around the shrine vanished with him, and the world reverted to its original tranquility. ¡°Thank you very much.¡± The girl relaxed, looked at the ground where Z was, and offered her thanks. ¡ª¡ª The daily schedule of the girl was fixed. She would learn the situation of the continent, language, military tactics, magic, swordsmanship, melee combat amongst other things. Occasionally, she would follow Z into the forest, and learn to hunt and cook. The education and training of the girl was what Z referred to as observation. One day after the observation officially started, the girl was told that she was a life form called humans. The official term was more complicated, the third sentient life form. When the girl learned that, she got curious about Z who was completely different from her, and asked Z about it. ¡°Me? Well¡­ To the humans of this world, I¡¯m something akin to a God of Death.¡± The unexpected answer made the girl¡¯s eyes shine. That was because one of the many books Z gave her was written around the subject of the God of Death. According to the book, the God of Death was a terrifying existence that reaps the souls of humans indiscriminately. ¡ª¡ª Granting an equal death to all. That was how the book ended. The girl asked Z whether her soul would be reaped. ¡°That¡¯s false. We will only reap the souls of humans that didn¡¯t have a sense of self yet, or humans who had just died. I won¡¯t reap your soul, since your ego had already formed.¡± That was how Z answered. The girl thought it was true. The Death God described in the book was a skeleton in tattered robes, while Z was a shadow that was wavering like a phantom flame. If the girl had to choose between Z or the book, the girl would definitely believe Z. The girl lament in her heart that not everything written in books were true. ¡ª¡ª On another day in the near future. After finishing swordsmanship training, the girl asked another question. Z had taught her swordsmanship and melee combat skills¡ª¡ª In other words, killing techniques. Would it ever be put to use? Z once told her that humans were combative and cruel creatures that would murder their own kind for reasons other than consuming food. But she was the only human in this shrine. There wasn¡¯t anyone she could kill, so she felt it was strange that she had to undergo such training. After a brief silence, Z answered curtly: ¡°You will understand when the time comes.¡± Z was a shadow and couldn¡¯t show any expression, which was obvious for an existence which was the manifestation of a shadow. And so, the girl couldn¡¯t see how Z felt when it said that. But at that moment¡ª¡ª the girl was certain that Z had a hint of a smile. Recently, the girl started speaking with Z in human language. She didn¡¯t know why, but since it was Z¡¯s instruction, she had to obey. The observation days passed uneventfully, and the girl and Z continued their queer living arrangements. ¡°Z. My head feels stuffy, and my back is cold. There¡¯s something wrong with my body.¡± After the usual lessons ended, the girl informed Z that she wasn¡¯t feeling well. ¡°¡­ Hmm, you are burning up. You might have caught a cold.¡± Z said with his wavering hands on the girl¡¯s forehead. ¡°What¡¯s a cold?¡± ¡°Well¡­ As an analogy, it¡¯s like bugs messing around in your body, causing discomfort for your body.¡± ¡°Ehh? Is it because I ate Mr Ant yesterday?¡± The girl was regretting eating ants as a snack. ¡°I already told you not to eat ants. And the bugs I mentioned is just an analogy.¡± Z was dumbstruck. ¡°What should I do? Will I die? Will Z eat my soul?¡± ¡°You won¡¯t die with just that. Humans aren¡¯t that fragile. But let¡¯s stop the training for now, you should go back to your room and rest. If you lie down quietly, your body will recover in no time.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± The girl staggered back to her room, and got right into her bed. After sleeping for a short while, the girl felt a presence and opened her eyes. She turned and saw the wavering Z standing before her. The girl rubbed her eyes and check again. This was the first time Z came to her room. ¡°What is it, Z? You want to eat my soul after all?¡± ¡°I brewed soup for you. Drink.¡± The girl then realized that there was a bowl in the tray Z was holding. ¡°Ehh~ but I¡¯m not hungry.¡± ¡°Your lack of appetite is because of your cold. Drink it even if you are not hungry. You will get better quicker that way.¡± Z sat on the bed, propped the girl up, and scoop a spoonful of soup towards the girl¡¯s mouth. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Open your mouth.¡± ¡°Y-Yes.¡± She had a tingling feeling in her heart, but the girl still opened her mouth obediently. Z slowly sent the soup into the girl¡¯s mouth, and a warmth soon spread throughout the girl¡¯s tummy. ¡°How is it? I made it bland, so it will be easier on your stomach.¡± ¡°Yes, it taste good¡­ Ehehe.¡± ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± ¡°Nothing. Ahh~.¡± ¡°Hmm, it seems everything is fine.¡± Z nimbly scoops soup into the girl¡¯s mouth. In less than ten minutes, the bowl was empty. ¡°Thank you for the meal.¡± ¡°You ate everything. Now drink this.¡± Z then put a silver glass cup into the girl¡¯s hands. In it was a green gooey liquid. It reminded the girl of a monster shown in a drawing book. ¡°What¡¯s this? It¡¯s all gooey and smells weird. Can I really drink this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s medicine. You will get well faster if you drink it.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Have I ever lied to you?¡± ¡°Well, no.¡± The girl pinched her nose and drank all the medicine in one go. The bitterness lingered in her mouth, washing away the delicious taste of the soup from earlier. ¡°Z~, it¡¯s so bitter~.¡± ¡°That¡¯s how good medicine is. Well, I don¡¯t know the taste though.¡± With that, Z shifted a chair to the bed, and sat down. It then took out a book and quickly browsed through it. ¡°Are you going to stay here?¡± ¡°¡ªHmm? Yes, this is part of the observation. When you wake up, you will feel much better. If you understand, then go and sleep.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand¡­ Ehehe. Good night, Z.¡± ¡°¡­ Good night.¡± For some reasons, the girl felt that she had a sweet dream. _______________________________________________________________ ¡ª¡ª Time flies, and it had been fifteen years since the girl met Z. The girl¡¯s life was the same as usual. The only thing that changed was the standard of her studies and training. And she was given a name for convenience¡¯s sake. However, a body of a girl that turned fifteen changed drastically. Under Z¡¯s tutelage, the girl was as strong and intimidating as a feral beast. But she still looked the part of a proper lady. Her slender limbs and full bosoms were proof of that. Her delicate features would definitely turn the heads of everyone on the streets. The girl was an incredible beauty. The day starts early for the girl. She would open her eyes at dawn and leap up from her canopy bed. She would then start stretching with a yawn. The sounds of her bones cracking made her feel refreshed. She then draped the towel hanging on the wall over her neck, and walked out into the dim corridor. The girl likes the tranquility at dawn, and she woke up early just to enjoy it. When she reached the courtyard, there would be a few stray beams of light passing through the dense tree canopy illuminating the place. The girl squainted, then fetched water from the well. As she washed her face with a bucket of water, she drank a few mouthfuls. The water permeates her belly, and the girl smiled: ¡°Ahh, that taste great.¡± She muttered satisfactory, and went to the kitchen cum dining hall to make her breakfast. It had a simple layout, with a brick stove and a small table. The girl added firewood with practiced hands, then concentrate on her right index finger. She visualized the magic power in her body mixing with the minute amount of mana in the air. Blue and white particles gathered at her index finger, proving that the combination was successful. When the particles congregate at one point, it created a fireball the size of a bean. ¡°Success.¡± The girl smiled, and tossed the fireball towards the firewood. The blue flame burned intensely, and the girl used a poker stick to control the burning. In the beginning, the girl couldn¡¯t control her power and destroyed the stove several times. But everytime she came back, she would find the stove in its original state, as good as new. This phenomenon reminded the girl of the fairies featured in the book ¡ºThe mischievous fairy Comet¡». The story was about a timid fairy Comet who plays all kinds of pranks on humans, and took pleasure in surprising them. The girl decided to scare the fairy instead, and hid in a corner of the room for the entire night to keep watch. But Comet didn¡¯t show up, and morning came. It was almost time for her lessons, so the girl had no choice but to leave the kitchen. But when she came back to check at noon, the stove had already been repaired. The girl stubbornly stakes out the kitchen for a few days, but to no avail. Some time after that incident, the girl ran across Z using magic to repair the stove by chance, and felt really disappointed. The bitter memories made the girl shake her head, and she wiped away the sweat on her brow. She put the pot of yesterday¡¯s leftover soup on the stove, and waited for it to heat up. A short while later, a bubbling sound came from the pot, together with an appetizing aroma. ¡°Thank you for the meal.¡± She ate her breakfast alone, put away the utensils swiftly, and headed for the classroom. Aside from the girl¡¯s bedroom, there were other rooms in the shrine, but they were all desolate. This was only natural since no one manages the place. It was the same for the classroom. She pushed open the door with a familiar magic circle, and it fell off the hinge with a heavy thud. It had finally broke off from the rotting edge. The girl paid it no mind, stepping over the door and entered the room¡ª¡ª at the centre was a lone set of table and chair, where she sat. She just needed to wait for Z to appear out of thin air, and begin the lesson. The girl didn¡¯t think there was any problems. ¡°Z is late today~.¡± However, no matter how long the girl waited, Z didn¡¯t show up. This was a first. Feeling something was wrong, the girl approached the lectern Z always uses. Because she saw a dark sword that wasn¡¯t there before, something like a letter, and a ruby. And as expected, it was really a letter, addressed to the girl. She read it numerous times, then dashed out of the shrine with the dark sword in her hands. ¡°Z!¡± When she realized it, the girl was calling out Z¡¯s name in a volume that even surprise herself. However, Z didn¡¯t respond, leaving only the echo fading into the air. Even so, the girl kept calling for him until her voice grew hoarse. But Z didn¡¯t appear. ¡°Z¡­ Z¡­ Z¡­¡± As the girl repeatedly called for Z, something warm welled up in the girl¡¯s eyes. Her vision became blurred, and the girl touches something rolling on her cheek. She quickly learned that when humans felt sad, they would shed tears. However, the girl didn¡¯t understand why her chest hurts, as if something was squeezing it. The pain was different from what she felt during training. It wasn¡¯t mentioned in the books. After god knows how long. The girl wiped away her tears with her sleeve and noticed something. Black mist was coming out of the sword in her left hand. ¡°This is¡­¡± The form might be different, but this was something like the scythe used by Z. The girl held the dark sword tightly in her arms, and looked down calmly. She left the shrine that very day, never to return. Chapter 1: The Fledgeling Leaves the Nest ¢ñ Lunar Calendar Year 995. The peace that had lasted almost 40 years was over, and the Dubedirica continent was engulfed in the flames of war once again. The embers of war was started by the large nation to the north. The Emperor of the Arsbelt Empire, Ramza the 13th, suddenly declared that he would conquer the entire Dubedirica continent, and immediately invaded its neighbouring nation to the east, the Farnesse Kingdom, and started a war. In the beginning, only the two great nations, the Empire and the Kingdom were at war. But the flames of war quickly spread to the small nations around them, and finally dragged the entire continent in as well. Lunar Calendar Year 997. With the war spreading to all the nations in the continent, the stalemate between the Empire and the Kingdom reached a turning point. The Empire seized the biggest stronghold in the central war theatre, the impregnable Fort Kiel. After that, the Empire used the fort as a bridgehead, and coerced the minor nations around the kingdom with either the candy and the whip, annexing them at an alarming speed. The Confederation of Sutherland, situated at the south of the continent, had always insisted on their neutrality. But with the change in situation, they colluded with the Empire in secret. Using the excuse of abysmally poor harvests in the southeast region of the continent, they drastically decrease their export of food to the Kingdom. That sparked off large scale famine throughout the Kingdom, and resulted in riots. The Kingdom relied heavily on imports for food supply, with seventy percent of the Kingdom¡¯s food coming from Sutherland. This made things worse for the Kingdom that couldn¡¯t produce enough food to sustain itself. At the same time, the Kingdom increased the food collected from the citizens to feed the soldiers on the frontlines, which incited more unrest. The Kingdom suppressed the riots with troops, which in turn intensified the riots, resulting in a vicious cycle. With civil unrest pressure from within and a foreign military threat from outside, the Kingdom¡¯s powers quickly crumbled. Lunar Calendar Year 998. Reports of the Kingdom army¡¯s struggles were sent to the capital one after another. The Kingdom couldn¡¯t muster the effort to launch an effective counteroffensive, and could barely hold the frontlines. The Empire¡¯s encirclement of the Kingdom was slowly tightening, and the reigning King of the Farnesse Kingdom, Alphonse Sem Garmund, made a painful decision. He dispatched the capital¡¯s last line of defence, the elite of the Kingdom¡¯s military, the First Army to retake Fort Kiel. _______________________________________________________________ Fort Gallia was situated in the south of the Kingdom, with the Est mountains separating it from the capital city Fizz. It was a key stronghold in the Farnesse Kingdom¡¯s defence line, and the closest fort to the capital. To Fort Gallia¡¯s southwest and Fort Kiel¡¯s south east, was Kaspar castle that had been seized by the Empire. The villages and towns around Kaspar castle had fallen into the hands of the Empire, and soldiers guarded the main roads at all times. As they set their eyes on attacking Fort Gallia in the future, they had to be wary of the Kingdom¡¯s movement. And right now, Captain Samuel who was in charge of a key security checkpoint at Canaria road noticed a girl heading towards the Kingdom. She was around 15 or 16 years old. Her features were as delicate as a door, and she was wearing a reddish brown blouse, so she probably came from one of the villages. Her silver locks swayed with every step her slender legs took. (Oh, that¡¯s a great find¡­) While Samuel was admiring the girl¡¯s face, the item hanging on her waist caught his eye. The sheath on the girl¡¯s waist seemed too expensive for a village girl. The black sheath was covered in an intrinsic pattern with gold and silver. Something like this could only be found on wealthy nobles or powerful veterans. Just the sheath alone could fetch a handsome amount of gold coins. Anyway, it looked out of place on a mere village girl. (Given the craftsmanship of the sheath, the sword must be incredible.) Just imagining the sword inside was enough to make Samuel raise the corners of his lips. For a moment, he suspect that the girl was a bandit, but quickly dismiss that thought. It was common knowledge that the Imperial army had control over the vicinity. Even if they weren¡¯t soldiers from the military, bandits wouldn¡¯t dare show their face here in broad daylight. Samuel tapped the shoulder of a young soldier beside him¡ª¡ª Cliff, pointed to the girl and said: ¡°Be honoured, Cliff. This is your first mission. Do a security check on that girl.¡± ¡°Yes Sir!¡± Cliff saluted smartly, then shouted at the girl with a strong tone: ¡°That girl over there, halt!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± However, the girl ignored Cliff and continued walking along the road. Given the distance, she must have heard Cliff, but the girl was nonchalant. ¡°Hey Cliff. Be more gentle when you talk to a girl. Didn¡¯t your mother teach you that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. What if you scare her off with your boorish tone?¡± Seeing Cliff being ignored, the soldiers around started to tease him. Angered by his colleagues, Cliff walked up behind the girl and grabbed her shoulder. ¡°I said halt, didn¡¯t you hear me!?¡± ¡°Ehh? You are calling me?¡± The girl pointed at herself with her eyes wide open. She didn¡¯t seem to be lying and was genuinely surprised. But Cliff didn¡¯t think so. Pushed by his anxiety, he stepped closer menacingly. ¡°Are you kidding me? Do you see any other girls here?¡± ¡°Ehh~, you can¡¯t tell boys apart from girls? I can do that much.¡± The girl then pointed to a female soldier who was also performing roadblock inspections. The subject looked at Cliff and the girl in surprised and said: ¡°Ehh? Are you referring to me?¡±. Thinking he was being played a fool, Cliff turned red with anger, and grabbed the girl by her collar. ¡°How dare you mock an Imperial soldier! Are you eager to die? This area is under the Empire¡¯s control, the flailing Kingdom¡¯s army can¡¯t help you!¡± ¡°Oh~ so you are Mr Imperial soldier. Humans in armour all look the same, so I can¡¯t tell. It will be great if there are books to differentiate armour.¡± The girl said with a serious face as she checked out Cliff¡¯s armour. She showed no fear, and her firm dark eyes showed that clearly. ¡°Hahaha. Well, well, this is interesting. This girl sure got guts.¡± Samuel raised his hand to restrain Cliff who wanted to draw his sword. But Cliff kept his hand on his hilt, continuing to give off a menacing aura. ¡°Please don¡¯t stop me, Captain! She is obviously mocking us. Allow me to execute her on the spot!¡± ¡°Hey, don¡¯t let it get to you. I never kill civilian women, and I won¡¯t let you do so either. And such a good woman at that. This is the only iron clad rule in my unit, and one that I¡¯m proud of. So remember it well.¡± (But I did rape countless women.) Samuel thought about his sexual conquests from the villages, while the girl yawned out of boredom. ¡°Sorry about stopping you, but the sheath on your waist looks really valuable, so I¡¯m wondering about your purpose in visiting the Royal capital. This place is full of ¡®famished beasts¡¯, and is very dangerous. Would you like me to escort you?¡± The moment Samuel said that, the soldiers laughed sinisterly. They ignored the icy glares of the few female soldiers cast their way. One of them even mimicked the clawing actions of a wolf and howled, drawing even more laughter. ¡°Is that so. I don¡¯t need an escort, since I¡¯m on the way to the Kingdom to sign up as a soldier. So don¡¯t get in my way, okay?¡± For an instant, Samuel didn¡¯t understand what the girl was saying. Cliff stood there stiffly, and the soldiers around them were dumbfounded. Samuel was sure that his expression was no different from theirs. The girl then said: ¡°Ah~, how tiring¡±, then continued walking. ¡°Damn you!!¡± When Cliff snapped out of it, he yelled and slashed at the girl with his sword. At the same time, his right arm still holding a sword flew into the air. It was Year 998 of the Lunar Calendar. The endless sky and the blood splatters became the backdrop for the road of Canaria. _______________________________________________________________ ¡°¡°Huh?¡±¡± A few of the soldiers blurt out in surprise, and they turned towards Cliff with necks that were as stiff as rusty gears. Cliff looked at his right arm in confusion, and his face started to contort. ¡°K-Kyaaa!!¡± Blood splurt out from his right stump, and Cliff¡¯s scream echoed across the road. Samuel looked at the girl, and a dark sword was in her right hand without him even noticing. It was dripping with blood. The culprit behind this was as clear as day. ¡°That hurts! It really hurts!¡± Cliff who was sniveling in pain clutched his right stump with his left hand, and ran away from the girl¡ª¡ª ¡°Heave, ho~.¡± The girl turned the dark sword horizontal to the ground, then tossed it while she hummed. The sword pierced Cliff¡¯s armour mercilessly, like an arrow loose from a bow, stabbing right through his chest. An ominous mist was spreading from it. ¡°Hyaa! ¡­Ah¡­¡± Cliff¡¯s body spasm, then collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut. The girl¡¯s cheerful voice echoed out loud along the silent Canaria road. ¡°Like I said, don¡¯t get in my way. Humans sure are combative. Maybe I didn¡¯t make myself clear? Human language is complicated~.¡± The girl said something unfathomable, then stepped Cliff¡¯s head to pull out her sword. She slowly shook off the blood on the sword, and looked at the spearman beside her. ¡°Waaarrghh!!¡± The soldier that caught the gaze of the girl thrust his spear with a scream. The other soldiers wield their weapons in a panic. In contrast, the girl was unfazed, and parried the attacks with the slightest of movements. Her short reddish brown skirt fluttered in the air, as if she was dancing elegantly. Samuel clicked his tongue internally. Even a veteran soldiers couldn¡¯t match her skills. His men weren¡¯t capable of harming her. Samuel was on maximum alert, he didn¡¯t know who she was, but she definitely wasn¡¯t just some village girl. ¡°Hmm~ It¡¯s my turn, right?¡± The soldiers movement became dull due to fatigue, and the girl lopped off their heads, smashed their faces, dismembered their limbs and pierced their hearts. Screams, blood and chunks of meat flew everywhere. This was a one sided massacre only possible for the powerful. In no time at all, corpses and blood covered the surroundings, and the blood stench entered Samuel¡¯s nasal cavity. The soldiers who didn¡¯t join the fray dropped their weapons and backed away from the terrifying girl. Their eyes were wide open and filled with horror, as if they were looking at a Death God. Their fighting spirit had been crushed. The girl covered in blood looked at the soldiers overwhelmed with fear¡ª¡ª and showed a smile as bright as the sun. ¡°H-Hiee! Monster! It¡¯s a monster!!¡± ¡°D-Don¡¯t mess with me! I don¡¯t want to die here!!¡± ¡°M-Mommy, save me!!¡± The soldiers started to flee with a scream. Some of them crawl on the ground like worms. Others ran with their teeth clattering loudly. And a few were laughing creepily while they fled, there were all kinds of people. This was unsightly for the honorable imperial army. But Samuel didn¡¯t blame them. It was only natural for them to react this way after witnessing such a terrible scene. The girl didn¡¯t pursue the escaping troops, and just watched them go. She probably meant to spare anyone who didn¡¯t point a weapon her way, Samuel assumed. ¡°Erm~ Mr Captain, is it? You can run too. If you don¡¯t get in my way, I don¡¯t have to kill you.¡± The girl suddenly turned to Samuel, giving him the choice of fleeing with the others. Her blood stained lips had a strange sense of charm. ¡°¡­ I know you are not a mere peasant. With that in mind, I have a question for you.¡± ¡°Yes, go on.¡± ¡°Where did you learn your swordsmanship and fighting techniques? It¡¯s not something that can be mastered at such a young age, and by a woman too.¡± ¡°Ehh~ even if you ask me, I can¡¯t do anything about that~ And I was taught by Z.¡± ¡°¡­Z?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Z. Do you know where Z is?¡± The girl asked with an innocent smile. Her childish expression made it hard to imagine that this girl just massacre those soldiers without a shed of mercy¡ª but she was still covered in blood. ¡°¡ª Sorry, I don¡¯t have any clue.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes. If he is famous, then I should have heard about him already.¡± ¡°Hmm~ Oh, aren¡¯t you fleeing? Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t pursue you.¡± Samuel wasn¡¯t so docile that he would follow her instructions. In response to the girl¡¯s shooing gesture, he shook his head. ¡°Huh? You don¡¯t want to run?¡± ¡°Hahaha, why should I run? I¡¯m quite skilled myself.¡± ¡°Really?¡ª¡ª I can¡¯t tell though.¡± After a short silence, the girl gave her sassy evaluation. Samuel said with a sinister smile: ¡°Haha! This is the first time someone told me that in my life. The longer I stay on the battlefield, the more chance I will have to fight monsters, what a joy.¡± ¡°Are you calling me a monster? My name is Olivia, you know.¡± Olivia put her hands on her waist, and introduce herself proudly. ¡°I see, I will remember that. This is the first time I¡¯m fighting a woman not from the army¡ª No, since my opponent is a monster, I¡¯m not breaking my rules, right¡­? Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Samuel mumbled to himself as he slowly drew the large sword from his back. The blade was extremely thin, a double edged sword that was flexible and tough at the same time. His favourite that had never been snapped, and had accompanied him through countless hellish battles. He licked the edge of the sword, took a deep breath, and took a stance with the sword horizontal to the ground. Olivia was looking at Samuel before her with a smile. He leaned slightly, breathed out, then charged at Olivia. This was a killing thrust that combined the speed that didn¡¯t seem possible for his huge body, with his heavy body weight. ¡°Violent Thrust¡±, a move feared by many. Samuel used this move to kill countless enemies. It will be the same this time, and the monster before him would be slaughtered. (My only target¡ª¡ª is the heart!) The tip of the sword sliced through the air, and was about to pierce Olivia¡¯s heart. ¡°It¡¯s mine now!!¡± Confident of his victory, Samuel roared. But the next moment, the scenery before him looked different from what he expected. He didn¡¯t see Olivia collapsing with blood gurgling from her mouth from her heart being pierced. Instead, he saw a strange sight of his own body from an incredibly low angle. As Samuel¡¯s consciousness faded, he heard someone saying confusedly ¡°Did he steal something?¡± ¢ò Imperial Army, Main Camp of the Farnesse Kingdom southern war theatre, Kaspar castle ¡ª¡ªCaptain Samuel was killed in action. The urgent report sent by the soldiers guarding the Canaria road caused a stir in the Kaspar castle that night. The bonfire at the main gate was burning more intensely than usual, and all the patrols had tensed faces. The side gate was open, and the corpse of the dead soldiers were brought into the castle. ¡°Is it true that Captain Samuel died in battle?¡± General Osborne who was in his fifties asked in a confused tone. He held a position of high authority within the Arsbelt Empire, and was the commander in chief of the southern war theatre. He was a general famous for being adept in both offence and defence. The Non Commissioned Officer (NCO) raised his head and answered: ¡°Yes, your excellency, The guards from Canaria city went on scene urgently to confirm, and found the headless corpse of Captain Samuel. There were more than ten corpse in a similar state. We are recovering the bodies as we speak.¡± ¡°Headless corpse?¡­ They were probably taken to collect a bounty. It¡¯s only natural, since Captain Samuel¡¯s fame has spread amongst the Royal Army.¡± ¡°Pardon my insolence, but this wasn¡¯t the doing of the Royal Army.¡± When he heard that, Osborne furrowed his brows. ¡°It¡¯s not the Royal Army? Then who killed Captain Samuel? Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s bandits.¡± ¡°Well¡­ Erm¡­¡± The NCO suddenly stammered. Seeing him like this, a man with icy eyes and his hair combed back neatly urged the soldier to continue with a gesture from his chin. He was the general¡¯s Strategist, Colonel Paris. ¡°A-According to the survivors, Captain Samuel was cut down by a monstrous girl with a black sword in one strike.¡± ¡°A monstrous girl killed him?¡± Paris couldn¡¯t help asking. ¡°Yes Sir. And that monstrous girl was supposedly on her way to the capital to sign up for the Royal Army.¡± The nonsensical report from the NCO was dismissed by Paris with a laugh. The stories made up by bards sounded more plausible. Paris was from the intelligence division, and he would never acknowledge the nonsensical report of a monstrous girl so easily. He judged that the information must have deviated somewhere along the line. ¡°Enough with the nonsense¡ª¡ª Never mind, I will ask the soldiers involved directly, bring them in.¡± The NCO trembled when he heard that, and shook his head weakly: ¡°Unfortunately, the survivors are all mentally unsound, and couldn¡¯t converse properly. After seeing the state they were in, there were rumours amongst the men that a monster had allied with the Kingdom.¡± ¡°Oh~, it had reached such an extent¡­ So the reports are true then?¡± Osborne said as he cast his eyes on Paris. ¡°My lord, why do you believe that drivel. Besides¡ª¡± ¡°Paris, it¡¯s a waste of time to say anything more.¡± Osborne raised his left hand to cut off Paris. Paris wanted to say a lot more, but it was as Osborne said, since the soldiers had lost control of their emotions, it wasn¡¯t possible to gather further information. Continuing would be a waste of time, and they couldn¡¯t afford to waste anymore of that. ¡°Yes Sir, pardon me for losing my cool.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine¡ª I understand the situation. Thank you for your hard work, you are dismissed¡ª¡± ¡°Pardon my intrusion, may I have a moment?¡± Osborne was about to dismiss the NCO when a man saw an opportunity to interject. He wore a robe that looked like it had been dyed by the darkness of the night, and a hood covered his head. In a word, he looked incredibly suspicious. He was just in the later half of his thirties, but had the look of someone in his sixties. His face under the hood was abnormally thin, but his eyes were bright. He was Chancellor Dalmes, who was here on inspection duty on behalf of the Emperor.. Paris heard Dalmes used to be part of the Analysis Division which was a dead end career. However, he rose through the ranks with incredible speed in the last few years. In the prosperous Arsbelt Empire which had risen to great heights, he held the post of chancellor, only second to the Emperor. The popular view was that the Emperor trust Dalmes deeply, and his position as Chancellor was unshakable. There were even rumours that Dalmes advice was the reason behind the Emperor¡¯s declaration of conquering the entire continent. Dalmes seldom speaks, and was thus called the silent Chancellor. ¡°¡­ Lord Chancellor, is there something troubling you?¡± Osborne probed. Dalmes shrugged with a suspicious smile. ¡°No no, it¡¯s not a big deal. I¡¯m just curious about the black sword that was mentioned¡­ About that sword, can you describe it in further details?¡± Dalmes asked the NCO. Surprised by the sudden question, the NCO¡¯s eyes started to waver. ¡°Relax, just explain whatever you know.¡± Dalmes said in a soothing tone. Under the candlelight in the room, the cold sweat on the NCO was clear and prominent. It couldn¡¯t be helped that he was so nervous, since it was rare for the Imperial Chancellor to ask an NCO a question directly. However, the NCO¡¯s tardiness in responding broke Paris¡¯ patience. ¡°How long do you want to make the Lord Chancellor wait? Hurry up and answer!¡± ¡°¡ª No, no Sir. I-I don¡¯t know! I only know that the sword is black!¡± The NCO finally answered, and Dalmes smiled when he heard that. ¡°I see. I understand now, you may leave.¡± ¡°Yes Sir! E-Excuse me!¡± The NCO saluted, and left the room quickly. Dalmes used this chance to stand up from his chair. ¡°I will take my leave then. Please don¡¯t hesitate to contact me if you need anything.¡± ¡°It¡¯s getting late, thank you for honoring us with your visit.¡± ¡°You are too kind.¡± Paris lowered his head and Dalmes waved his hand gently. He then smoothed out the crease on his robes, and left the room calmly. For some reason, Osborne was watching Dalmes leave the room with a pale face. ¡°Your Excellency, what¡¯s wrong? You don¡¯t look well.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Your Excellency!¡± Paris reached out and shook Osborne¡¯s shoulder, and finally got his attention. ¡°You have recovered. What happened?¡± ¡°N-No, it¡¯s nothing, don¡¯t mind me.¡± Osborne replied with a forced smile. ¡°I see. Very well¡­ Oh about that monster¡ª¡ª that girl, if it¡¯s true, the spies I dispatched out will definitely report to us about her.¡± ¡°Erm, y-yes. We have to tighten the castle¡¯s security for now.¡± ¡°Of course. I have to take care of matters with regards to Captain Samuel, please excuse me.¡± When Paris¡¯ footsteps grew distant, Osborne rests his head on the table. He felt a chill rise up his spine, and his heart was racing. He took out a cigar with trembling hands, and lit it after several tries. After blowing out a deep drag, Osborne thought back on the scene he saw earlier. ¡ª¡ª That nightmarish scene. (Paris didn¡¯t seem to notice¡­ What was that? Chancellor Dalmes¡¯s shadow was squirming like a living being¡­) ¢ó Olivia who beat off the Imperial Soldiers at Canaria road walked on the road towards the capital with a spring in her steps. People who passed her by from time to time all gasped in surprise. It was only natural for them to react this way, since Olivia was covered in blood. Normally, people would ask the girl what happened when they saw her like this. And a few passerbys did think about asking her. But in the end, no one spoke to Olivia. They averted their gazes to avoid any trouble, and quietly gave way to her. The reason was simple. They all saw the bloodstained sword on Olivia¡¯s waist. ¡ª¡ª There was another reason. ¡°How long until I reach the capital~.¡± Olivia was oblivious to the gazes of other pedestrians, and looked at the other end of the rope on her shoulder¡ª which was a large hemp bag. The bottom of the bag was now dark red. (Hmm~.It¡¯s not heavy, but this is quite a hassle.) She thought about throwing the hemp bag away. If she tossed it into the grass, feral beasts will happily take over. Without any baggages, Olivia would be able to use ¡¶Fleet Footed Rush¡·. It took a heavy toll on her body so she couldn¡¯t use it too much, but it would allow Olivia to reach the capital faster. However, Olivia immediately dismiss it and shook her head. ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± She remembered Z¡¯s teachings. ¡°Do you remember that a long time ago, I told you that humans are a combative and cruel race?¡± ¡°Yes, I remember.¡± ¡°Very good. An example would be the tendency of humans hunting the heads of their enemies.¡± ¡°Why? Does human head taste good?¡± ¡°No. Unless they had no other choice, humans won¡¯t cannibalize their own kind.¡± ¡°I see. Then why do they do that?¡± ¡°One of the reasons is to prove their ¡®martial prowess¡¯.¡± ¡°¡®Martial prowess¡¯¡­? I don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°Well¡­ Simply put, it¡¯s a way to show off their strength.¡± ¡°¡­ Humans will hunt the heads of their own kind for such a silly reason?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right? Aren¡¯t they cruel?¡± ¡°Hmm~. What other reasons might there be?¡± ¡°If they cut off the head of the enemy, their allies will be happy. Depending on the situation, there might be rewards.¡± ¡°Rewards? Is it delicious food? Or maybe books?¡± ¡°Regarding that, I¡¯m not too sure¡­¡± (Humans likes to receive the heads of their enemies. Z told me that. In that sense, getting attacked by the Imperial Soldiers is a stroke of good luck. I don¡¯t like human heads, but the people from the Kingdom will definitely be happy if I gave them these heads. They will then let me join the army.) The gleeful Olivia clenched her fist with a smile, started dragging the rope on her shoulders along as she walked forth with renewed determination. After veering off the Canaria road, she reached a green plain on a high plateau. There was no trace of humans in the vicinity, and in their place were small critters peering at her from the bushes. They were probably drawn in by the blood stench. They all fled with one look from Olivia. (They ran. I¡¯m not hungry, or thinking about eating them¡­) Olivia thought as she continued forth with light steps. After passing through a field of flowers, she walked down a gentle slope and reached the bank of a wide river. After filling her canteen, Olivia followed the river downstream, and saw a huge fort. It had several walls, and was a firm stronghold. ¡°Wow! It¡¯s big!¡± Olivia thought it was much bigger than the Gate to the Underworld. At the top of the fort was a huge red flag fluttering in the wind. Olivia looked carefully, and saw a gold and a silver lion supporting a silver from both sides. ¡°Silver cup, gold lion and silver lion¡­¡± Olivia felt the coat of arms was familiar, and thought about it. ¡°Hmm~¡­ I got it! That¡¯s the banner of the Kingdom! So that¡¯s a fort of the Royal Army, huh¡­¡± Satisfied with her memory, Olivia looked at her hemp bag. She could smell a rotten stench. (What should I do. Will it last until I make it to the capital?) Olivia cast her gaze towards the fort, then crossed her arms in deep thought. ¡°¡ª¡ª Okay, I have decided! Before I head to the capital, I will give these to the fort as a souvenir. They won¡¯t be able to tell these are the heads of Imperial Soldiers if they rot.¡± Olivia nodded to herself, and started walking towards the fort in a great mood. The sun was at its peak, and at this pace, she should reach before dusk. ¢ô Royal Army, southern war theatre Base Camp, Fort Gallia After the fall of Fort Kiel in the central war theatre, a large amount of money was urgently invested into the expansion of Fort Gallia. It could garrison a hundred thousand soldiers, and was the largest fort in the Kingdom. Inside Fort Gallia¡¯s commander office was Lieutenant General Paul, a man in his 60s. He was seated at a desk made of ebony, and was the commander of the Seventh Army and its 40,000 soldiers. Paul leaned heavily in his leather chair as he listened to the report from his adjutant. ¡°An urgent report came from the capital this morning. His Majesty had decided to dispatch the First Army garrisoned in the capital to recover Fort Kiel.¡± ¡°Sigh. If His Majesty made this wise decision one year earlier, the war would have turned out differently. Now that the Empire had us completely surrounded, there was no strategic value in making this move. And even if they sent the elite of the Royal military, the First Army, the chance of success is small¡­¡± Paul sighed, took out a cigar from his chest pocket and lit it. It was now a luxury item even high ranking officers had trouble getting. Paul took out another one and placed it on his desk, but his adjutant turned him down with a gentle wave. His Adjutant, Lieutenant Colonel Otto, was like a friend to Paul, having worked with him for 20 years. He was talented, but his personality was too rigid. ¡°The will of His Majesty isn¡¯t something a mere mortal like me can decipher. Speaking of which, His Majesty has a message for Your Excellency.¡± ¡°A message, huh¡­ Let¡¯s hear it.¡± ¡°Yes Sir. Lieutenant General Paul is to garrison the fort and defend it to the last. End of message.¡± ¡°Fufu. Don¡¯t look so bitter. If Fort Gallia falls, that will be the end of the Kingdom. His Majesty understands that too, and had to make it clear.¡± Paul comforted Otto who looked vexed. Otto cleared his throat and replied: ¡°No matter what, our duty is to defend this fort. That aside, Your Excellency, do you know a man named Samuel in the Imperial Army?¡± ¡°Samuel? Hmm, that sounds familiar¡­ Right, I remember now. He is the man who cut down Major General Lance of the Fifth Army.¡± Just 27 years old, Major General Lance was a rising star known for his wits and fighting prowess. However, he was defeated by Samuel and died in the intense Battle of Arschmitz. His body was crucified, and left to rot beneath Fort Kiel for three days and three nights. Days later, the Fifth Army led by Lieutenant General Belma was wiped out in battle. ¡°It is as you say. That Samuel died in battle recently.¡± ¡°Oh~! An exploit by a brave warrior from our army? Which unit is that warrior from?¡± ¡°Well, actually¡­¡± At this point, Otto¡¯s eyes started wavering. ¡°You brought this topic up yourself, so why are you hesitating? It¡¯s fine, just speak your mind.¡± ¡°My apologies. The truth is, Samuel wasn¡¯t slain by our soldier, but a traveling girl.¡± ¡°¡ª¡ª I think I¡¯m hearing things because of my age. Can you please say that again?¡± Paul dug his ears, and the unfazed Otto repeated himself. ¡°Samuel was slain by a girl who was traveling.¡± ¡°I see. So Otto can crack jokes too. There is no telling when a storm will brew¡­¡± Paul looked out the windows, and dark clouds had covered the sky that was still clear moments earlier. But he didn¡¯t seem to be referring to the weather. ¡°Your Excellency, unfortunately, that wasn¡¯t a joke. Days ago, that girl brought the heads of more than ten Imperial Soldiers to us, including that of Samuel.¡± ¡ª¡ª A few days earlier. Otto was working in his office, when the guards at the door gave an urgent report, saying that a girl had brought in the heads of a large number of Imperial Soldiers. It was a girl covered in blood. By her feet was a bloodstained bag. He checked the contents, and found it full of heads wearing the helmets of the Empire. He asked the girl what happened, and she replied that she got attacked by Imperial Soldiers when she passed by Canaria road, so she killed them. That was already shocking, but a bigger surprise awaits. After checking the heads, Otto found one belonging to Samuel. ¡°Is it really Samuel¡¯s head?¡± ¡°There is no doubt it belongs to Samuel of the ¡®Violent Thrust¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­ This is unbelievable.¡± If it was a boy instead of a girl, he could still believe it. After all, heroes were men who displayed extraordinary battle prowess from a young age. Paul took a deep drag of his cigar, and slowly exhaled. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have believed it if I didn¡¯t see it for myself.¡± ¡°So, what¡¯s her goal for bringing those things to the fort? She wants the bounty?¡± That was a reasonable goal. No one hates money. After Paul asked that question with that in mind, Otto shook his head. ¡°No. She wants to use this accomplishment to become a soldier in the capital. She came across this fort on her way there, so she decided to gift us the heads before they rot away.¡± ¡°Haha, how bold. And she wants to join us under such circumstances, this is unfathomable¡­ You have been calling her a girl, just how old is she?¡± ¡°When I asked her, she said 15.¡± The unexpected answer almost made Paul drop his cigar. That was his granddaughter¡¯s age. From the perspective of the world, she was barely an adult. To Paul she was just a child. Paul looked at Otto in disbelief, but Otto just shook his head quietly, and that the answer would be the same no matter how many times he was asked. ¡°Hah¡­ Then, where is the girl now?¡± ¡°She should be in the mess. By the way, considering her merit of presenting the enemies head when she enlisted, I gave her the rank of Warrant Officer.¡± The cigar fell for real this time. Paul ignored the cigar and glared at Otto, but Otto wasn¡¯t fazed. This was too much, so Paul admonished him directly: ¡°Adjutant Otto. No matter how shorthanded we are, you have gone too far.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Even so, Otto¡¯s face remained unchanged. This was why the men called him the iron mask. ¡°It is. Killing Samuel is a great accomplishment, if she was a soldier, she would be bestowed with the medal of the ¡®Silver Lion¡¯. But regrettably, she wasn¡¯t enlisted back then. But enlisting a girl who didn¡¯t reach the minimum age¡­ This is off putting not just as a soldier, but also as a normal person.¡± ¡°Pardon me Your Excellency, but we can¡¯t spare the effort on such trivialities. Be it a girl or an old lady, if she can kill Imperial Soldiers, then I will make full use of her. I do understand your concerns¡ª If there is nothing else, I have business to attend to, and take my leave.¡± Otto saluted smartly, then left the Commander¡¯s office. Paul picked up his dropped cigar, and put it back in his mouth slowly. (It is as Otto says, we can¡¯t take things easy. But to send a girl to war just because of her martial prowess, that¡¯s unbecoming for an adult¡­ How shameless.) Paul sighed deeply, and the smoke he exhaled hung in the air. Volume 1, 1: Royal Army, Fort Gallia Mess Hall Volume 1, Chapter 1: Royal Army, Fort Gallia Mess Hall Translator: Skythewood Editor: Hiiro In a corner of the mess where a large number of soldiers had gathered, a youth kept on sighing. His name was Ashton Senefelder. He was studying in one of the top schools in the Kingdom, and had great academic results. He was exempted from the draft as his future was bright. Unfortunately, with the Kingdom¡¯s situation deteriorating, his exemption was revoked, and he was drafted into the army in the southern war theatre. ¡°Sigh¡­¡­¡± Ashton was in despair. He had never wielded a weapon properly before, so to him, Fort Gallia was a ticket straight to his grave. His death was almost certain now. The youth was confident that he would die on the battlefield, regardless of what kind of training he would undergo. Before Ashton realized it, a girl had sat down beside him and started eating bread. Her face was well proportioned and her eyes were mesmerizing. This was the first time Ashton saw a girl whom he literally thought was out of this world. After the girl finished her bread, she looked at her tray with begrudging eyes. In contrast, the bread on Ashton¡¯s tray was still untouched. (It seems that she had not eaten her full. Should I give her my bread¡­ No, I don¡¯t have any ulterior motives¡ª¡ª) As Ashton was looking for an excuse for himself, he locked eyes with the girl. ¡°¡ª¡ª¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°H-Hey, do you want my bread? I-I don¡¯t have any ulterior goals, I just think you aren¡¯t full yet. I haven¡¯t touched my bread yet, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Can I? Thank you very much. You are a good human!¡± (UwahÒ» I said it¡ª¡ª Huh? Good human?) The girl¡¯s choice of words felt odd to him, but Ashton still offered his bread to the girl. The girl was all smiles as she took the bread, and stuff it into her mouth. ¡°Namuh, gnirefforuoy htiwdesaelpmaI.¡± ¡°¡­ Are you saying that you find the bread tasty?¡± The girl nodded with an expression that said Ashton was correct. Ashton felt confused at her reaction. Compared to the bread in the capital, this bread was hard and dry. It was a far stretch to call it delicious. Even if you compare it to bread from outside the capital, the quality was really substandard. ¡°It might be rude saying this to someone who thinks this taste good, but the bread here isn¡¯t that tasty, you know?¡± ¡°Huh!? I-Is that so?¡± The girl looked very surprised. Ashton felt a sense of superiority. ¡°That¡¯s right, the bread in the capital taste far better. It¡¯s crisp on the outside, and soft on the inside, a real delicacy. But with the problem with food supply, it isn¡¯t easy to get tasty bread.¡± ¡°Hee~ I see. This is my first time eating bread, and I already thought it tastes awesome. The books often mentioned bread, so I always wanted to try it.¡± The girl said as she looked at the half piece of bread in her hand. When he heard that, Ashton spit out the soup in his mouth. The female soldier glared at him, it was like she was looking at walking garbage. Ashton apologized, but his mind was filled with the words the girl just said. How was it possible for someone to have never eaten bread? No matter how remote a place she lived in, there would be bread sold there. ¡ª¡ª She must be joking. With that in mind, Ashton waited for the girl to continue. But contrary to his expectation, the girl focused on eating her bread, and showed no intentions of talking anymore. The girl finished her bread in no time. (Are you serious¡­) Ashton stared at the girl, as if he was trying to stare a hole into her. And from that, he realized that the girl was telling the truth. ¡°¡­ So, this is your first time eating bread. Where did you come from?¡± ¡°Oh. I came from a shrine called the Gate of the Underworld, deep in a forest. I had been living there all this while, have you heard of it before?¡± The girl looked right at Ashton¡¯s eyes. Ashton¡¯s heart started racing, and was worried that the girl might hear the pounding of his heart as he started digging through his memories. Despite how he looks, Ashton was very well read. He repeated the term Gate of the Underworld in his heart, but couldn¡¯t find any relevant memories. ¡°¡ª¡ª Sorry, I never heard of it.¡± ¡°I see~ Well, that¡¯s only natural, since I don¡¯t really know anything about it, even though I lived there.¡± The girl laughed out loud, got up from her chair and picked up her empty tray. ¡°Thank you for the meal. Can you tell me your name?¡± ¡°Oh, I-I¡¯m Ashton.¡± Ashton answered stiffly when he was suddenly asked for his name. ¡°So you are Ashton. I¡¯m Olivia, let¡¯s meet again if the chance arises.¡± With that, Olivia turned around and left with a wave. Ashton looked at her silver hair that reached up to her waist, and thought Olivia was unexpectedly tall. At this moment, someone pulled the chair beside him, and tapped his shoulder hard. Ashton turned and saw a man with messy blonde hair. He was Maurice, who arrived at the fort at the same time as Ashton. When they chatted some days ago, he seemed to be in a similar situation as Ashton, having been stripped of his exemption and sent to this ¡°cemetery¡±. And like Ashton, he was terrible with the sword. The two of them were often admonished by their superiors during training. ¡°Yo Ashton, do you know who that girl is?¡± Maurice asked with a devious smile as he pointed at the girl. ¡°What are you saying out of the blue. Do you know then, Maurice?¡± Ashton asked in return, and Maurice showed a face that said ¡°I thought you would never ask.¡± He said quietly, careful not to let others hear him: ¡°This is classified, so spread this out¡ª¡ª have you heard the rumour of someone signing up with the army with a bag full of Imperial soldiers¡¯ heads?¡± ¡°So that¡¯s what you want to say. Isn¡¯t that just a rumour?¡± What do you mean by classified, Ashton scoffed when he heard that. After all, if a private like Maurice knew it, then it couldn¡¯t be classified, right? Ashton retorted in his heart. ¡°No no no, it¡¯s not a rumour, it¡¯s true. And on to the main topic¡ª¡± Maurice stopped, and smiled deviously at Ashton. Ashton had enough of his attitude and lost his patience. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to say it, then I¡¯m leaving.¡± Ashton stood up after saying that, and Maurice pulled at his arms frantically to sit him down. ¡°I know, I know. Don¡¯t be mad. The girl you were chatting with is the legendary headhunting recruit¡ª¡ª Warrant Officer Olivia.¡± ¡°Ehh!? That girl¡­ No, that lady is a Warrant Officer?¡± Maurice felt dumbfounded from Ashton¡¯s reaction. ¡°The reason you are surprised is off. Normally¡­ Never mind. Indeed, it¡¯s an extremely rare exception for someone who just enlisted to be appointed to the rank of Warrant Officer.¡± ¡°You are not kidding?¡± ¡°What good will it do to lie to you? Instead of that, you two seem to be having fun chatting, tell me what was your conversation about.¡± Maurice then put his arm around Ashton¡¯s shoulders intimately. Ashton pushed his arm aside, and thought that their conversation usually wouldn¡¯t last that long. It seemed that Maurice was pretty interested in Warrant Officer Olivia. (Well, it¡¯s normal to be attracted to her looks.) Ashton sighed and said exasperatedly: ¡°I don¡¯t know what you expect, Maurice, but we didn¡¯t talk about anything special. She just said that this was her first time eating bread, and she used to live in a shrine. That¡¯s all.¡± ¡°She lived in a shrine? Could it be the Church of Saint Illuminas¡­ Is she a ¡®Sorcerer¡¯!?¡± Maurice¡¯s gleeful expression changed, and he started pressing Ashton to answer with a face of surprise. Church of St. Illuminas was a popular religion that worships the Goddess Citresia, with many devout followers in the continent. It was said that devotees living in their shrines were called ¡°Sorcerers¡±, and were highly revered. That was because they could use ¡°Sorcery¡±, a skill that had been lost since ancient times. According to the ¡°Bible White¡± published by the Church of St. Illuminas, the Goddess Citresia created the Dubedirica continent through powerful Sorcery. (Ridiculous. That¡¯s just a fairy tale, there¡¯s no way Sorcery exist. It¡¯s all fabricated by the Church to elevate themselves. I¡¯m surprised that Maurice believed something so dubious.) Troubled by Maurice¡¯s sharp gaze, Ashton continued: ¡°No, the shrine she was staying in is called the Gate of the Underworld. This is the first time I heard it, so it¡¯s probably not related to the Church.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Well, even if you ask me¡­ I can¡¯t find it in my memories, so I don¡¯t think it¡¯s related.¡± ¡°¡­ Hmm, she¡¯s not related to the Church, huh. Well, I guess that¡¯s that.¡± Maurice waved goodbye, then left the Mess Hall with brisk steps. He seemed uninterested in the conversation after learning Olivia wasn¡¯t related to the Church. (Is Maurice a follower of the Church¡­? Well, whatever.) Ashton took a deep sigh, then forced himself to finish his soup. _______________________________________________________________ Royal Army, Fort Gallia Training Grounds The silver moon had concealed itself as if it had put on dark clothes, and the heavy rain pounded on the ground, as if it was venting its rage. On this rainy day, a man went to a corner of the city wall with light steps. He was wearing dark garb, melting right into the darkness. Even his face was covered with a black mask. ¡ª¡ª He was Second Lieutenant Zenon of the Imperial Army¡¯s intelligence division, ¡°Heat Haze¡±. He skillfully evaded the view of the soldiers, and leaned closely on a tree beside the Training Grounds. A short moment later, a man in a long cloak appeared from the shade of the tree. ¡°Second Lieutenant Zenon. It¡¯s been a while.¡± The man said with a smile. He was an imperial spy who had infiltrated Fort Gallia¡ª¡ªSergeant Major Maurice. ¡°Enough with the greetings. Report.¡± ¡°Yes Sir, the Royal Army did¡¯nt do any noteworthy movements. They seemed content with defending this fort.¡± ¡°You have the numbers in the fort?¡± ¡°Yes, there¡¯s about 40,000 men garrisoned here.¡± Zenon nodded with satisfaction. ¡°Well done. Anything else to report?¡± ¡°¡ª There¡¯s something that caught my attention.¡± Maurice¡¯s tone turned sombre. ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°A girl joined the army here after bringing the severed heads of many Imperial Soldiers.¡± Zenon was shocked, and remained speechless for some time. He never thought the rumoured girl was in Fort Gallia, and felt like kicking himself for his shallow mindedness. It was so obvious if he thought about it. Since the girl was heading for the capital, her shortest route would take her straight through Fort Gallia. It was no surprise that she stopped here. Or rather, he should have thought of this first. This was a serious oversight. ¡°¡­ Does she have silver hair?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right¡­ So you know about her?¡± There weren''t any doubts now. Zenon sighed and nodded. ¡°Yes, she killed Captain Samuel after all. It caused a big stir in Kaspar castle.¡± ¡°She killed that ¡®Violent Thrust¡¯!? How is that possible!¡± It was Maurice¡¯s turn to be surprised. Zenon quickly check their surroundings. ¡°The rain is loud, but this is still enemy grounds, keep your voice down. In the beginning, I thought I misheard it too. But regrettably, this is the truth.¡± ¡°My apologies. Now I can understand why she was appointed to the rank of Warrant Officer. But for that girl to kill Captain Samuel¡­ Could it be!?¡± Maurice opened his eyes wide, and seemed to be in deep thought. Zenon couldn¡¯t afford to linger on enemy grounds, and urged Maurice to speak with a click of his tongue: ¡°What is it? If you have a clue, then tell me!¡± ¡°Ah, yes Sir. I heard that the girl used to live in a shrine, and suspect that she might be a Sorcerer.¡± ¡°Sorcerer...!? If that is true, then things will become complicated.¡± ¡°Battling a Sorcerer would be a tedious affair.¡± The two of them became silent at this juncture. A voice as clear as a bell then interjected amidst the noise of the rain. ¡°Ehh~ I¡¯m not a Sorcerer though.¡± ¡°¡°¡ª¡ª What!?¡± The sudden voice made Zenon and Maurice leap to the sides. They drew their swords and turned around to find a girl drenched by the rain. ¡°Who are you!?¡± Maurice yelled. ¡°Hey, the rain is so heavy, so what are you two doing here? Night training? You will catch a cold, you know?¡± The girl flicked her wet silver hair, and showed a charming smile. ¡°Silver haired girl¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s her.¡± Maurice said curtly. ¡°As I thought.¡± Zenon swiftly took a dagger out and threw it at the girl¡¯s face. The dagger was custom made for throwing, and had been painted black to blend in with the dark. The eyes of normal people wouldn¡¯t be able to track that dagger. It blends into the dark, and made it hard to gauge the distance. But the girl dodged it easily with a sway of her head. Zenon continued throwing daggers at her chest, arms, and legs, but none of them found its mark. The daggers all disappeared into the dark, as if he had thrown them at an illusion. (Oh~, she dodged my daggers¡­ Interesting. As expected of the person who slew Captain Samuel.) Zenon licked his lips, and closed in on the girl quickly. The girl didn¡¯t move or even draw her sword, and just looked at him with a smile. ¡ª¡ª This was the pride of someone who had absolute confidence in her strength. When he thought this far, Zenon felt a sudden chill down his spine. A feeling he never had before coursed through his body. It was different from killing intent, and was something more horrifying. If he had to describe it with a word, it would be the feeling of ¡°death¡±. (This feels bad! I have to pull away and see what my opponent does.) Zenon firmly believe in his instincts. He understood that it could be the difference between life and death. And the truth was, Zenon¡¯s instinct had already helped him escape from certain death several times. However, he was very close to the girl, and it might be more dangerous to take evasive actions now. And from the way the girl dodged the daggers, her riposte might prove fatal. Zenon¡¯s mind started churning at high speed. ¡ª¡ª Should I attack with the resolve to die. ¡ª¡ª Or should I evade at the risk of death. One of these two choices. Zenon made his decision in an instant, and increased the speed of his thrust. When his sword entered its attack range, Zenon intentionally dropped the weapon in his right hand. ¡°Ehh!?¡± The girl yelped, and looked incredulously at the weapon Zenon abandoned, unable to tell the goal of this move. (I tricked her!) Seeing that his scheme worked, Zenon surprisingly started thanking the Goddess Citresia in his heart. If there was a mirror showing his face, Zenon would definitely see his own malicious smile. He then pulled the mechanism on his waist, and the ¡°click¡± sound that followed was music to his ears. A hidden blade sprung out from Zenon¡¯s left sleeve, and he thrust it at the girl¡¯s throat. The attack from her blindspot was a brilliant plan, however¡­ ¡°H-How is this¡­ possible¡­¡± What he saw next plunged Zenon into despair. The girl turned her body to evade the attack, and used her momentum to draw her sword. Her move cut through bone and sinew, and the sound it made reverberated in Zenon¡¯s brain. He felt like he was in another world, and Zenon¡¯s vision turned dark¡ª¡ª _______________________________________________________________ ¡°Hmmp~ that¡¯s an interesting idea. Z taught me lots of things though. Unfortunately, you are too slow. You need to work on your speed.¡± Olivia sheathed her sword, and said to Zenon who was bisected at the waist. And of course, Zenon could never answer. This eerie scene made Maurice shiver. It wasn¡¯t because of the cold from the rain, but pure fear for the girl. ¡°¡ª¡ª I really like rainy days.¡± Olivia looked up at the sky and said something out of the blue. Maurice backed away with trembling steps, and asked: ¡°W-What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Because no matter how much blood gets on me, the rain will wash them away. Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s great?¡± Olivia turned to Maurice with dance-like steps. Her face covered by the blood and the rain had a bright smile. ¡°¡ª¡ª Hiiee.¡± Maurice turned and ran. Zenon who was one of the most skilled amongst the intelligence division was killed by the girl in seconds. Maurice had survived through many battles and was confident of his abilities. But despite all that, he didn¡¯t dare to challenge this foe. (I already confirmed an escape route in case of emergencies. There is only one thing I can do. Survive and report whatever intel I have to the Empire. I can¡¯t die to this monster here.) However, Maurice fell flat on his face after running a few steps. Mud got into his throat, and he coughed intensely. He tried to get up, but his legs wouldn¡¯t move. When he propped up his body and looked at his feet¡ª¡ª his legs below the knees were gone, and blood was gushing out. ¡°Kyyaaa!!¡± ¡°Pardon me. I swung my sword instinctively when you tried to run. Let me return these to you.¡± Olivia jogged over, and placed Maurice¡¯s legs before him. ¡°Actually, I heard everything you two were saying, so I know you are a spy. What should I say in such a situation...? ¡­Hmm~¡­ I remember! ¡®I will be taking you prisoner¡¯, right? Aren¡¯t acting just like a soldier?¡± Olivia saluted and showed an innocent smile. Her figure was just like that of a devil or a Death God. To escape from the pain and fear, Maurice gave up his grip on consciousness. _______________________________________________________________ Fort Gallia fell into chaos. The reason was the severed mask head she was holding on her left hand, and the legless man she was dragging with her right, as she walked boldly through the fort. The guards immediately informed Otto, and she was quickly sent to an interrogation room for questioning. Otto and Olivia sat opposite each other in the interrogation room, with a table between them. Paul who was in his pyjamas stood behind Otto with a smile. ¡°Excuse me~ do I have to continue to sit here? I want to go back and sleep already.¡± ¡°We are still performing checks, please wait.¡± ¡°How much longer do I have to wait?¡± Olivia pressed. Otto didn¡¯t answer, as they had this conversation plenty of times already, and he had grown weary of it. In Otto¡¯s 25 years in the military, he had seen all kinds of soldiers. However, he had never met a soldier like Olivia. Less than a week after enlisting, she killed the enemy soldier who infiltrated the fort, and caught the spy who had already set down roots in the unit. There had never been a soldier who had produced such results. But he couldn¡¯t just stand around in surprise. Otto heard footsteps and looked outside, and received some documents from the person who was walking briskly to the interrogation room. Inside was the investigation report on the body left on the training grounds. The report confirmed that the body belonged to an Imperial intelligence operative. This evidence was a relief to Otto. To be safe, he had several elites hidden in the interrogation room, which had proven to be unnecessary. The report concluded that Maurice¡¯s condition was stable. When he recovers, he would undergo interrogation. ¡°We secured the evidence.Warrant Officer Olivia is right, they are spies.¡± ¡°It¡¯s finally over~ I already told you so many times~¡± Olivia grumbled as she stretched her back, and Otto said with a scowl: ¡°Watch your tone. Military regulations must be followed strictly, I can¡¯t just take your words at face value.¡± ¡°Yes Sir! I hear and obey!¡± She might be saying that, but Olivia was puffing her cheeks unhappily. She might have incredible skills, but she looked just like a 15 years old girl right now. Otto smiled awkwardly with complicated feelings, and a question flashed across his mind. ¡°By the you, Warrant Officer, how did you uncover the spy?¡± ¡°Yes Sir, I was strolling outside when I happen across someone who was acting suspiciously. I followed him, and realized he was whispering to another person. After listening in on their conversation, I realized they were Imperial spies.¡± What do you think, I¡¯m awesome right? Olivia puffed out her chest and answered smugly. Otto looked at her drenched figure again and said: ¡°How elegant of you to take a stroll in such heavy rain.¡± ¡°Yes Sir, I love rainy days!¡± ¡°¡­ There¡¯s a curfew at night, correct?¡± ¡°Yes Sir, I forgot about that!¡± Olivia said boldly, which made Otto nurse the spot between his brows. Paul¡¯s stifled laughter came from behind, and Otto cleared his throat in protest. ¡°Never mind, I will overlook your breaking of curfew, but don¡¯t violate any more orders¡ª¡ª Anyway, you did well this time. To be honest, the problem of spies had been troubling me.¡± ¡°Yes Sir! Thank you for your compliment!¡± Otto suspected that Imperial spies had infiltrated Fort Gallia. But with 40,000 troops and thousands of non-combatants, it was almost impossible to sieve them out. Otto had already launched an investigation in secret, but failed to obtain any leads. Olivia¡¯s accomplishment far outweighs her violation of her orders. ¡°Alright then, Warrant Officer Olivia. We will give you a bonus pay in the short future for your accomplishment. You are dismissed.¡± Otto stood up and dismissed Olivia, but the girl showed no intention of standing up. On top of that, she muttered with a displeased face: ¡°Bonus pay¡­ huh.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Not happy about your bonus pay?¡± ¡°Yes Sir, if possible, I want delicious bread from the capital.¡± For a moment, Otto thought he was hearing things, but Olivia repeated herself. She said exactly what he thought he heard, so there wasn¡¯t any mistakes. Instead of money, she preferred bread, which made Otto suspect if the girl was a fool. ¡°¡­ Why do you want bread from the capital?¡± ¡°Because Ashton told me that bread from the capital taste good, so I want to try it. It¡¯s crisp on the outside and soft on the inside.¡± ¡°¡­ I understand now. And who is that Ashton?¡± ¡°Huh? Ashton is Ashton, a human.¡± Olivia looked surprised, and her face was saying ¡°You don¡¯t even know that?¡± Otto suppressed his anger, glared at Olivia and asked: ¡°Of course I know he is human. I¡¯m asking you who he is.¡± ¡°Like I said~ he is a human. It seems I can¡¯t convey my words properly.¡± ¡°You wench! If you speak to your superiors with that tone, you will be punished for impudence!¡± Otto slammed his fist on the table in anger. He then reflected on himself, thinking he shouldn¡¯t lose his cool because of a little girl. As Otto nursed his temples to calm down, Olivia leaned towards him and asked: ¡°Are you alright?¡± That enraged Otto, and he almost yelled ¡°Whose fault do you think that is!?¡± But he managed to swallow those words. ¡°Lieutenant Colonel Otto, please calm down. Aren¡¯t you always composed? This isn¡¯t like you at all.¡± Paul patted Otto¡¯s shoulders gleefully, and stood before Olivia. Olivia looked at Paul with a baffled face. That was because Paul had only told her his name during an unofficial occasion. ¡°Warrant Officer Olivia. The bread from the capital might be good, but their cake taste even better. My granddaughter loves cake too. Have you tried them before?¡± Olivia¡¯s reacted dramatically, and her eyes shone like jewels. She had a brilliant smile unique to girls in their youth. Her beauty extinguished Otto¡¯s anger, and mesmerized him. ¡°Cake!! Grandpa Paul, you said cake, right!? I never had cake before, but I read about it! It¡¯s a very sweet dessert, correct!?¡± Olivia jumped up happily from her chair, grabbed Paul¡¯s shoulders and shook him. Paul nodded with a smile. ¡°Haha, I see. In that case, we will give that to you together with the bonus pay in the near future.¡± ¡°Really!? That¡¯s great!!¡± ¡°You wench! Watch your tone and be aware of your place when you speak to Lieutenant General Paul!¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡¯m dressed like this after all. It¡¯s alright to let loose a little. And to Warrant Officer Olivia, I look just like a grandpa. There¡¯s no problem.¡± ¡°Your Excellency! We need to set an example to the men¡ª¡ª¡± ¡°Otto. This is an unofficial setting. And Warrant Officer Olivia.¡± Paul cut off Otto with a calm tone, then changed from his persona of a kind grandpa, and assumed the attitude of the commander of the Seventh Army. ¡°What is it, what is it?¡± ¡°Despite how I¡¯m dressed right now, I¡¯m still the commander of this fort. I had to set an example for everyone. You have to be careful with your tone with me during formal settings. Alright then, you can go back and rest.¡± ¡°?¡­ Yes Sir! I hear and obey. Warrant Officer Olivia, will now go back and rest!¡± Olivia saluted with a complicated expression, and muttered ¡°Human language sure is complicated¡± as she opened the door. She yelled ¡°Cake! Cake!¡± as she left the interrogation room, which made Otto hold his head. ¡°Fufu. She killed Samuel and apprehended spies¡­ I thought she would be a buffed woman, but she is pretty enough to star in a play. She has an interesting personality too.¡± ¡°Your Excellency, this isn¡¯t funny. She had proven her abilities with this incident, but the way she holds herself is no different than a wench from the boondocks. I will need to educate her properly.¡± ¡°Well, this isn¡¯t a proper place to learn etiquette and common sense, so don¡¯t overdo it.¡± Paul left with a faint smile on his face. Otto who was alone collapsed onto his chair and let out a long sigh. The corpse of the Imperial spy he saw before the interrogation flashed across his mind. This was the first time Otto saw a corpse that was bisected along the waist. Olivia¡¯s prowess could be clearly seen. (It seems that letting Olivia execute the plan that I had given up on would be an option¡­) Otto thought as he looked at the flickering candle flame. ¢õ Arsbelt Empire appeared on the stage of history during the year 700 of the Lunar Calendar. There were many more countries back then, and they all fought for dominance over the continent. The Empire was founded during that chaotic era. The most popular theory stated that the empire was founded by a landlord of the Farnesse Kingdom, Richard Heinz. He revolted because of the Kingdom¡¯s corruption, and gathered many companions to build his own ideal country, and set off for the north. However, there wasn¡¯t any conclusive evidence that supported this theory, and many scholars disprove it. It didn¡¯t make sense for a landlord of the Kingdom to have the luxury of deflecting and founding an independent nation. However, there wasn¡¯t any doubts that the political scene of the Kingdom back then was rife with corruption. However, Chief Minister Leonheart V¨¢rquez used his exceptional political skills to revolutionize the Kingdom¡¯s political landscape during this era, so the time period matches. That was the reason why this theory was the mainstream amongst scholars. The second popular theory the Church of St. Illuminas, which was known as the ¡°Sect of the Goddess Citresia¡± back then, was closely tied to the founding of the Empire. The reason being that their archbishop¡¯s name was amongst the list of the founding members. However, the Church of St. Illuminas had officially refuted this point. The northern lands where the Empire was based were mountainous, and plains were sparse. On top of that, the land was infertile, so the crop yield was poor. Feral beasts also roamed freely, so it wasn¡¯t a place suitable for human inhabitation. Despite these conditions, the Empire rose up to be a power that was on par with the Kingdom because of the brilliant administrations of their Emperors. And now, a vegetable called ¡°Ars pumpkin¡± that could be grown on barren land was popular in the land. And this crop was being improved by researchers, on orders from the Emperor. Aside from that, the Empire had plenty of other accomplishments. From another perspective, the Empire enjoyed 200 odd years of prosperity because the other nations left it alone. The Empire was surrounded by mountains, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack. Since the land was infertile, the rulers didn¡¯t pay it any mind. With such a backdrop, the Empire enjoyed an era of peace during these warring times, and could concentrate on building its national power. Their past Emperors detesting war also played a big part. The warring era that seems as if it would last forever, ended around the year 950 of the Lunar Calendar. The Kingdom grew weary of the long war, and withdrew the armies it dispatched to the other nations. After that, a group of small nations in the south of the continent formed an alliance, and called themselves the Sutherland Confederation of Cities. There were still minor frictions between the smaller countries, but over all, the continent was at peace. During that time, the previous Emperor, Ramza the Twelve passed away from illness in the year 965 Lunar Calendar. He was just 40 years old, and his reign lasted seven years. He was the shortest lived of the Emperors. Succeeding him was the First Prince, Diethalm, who was coronated as Ramza the Thirteen. At the tender age of 15, he showed excellent political skills, and brought the prosperity of the Empire up another level. When he reached the age of his predecessor, 40 years old, he was evaluated as the most eminent of all Emperors, and was revered as the¡°Benevolent Emperor¡±, his name famous throughout the continent. And that Benevolent Emperor suddenly declared his intention to conquer the continent. Not just the citizens of the Empire, the people of the other nations were stunned by the statement of Ramza who hated war just as much as his predecessor. But the Imperial citizens didn¡¯t feel any unease. They firmly believe that their Benevolent Emperor was always right. _______________________________________________________________ The Imperial Capital Orsted of the Arsbelt Empire, Listerine Castle, Audience Hall As the largest nation of the continent, the Audience Hall of the Arsbelt Empire was majestically designed to impress the foreign dignitaries it hosts. The walls were adorned with intrinsic decorations, and famous paintings were also prominently displayed. Golden chandeliers hung all over the ceilings, illuminating the room with brilliant light. The red soft carpet covered the floor, and had excellent noise cancelling effect. On the wall at the end of the room was a blue banner with crossed swords in the shape of a ¡®+¡¯. This was the Empire¡¯s coat of arms. The master of Listerine Castle, Emperor Ramza the Thirteen sat on his throne and listened to the war reports by his vassals. Standing beside Ramza in his rightful place was Chancellor Dalmes. The report was being made by a young officer of the Empire, General Felixus von Zega, a man that Ramza evaluated to be extremely talented since his youth. He was one of the three Generals of the Empire, and led the elite Knights of Azure. Honest and sincere, he was a handsome man that mesmerized the ladies in court. These two factors combined to give him immense popularity with the masses. Felixus used the large map on a pedestal to give a detailed explanation of the northern, central and southern war theatres. Ramza nodded in acknowledgement, but didn¡¯t say a word. ¡°¡ª¡ª That concludes my report on the war. With the blessings from Your Majesty, we can begin our assault on Fort Gallia. May we have your permission, my Liege?¡± Felixus asked with a complicated expression. Ramza then slowly whispered into the ears of Dalmes. It was impudent of him to do so, but Felixus still grumbled in his heart ¡°This again?¡± Recently, Felixus didn¡¯t have any chance to converse directly with Ramza, with Dalmes always serving as the messenger. After asking around, it seemed that it was the same for everyone. Dalmes nodded respectfully, then answered Felixus: ¡°On behalf of our great Emperor: ¡®It is too early for that, we shall observe for any movements from the Kingdom.¡¯ End of edict.¡± ¡°¡­ Yes, my liege.¡± Felixus placed his hand on his chest, took a step back and bowed deeply. He then turned and walked towards the entrance of the Audience Hall elegantly. (As expected, the Emperor has been acting weird in recent years. He wasn¡¯t talkative in the past, but not this silent either. From his face, he seemed to be ill. But why won¡¯t His Majesty give the order to attack Fort Gallia? I can¡¯t fathom why.) The battle plans devised by General Osborne was flawless. They had plenty of troops in the south, and morale was high. The only surprise was the baffling report of one of their elite soldiers was slain by a girl traveler. From the grand scheme of things, that was just a trivial detail. Now was the best time to attack Fort Gallia, which was why Osborne was seeking permission from Ramza. This didn¡¯t seem to be a decision that the sharp Ramza would make. The thought of that filled Felixus with worries. Felixus left the Audience Hall with a sigh. Dalmes bowed towards Ramza respectfully, and followed Felixus. When the two of them exited the Audience Hall, the guards closed the door with practiced motions. Only Emperor Ramza and a few guards stayed inside. As the sun set in the west, the Audience Hall was dyed red. The expressionless Ramza simply sat on the throne without moving an inch. ¢ö Farnesse Kingdom, Letizia Castle within Royal Capital Fizz, War Room. By order of King Alphonse, the First Army held a war council to retake Fort Kiel. According to the records of the Dubedirica continent, the main participants were the old general Cornelius, the strong general Lambert, and the adjutant Neinhart. ¡°Have we confirmed the forces within Fort Kiel?¡± ¡°Yes Sir, according to our agents, their total garrison number is¡­ 80,000.¡± The room fell silent. Lieutenant General Lambert was the first to speak up. He was a fierce officer who had survived hundreds of battle within the First Army, and was a man of pure martial might. The scars all over his body spoke of his battle history. ¡°80,000, huh¡­ The First Army numbers 50,000. We are heavily outnumbered.¡± Colonel Neinhart placed the pieces on the map and added more bad news that were as good as a death sentence: ¡°80,000 refers only to the Imperial Army. If we include the nearby Imperial vassal states, Swaran and Stonia, their forces would reach 140,000.¡± ¡°Haha. It¡¯s hopeless to pit 50k against 140k. I know this is difficult, but can we count on the assistance of the Third and Fourth Armies?¡± ¡°I tried probing before, but both sides expressed that they couldn¡¯t spare any men.¡± Neinhart answered Lambert calmly, as he calmly placed white pieces on the northern war theatre marked in red, and surrounded them with black pieces. When the war first broke out, the Imperial Army sent an army of 80,000 to attack the north of the Kingdom. Their goal was to seize the limited number of granaries the Kingdom had, and force them into a food shortage. It was clear from this move that the Empire expected this war to last a long time. In response, the Royal Army mobilized the Third Army led by Lieutenant General Rex Smythe and the Fourth Army commanded by Lieutenant General Linz Balt, and engaged the enemy with 60,000 men. Lieutenant General Rex and Linz had been fast friends since their student days, and their cooperation was flawless, and they toyed the Imperial Army with ease. After that, they built on their success with the Battle of Verkul, which was a textbook example of perfect tactics. The Third Army feigned defeat and retreats, successfully luring the Imperial Army into a narrow valley. With the Imperial Army formation dragged into a long line, the Fourth Army that was lying in ambush attacked. The Third Army also turned back to assault their pursuers. The Imperial Army immediately fell into confusion, and was routed. That battle resulted in the Empire losing 40,000 men. After that, the Third and Fourth Army ride on the momentum to recover the Kingdom¡¯s territory, and seemed ready to invade the Empire. Unfortunately, after losing the Battle of Arschmitz, the situation was reversed. The Fifth Army being wiped out meant the Third and Fourth Army was in danger of being attacked from behind. Some of the officers strongly suggest that they should invade the Empire, but were rejected by Rex and Linz. Their frontlines were pulled back drastically, and they settled on covering each other¡¯s back. Their judgement wasn¡¯t wrong, but they couldn¡¯t work together strategically. This results in the Third and Fourth Army fighting by themselves, and they had to defend against the relentless attack from the enemy, as they try to hold the defence line. ¡°Lieutenant Genera, don¡¯t push for it if you know it isn¡¯t possible. I¡¯m impressed that they held the northern war theatre with their small numbers, which is a commendable performance.¡± Field Marshal Cornelius glanced at the map, and sighed. He was the commander of the First Army, and was known as the Ever Victorious General in his youth. However, he had mellowed as he was in his 70s. Lambert shrugged, and looked towards Neinhart. ¡°By the way, how goes the southern war theatre?¡± ¡°According to Lieutenant General Paul¡¯s report, the Imperial Army is mustering their forces around Kaspar castle, in preparation for their assault on Fort Gallia.¡± ¡°In that case, the Seventh Army won¡¯t have any soldiers to spare.¡± ¡°There is no helping that. Paul received a direct order from His Majesty to defend Fort Gallia to the death. And if he moved his forces recklessly in such a situation, it would just draw in more enemy forces.¡± Cornelius¡¯ words made all the officers present winched. Fort Gallia was an important stronghold, and the Royal Capital would be wide open if it falls. The Imperial Army could then cross the Est mountains and march right into the Royal Capital, Fizz. If it comes to this, then the Royal Army would have no choice but to fight to the death against the enemy. But even so, it wasn¡¯t wise to just wait and watch the Imperial Army do as they pleased. The Royal Army couldn¡¯t just let the Seventh Army that suffered almost no loss in combat potential to idle. They couldn¡¯t say it out loud, but that was what the officers thought. ¡°If only we still control Kaspar castle¡­¡± One of the officers mumbled, and everyone¡¯s eyes fell on one point of the map. Kaspar castle has a long history that went back all the way to the warring era. It was first built to intimidate the nations to the south, but its strategic importance fell with the construction of Fort Kiel, and was almost abandoned in recent years. However, the fall of Fort Kiel changed everything, and the importance of Kasper castle increased since it could serve as a forward base to attack and take back Fort Kiel. It was already too late when the Kingdom responded. After the Imperial Army seized Fort Kiel, they sent a unit to attack Kaspar castle a fortnight later. Before reinforcements could reach them, First Lieutenant Kutom and his 500 men garrisoned in the fort were wiped out. And now, Kasper castle had transformed in the Imperial Army¡¯s hands into a bridgehead to assault Fort Gallia. ¡°Well, no point crying over spilled milk. Instead of that, do we have an idea of how large a force is garrisoned in Kaspar castle?¡± ¡°A moment please.¡± Neinhart flipped through the document he had on hand, and found a report on the ¡¶Estimated forces in Kaspar castle¡·. This report wasn¡¯t completely reliable, and had the tendency of underestimating the figures to present a more ideal situation. However, the report this time was an exception. With the face of that iron mask man in man, Neinhart answered: ¡°¡ª According to estimate, they have about 50,000 men.¡± ¡°Hmm, 50,000, huh¡­¡± After saying that, Lambert crossed his arms and fell into deep thought with his eyes closed. He should be thinking about a plan. Neinhart wasn¡¯t the only one who thought so. ¡°Lieutenant General, what are you scheming?¡± Cornelius asked Lambert with a questioning gaze. With everyone¡¯s eyes on him, Lambert slowly opened his eyes and said: ¡°Well, I just thought of this idea. Why don¡¯t we retake Kaspar castle instead? The First Army can spare 25,000 men, and combine that with 30,000 men from the Seventh Army to make a force of 55,000. Then we would have an even chance of winning.¡± A few officers piled praises on Lambert¡¯s suggestion. They were buttering up to Lambert since he would be the commander of the First Army in the future. However, Lambert didn¡¯t care about the people sucking up to him. (The Kingdom is wavering from the storm, and these people still have the heart to do this.) Neinhart looked at them with a speechless face, but they didn¡¯t mind at all, and made a show of discussing Lambert¡¯s proposal. Instead of the Kingdom¡¯s fate, they cared more about their own future. Cornelius didn¡¯t pay much attention to that, and said: ¡°We already discussed this, the Seventh Army can¡¯t move their forces recklessly right now.¡± ¡°We just have to make sure the move isn¡¯t reckless. If we retake Kaspar castle, then the Empire¡¯s encirclement of Fort Gallia would be broken. We can then work together with the Seventh Army to recover Fort Kiel.¡± ¡°Indeed¡­ That¡¯s true¡­ But His Majesty¡­¡± Cornelius muttered as he stroked his beard. He didn¡¯t have a rebuttal since Lambert was right. To make a final push to convince him, Lambert continued: ¡°From the earlier reports, our forces alone stand no chance of recovering Fort Kiel. Field Marshal Sir, you must understand that too. Pardon my insolence, but you don¡¯t wish for the entire First Army to die for nothing below Fort Kiel, correct?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Lambert¡¯s sarcastic advice turned Cornelius¡¯ face sour. The other officers watched their interaction with bated breath. ¡°¡­ I understand. I will handle the issue of convincing His Majesty. I will leave the battle plans to Lieutenant General Paul and you. Discuss it properly before coming to a decision. ¡°Yes Sir! Thank you for accepting my proposal!¡± Cornelius waved off Lambert who wanted to stand up and salute. The other officers looked at each other and sighed in relief, glad that they could avoid a reckless battle. Neinhart felt the same too. Neinhart quickly gathered his thoughts, and proposed to Cornelius: ¡°Field Marshal Sir, may I handle the communication with the Seventh Army? There¡¯s something I¡¯m concerned about.¡± ¡°¡ª¡ª Fine. You will be the best candidate for this. I don¡¯t know what you have in mind, but don¡¯t overwork yourself.¡± With that, Cornelius got up from his chair. With that signal, Lambert ended the meeting, and all the officers left the War Room with exhausted faces. Neinhart tidied the documents he had on hand, as he looked at a report from the Seventh Army. It wasn¡¯t relevant to the meeting, so Neinhart didn¡¯t bring it up. The report mentioned that a soldier killed Samuel, his sworn enemy who killed his dear friend Lance during the Battle of Arschmitz. ¡ª¡ª It was a report on Warrant Officer Olivia. (From the reports, she is just a 15 years old girl¡­ It¡¯s hard to believe this, but Lieutenant Colonel Otto isn¡¯t someone who will lie in an intelligence report. No matter what, I have to meet her and offer my thanks.) Neinhart thought about the girl he had never met, and quietly closed the door of the war room. _______________________________________________________________ Royal Army, Fort Gallia, Lieutenant Colonel Otto¡¯s office While the war council to retake Fort Kiel was ongoing in the capital. Otto summoned Olivia to his office to tell her about a certain mission. However, Olivia didn¡¯t show at the appointed time. Five minutes passed, then ten, and a rhythmic creaking sound came from the office. The soldiers passing by the office all tilted their head in confusion when they heard that sound. After 30 minutes, Olivia finally reported to Otto¡¯s room. And she saluted smartly without any sense of guilt. Otto suppressed his displeasure and asked: ¡°Warrant Officer Olivia, first of all, why are you 30 minutes late?¡± ¡°Sir, the reason is because of the clock!¡± ¡°¡­ Clock? What has that got to do with you being late?¡± ¡°Sir, I don¡¯t have a beautiful watch like Adjutant Otto, and can¡¯t tell the time accurately. That¡¯s why I¡¯m late!¡± Olivia said as she looked at the Pocket Watch on the desk enviously. Otto sighed at this absurd excuse, then reached towards his desk. He reached for the silver Pocket Watch with a shallow engraving of a flower on the cover. He opened the cover, and the red second hand ticked along with a fixed rhythm. Otto stared at the Pocket Watch for a while, then tossed it. The Pocket Watch drew an arc in the air, and Olivia caught it hurriedly. ¡°¡­ Huh?¡± ¡°I will give you this Pocket Watch. And now, you don¡¯t have an excuse to be late anymore.¡± Otto lost his cool because of Olivia a few days ago. After that experience, he knew it would be better for his mental state if he gave her the Pocket Watch. Otto gave the Pocket Watch to Olivia with that kind of feeling in mind, but Olivia alternate her gaze between the Pocket Watch and Otto in surprise. She seemed really shocked. Otto waved his hand in response to Olivia¡¯s stare. ¡°Can I keep this?¡± ¡°Yes. And you should say ¡®May I accept this gift?¡¯ I told you plenty of times to be more respectful when you speak with your superiors.¡± ¡°Yes Sir, my apologies! I will gratefully accept Adjutant Otto¡¯s Pocket Watch!¡± After she said that, Olivia started fidgeting with the Pocket Watch gleefully. She opened and closed the lid of the watch repeatedly. The way she played with her new toy like a kid reminded Otto of his 6 years old daughter back in the capital. After reminiscing for a while, he noticed that Olivia was looking at his face curiously. It seemed that he was too relaxed. ¡°I-It¡¯s almost time to get down to business. Put your Pocket Watch away.¡± ¡°Understood, I will put it away now!¡± Olivia carefully kept the Pocket Watch like a treasure. Otto cleared his throat and crossed his arms. ¡°The reason I summoned you, Warrant Officer Olivia, is to assign a special mission to you. As you know, you have the option of rejecting special missions. Time is short, so I hope you can make the decision immediately, Warrant Officer.¡± Special missions were secret and difficult tasks assigned to a small group of people. There was a high risk of death, so the assignee had the right to reject the mission. By the way, if the mission was carried out successfully, she would definitely get promoted. Considering Olivia¡¯s personality, Otto didn¡¯t think she would reject this. And as expected, Olivia answered without any hesitation: ¡°Understood, I have no objections. Warrant Officer Olivia will take on this special mission!¡± ¡°Good answer. Then I will tell you the content of your mission. Warrant Officer, I need you to lead a team and retake Fort Lamburg.¡± Otto stood up from his chair, and pointed at a spot on the map that was on the wall behind him. It was a fort marked with an X, and labelled ¡¶abandoned¡·. Olivia looked at the map, and tilted her head slightly. ¡°Isn¡¯t this castle abandoned? ¡ª¡ª Oh, no, in my humble opinion, that castle appears to be abandoned.¡± Realizing she was speaking casually, and quickly changed her tone. Otto sighed as he watched her giggly face, and said: ¡°That¡¯s right, as you mentioned, this fort was abandoned a decade ago. It¡¯s now a hideout for bandits. In other words, I want you to take back the fort from the bandits.¡± ¡°Why are you taking back something that was thrown away?¡± ¡°Your phrasing¡­ Never mind. Times are different now. As you know, Warrant Officer, our army is at a disadvantage against the Imperial Army. To stop further attacks from the Empire, we need Fort Lamburg now.¡± Otto sent several platoons to subjugate the bandits in Fort Lamburg, but it always ended in failure. The survivors said that most of the soldiers were killed by a skilled spear wielder. He thought about sending a company sized expedition over, but it didn¡¯t materialize. A large scale operation would draw too much attention. With the imperial having set up eyes everywhere, he couldn¡¯t move his forces hastily, since he didn¡¯t know whether the imperials were watching. If the mission was discovered and the Empire learns about Fort Lamburg¡¯s existence, they would send a unit to seize it. In the worst situation, this would strengthen the attack by the Empire. After weighing his options, Otto gave up on retaking Fort Lamburg. However, the situation has changed now that Olivia was here. To deal with that skilled spear wielder, they just need to send out Olivia, who was probably the strongest person in Seventh Army. After Otto gave a detailed explanation, he asked Olivia as a final confirmation: ¡°¡ª Like I said, all the past subjugation mission failed. Do you still want to accept this mission?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ I just need to kill all the bandits, right?¡± Olivia answered dangerously, and Otto¡¯s face turned tensed. She was right, so he nodded: ¡°Yes, simply put, that is it.¡± ¡°I understand. By the way, do you want me to give you head?¡± ¡°Head?¡± ¡°Yes. Human heads.¡± Otto was confused that she suddenly mentioned heads. He pressed Olivia for a clearer explanation, and she said incredulously: ¡°I thought humans will feel happy to receive the severed heads of their enemies?¡± When he heard that, Otto finally remembered that she presented a bag of Imperial Soldiers¡¯ head when she first arrived at the fort. Otto felt a chill around his neck, and said with a shake of his head: ¡°¡ª¡ª N-No, you don¡¯t have to bring back their heads.¡± ¡°Understood, then I will retake Fort Lamburg as ordered!¡± ¡°Very good, I look forward to your good news. You may leave.¡± Olivia turned and left the office smartly. Her strides were filled with confidence, without a shred of unease towards the mission. As if to prove that point, Otto could hear a carefree voice outside his door saying ¡°Oh, I forgot to ask when I will get my cake.¡± Volume 1, 2: The Strongest Chess Piece Volume 1, Chapter 2: The Strongest Chess Piece Translator: Skythewood Editor: Hiiro ¢ñ Three days after she was given the special mission. The special forces platoon under Olivia¡¯s command set off for Fort Lamburg that was garrisoned by the bandits. Their destination was the forest to the southwest of Fort Gallia, close to the midpoint between Fort Gallia and Kaspar castle. Twenty young soldiers accompanied Olivia. Normally, a platoon would have 50 to 100 men, so 20 was too small a number. And these 20 soldiers just enlisted 2 months ago. They were all out of breath and struggled to follow Olivia, and amongst their numbers was Ashton who was using his spear as a walking stick. The survival rates of new recruits going to their first battle was one third. However, Ashton and company¡¯s first battle wasn¡¯t that simple. The reason being that their mission had been attempted before several times, and the previous attempts all resulted in over 90% death. Despite all that, there wasn¡¯t a single veteran taking part in this mission. Olivia was probably the only one in this platoon that had battle experience. Ashton was deep in thought as he looked at Olivia in front of him. (No no, it can¡¯t be possible.) He heard of the reason Olivia was appointed as a Warrant Officer from Maurice, but Ashton still couldn¡¯t believe it now. There was no way those slender arms had the strength to lope off heads. Something occurred to Ashton at this moment. Now that he thought about it, he realized something. (Speaking of which, I haven¡¯t seen Maurice recently¡­) Maurice¡¯s frivolous smile appeared in his mind. Ashton wasn¡¯t that close to him, but he was a comrade who received special ¡®instruction¡¯ together with him after all. He would be lying if he said he didn¡¯t care. ¡°Hey, have you seen Maurice lately?¡± Ashton asked a dark haired youth, Guile, beside him. ¡°Hah? Maurice...? Now that you mentioned it, I haven¡¯t seen that guy for a while now.¡± Guile who had a deathly face raised his head and answered impatiently. ¡°You don¡¯t know either huh, Guile¡­ Has anyone seen him?¡± Ashton turned back, and Guile followed his gaze. Before them were a group of recruits staggering along, their eyes hollow. ¡°¡ª¡ª Forget it, there¡¯s no chance they would know. They all arrived at the fort later than us, and had never seen him at all.¡± With that, Guile looked at Ashton from head to toe. ¡°W-What is it?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m just surprised that you can still spare the effort to be concerned about others. I¡¯m envious.¡± Guile shrugged. When he heard that, Ashton waved his hands: ¡°No no, not at all! It just occurred to me, I¡¯m having a hard time too.¡± ¡°Well, whatever. Our fates are sealed anyway.¡± A bunch of recruits and a girl leader of dubious origins. They had no idea what the higher ups were planning, but Guile¡¯s words hit the mark. No one said it out loud, but they all felt that the plan was doomed to fail. They also know that they would die along with the plan¡¯s failure¡ª¡ª ¡°Hey, Ashton. Ashton!!¡± When he realized it, Olivia was looking at him with her cheeks puffed. Ashton was surprised how close she was, and jerked back. Olivia tilted her head quizzingly. She was just doing it offhand, but Ashton couldn¡¯t help being mesmerized by her. ¡°Y-You don¡¯t have to be so loud, I can hear you. Or rather, please keep your voice down. We don¡¯t want to attract the attention of feral beasts.¡± Unlike the plains populated by humans with towns, there were many feral beasts lurking in the forest. If humans were the masters of the plains, then feral beasts ruled over the forest and hills. Even an armed soldier was just prey to the beasts. When Ashton gave this advice, Olivia brushed it off, saying: ¡°If the beasts come, we can just kill and eat it.¡± She was even smiling when she said that. Ashton was so pissed that he forgot she was his superiors, stuck out his tongue and made a ¡°blearghh¡± sound three times. ¡°Uwah! Are you pretending to be a bird!? How interesting, let me try too!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not mimicking a bird!¡± Ashton retorted on reflex, which made Olivia laugh heartily. The recruits who heard them were also snickering. ¡°And then, I can get to eat cakes from the capital. Ashton, do you know what cakes are? They are a very sweet kind of dessert.¡± ¡°¡­ You are switching topics too fast. Of course I know what cakes are. I also had some. Despite how I looked, I lived in the capital after all.¡± ¡°Oh, so you had cake before. Ashton, you are amazing!¡± (¡ª¡ª Is this girl making fun of me?) Ashton thought for a moment, but realized that wasn¡¯t true when he saw Olivia¡¯s eyes. Her eyes were sparkling from admiration. Ashton realized that he would just get mad if he continued the conversation, so he ignored Olivia¡¯s gaze and bashed through the weeds. However, the bugs that flew out of the bushes further irritated him. There were trails near the entrance of the forest, so it was still easy to walk. But the deeper they ventured, the denser the vegetation gets, blocking their path. Above them, the thick canopy blocked the sunlight, so it was relatively cool. However, they could hear creepy birds caw from time to time, which gave him goosebumps. It was the same for the other recruits whose eyes dart all over the place. Ashton took a deep breath and brushed away the sweat on his brow. Just walking in such terrain was tiring. On the other hand, Olivia was strolling along in the forest, and would gleefully pick flowers from time to time and suck their nectar. In this forest, there were many poisonous flowers, with the most famous being the ¡¶Bewitching Flower¡·. Most of the poison would just cause slight numbness, but there are some with lethal poison that induces a life threatening high fever. Olivia probably knew which flowers to picked, since she never touched the poisonous flowers. Ashton had some knowledge regarding this, but a normal person wouldn¡¯t be able to tell. It seems that Olivia did live in the forest in the past. (That aside, how is Olivia moving with such an easy gait? Even though she is wearing such heavy armour.) Ashton and the others were wearing leather armour made from hide. It was light armour with low defence ratings. However, it was heavy for the recruits. Compared to them, Olivia was in full armour. On top of the chain mail, there were plate armour covering her shoulders, arms, shin, chest and other places. It was way heavier than leather armour, but Olivia didn¡¯t even break a sweat. ¡°Warrant Officer Olivia, can I ask something?¡± ¡°Hmm? What is it?¡± ¡°Warrant Officer Olivia, aren¡¯t you tired? Well¡­ your armour is much heavier than ours.¡± ¡°Ehh? I¡¯m not tired at all. And the armour isn¡¯t heavy either.¡± ¡°Hah, is that so¡­ It¡¯s nothing, excuse me.¡± ¡°?¡± Olivia tilted her head puzzledly, but quickly lost interest and looked to the front. (Even if she is my superior officer, it¡¯s too disgraceful to lose to a girl. Well, we are doomed to be killed by bandits anyway, so there¡¯s no point worrying about this.) Ashton continued looking at Olivia¡¯s happy profile. _______________________________________________________________ Noon just passed, and the sun was heading to the west. Olivia''s Special Platoon found an open space to set up camp and rest. This wasn¡¯t on Olivia¡¯s orders, but Ashton who advised her that if they used Olivia¡¯s seemingly endless stamina as the standard, the men would get worn out before they reach the castle. The recruits all thanked Ashton with tears in their eyes. Guile even asked him exaggeratedly: ¡°Are you a god?¡± Ashton laughed all that off with a smile, and didn¡¯t respond. To be honest, his main motivation was that he wanted to rest. And now, he would never say that out loud. . Ashton found a spot to sit down with some guilt in his heart, and Olivia sat down beside him as if it was the obvious thing to do. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m not tired at all, so I didn¡¯t notice. As expected of Ashton.¡± Olivia then clapped twice for him. ¡°Haha, I already knew Warrant Officer Olivia isn¡¯t tired when I asked you earlier.¡± Ashton said self mockingly. Olivia suddenly open her eyes wide in surprise and said: ¡°C-Could it be, you asked me if I¡¯m tired¡­ to hint at me, the platoon leader, that we need to rest? And you want me to call for a break personally? But I didn¡¯t get what you were implying. So Ashton asked me to stop for a break directly. Am I correct?¡± You are absolutely wrong¡ª Of course Ashton wouldn¡¯t dare say that. He averted his eyes from Olivia¡¯s sincere gaze, and saw the recruits who were eating looking at him. He clicked his tongue in his heart. If he told them the truth, the recruits would look at him with condescending eyes. In that case, there was only one choice. Ashton gulped, and nodded slowly: ¡°H-Haha, you got me. I¡¯m sorry for overstepping my bounds.¡± Ashton answered exaggeratingly, and Olivia nodded happily, saying : ¡°I finally understands how humans feel.¡± He didn¡¯t know what she was talking about, but it was a big help that the subject herself interpreted it her way. Let¡¯s just assume that was the case. Ashton felt relieved, and caught the gaze of the recruits. They all smiled and saluted him. ¡°Alright then. It¡¯s noon, let¡¯s have lunch.¡± Ashton whose back was covered in cold sweat took out bread and jerky from his field pack, and a bottle of his homemade mustard. As Olivia watched intriguingly, Ashton used a knife to cut the bread in half, slide in the jerky, and add mustard on top. He then took a bite, and the spicy and sour taste hit right on the spot. ¡°Hmm, not bad. I was right to bring my homemade mustard along.¡± Olivia looked at Ashton who was talking to himself hungrily. She looked like she was almost drooling, but she didn¡¯t take out her ration. The puzzled Ashton asked: ¡°Warrant Officer Olivia, aren¡¯t you going to eat?¡± ¡°Well, I ate my share already. So I will hunt a couple of birds then.¡± When he heard that, Ashton turned stiff. Eating five day¡¯s ration or hunting two birds to eat, there were too many things to retort. Despite what she said, Olivia didn¡¯t move to hunt the birds, and rested her gaze on Ashton¡¯s hands. She continued doing so after Ashton finished eating. (Sigh¡­ It can¡¯t be helped.) Speechless from Olivia¡¯s behaviour, Ashton repeated the steps to make another sandwich, and offered it to her. ¡°Ehh! Can I?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t give it to you if you can¡¯t. What if you get attacked by beasts when you are out hunting?¡± ¡°Beasts are no problem at all¡­ But thank you for worrying about me. As expected, Ashton is a good human!¡± Olivia then took a bite of the sandwich, then shout with a gleeful face: ¡°Delicious!¡± (I wonder how many more meals we can get to eat¡­) Ashton thought as he watched Olivia¡¯s blissful face. At this moment, a scream came from behind him. ¡°W-What happened!?¡± Ashton turned and saw a quadrupedal beast covered in yellow fur, with a white horned on its forehead¡ª a one horned beast. ¡°¡ª¡ª!?¡± Ashton¡¯s hair was standing on ends from fear. One horned beasts were known for being ferocious, and its horn gave it incredible attack power. It was omnivorous, and would even eat humans. The one horned beast swiftly attacked the recruits in the vicinity. The recruits scattered all over the place. ¡°W-W-Warrant Officer Olivia! It¡¯s a one horned beast! One horned beast!¡± ¡°¡ª Hmm? Oh, it¡¯s true! It¡¯s probably here to play with humans.¡± Olivia who was still eating blissfully said calmly. A recruit whose eyes were red from anxiety yelled: ¡°Hah!? Are you daydreaming! Look at the situation! That thing is attacking us!¡± Olivia who was admonished by the recruit finally notice the seriousness of the situation, and glared at the One horned beast with narrow eyes. For just an instant, Ashton thought Olivia was even scarier than the One horned beast. ¡°Oh, that thing, huh. It¡¯s a rare hunt, but it tastes really bad~¡± ¡°Hah!? Taste bad!? Ahhhh!? That¡¯s not the problem!! We have to get out of here!!¡± Ashton grabbed Olivia¡¯s arms, and tried to pull her along to escape. But his trembling knees wouldn¡¯t let him move, and he stood there as if his feet were glued to the ground. (Hey, are you kidding me!?) He kept trying to move his legs, but his legs defied his commands. The One horned beast probably noticed Ashton¡¯s situation, and pointed its horn his way. The drooling One horned beast howled, then charged towards Ashton. (¡ª This is it. To think that instead of dying in battle, I will get eaten by a One horned beast instead. This is such a bad joke.) With that in mind, Ashton gripped his spear with trembling hands. He took a deep breath, then pointed it at the One horned beast. Ashton knew it was futile. A mere human couldn¡¯t take on this avatar of death head on. This was just his last struggle. When Ashton was overwhelmed with despair, something ridiculous happened. Maybe she was scared out of her wits, but Olivia was walking leisurely towards the One horned beast. ¡°¡ª¡ª!? Hurry and run! Olivia, it will kill and eat you too!¡± ¡°Ahaha, Ashton, you really like to joke.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t the time for jokes! Just run!¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± With a faint smile, Olivia drew her sword, and vanished. More accurately speaking, she charged at the One horned beast. At least to Ashton, she suddenly disappeared. When it saw Olivia suddenly charging it, the One horned beast thrust its horn. Olivia parried the horn with the blade, then stabbed the sword into the One horned beast¡¯s jaw, right through its head. ¡°Kyaa¡­¡­!?¡± The one horned beast fell with a scream. It all happened in an instant, and shocked everyone. They were all looking at the scene with dumbfounded faces. Olivia turned back and jogged to Ashton. The dark sword in her right hand was giving out a black mist. When Ashton realized it, he was already sitting on his butt. ¡°Well, didn¡¯t I tell you that beasts aren¡¯t a problem?¡± Olivia stood before Ashton and said nonchalantly. ¡°Hiee! T-That¡¯s right. Warrant Officer Olivia, you are absolutely right.¡± Ashton stopped speaking after that. _______________________________________________________________ Three days after Olivia''s Special Platoon set off from Fort Gallia. ¡°Platoon Leader Olivia, are you hungry? Please have my jerky!¡± A recruit gleefully offered up his jerky. After he started it, the others gathered around Olivia, saying ¡°Let me give you mine too¡± ¡°Me too¡±, and offering up their bread and dried food. Olivia thanked them as he ate the food with a smile. Ashton had seen this plenty of times for the past few days. The recruits looked like devotees giving offerings to the goddess Citresia. And this was because Olivia instant killed the One horned beast. This showed everyone that Olivia wasn¡¯t just a girl, but overwhelmingly powerful. Guile even called Olivia the ¡°Silver Haired Valkyrie¡±, and revered her. His passion influenced the other recruits, and resulted in this situation. The morale of the recruits were raised to the roof as they marched behind Olivia. During this time, Ashton thought about Olivia¡¯s sword. He couldn¡¯t forget the sight of the black mist covering the blade. No matter how unfamiliar he was with weapons, Ashton could tell that Olivia¡¯s sword wasn¡¯t normal. ¡°What? You look spaced out. Are you hungry?¡± Olivia then took out a bread from her bulging back pack. Ashton shook his head with a face that said ¡°Cherish the offerings from your devotees.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not hungry. Rather than that, can I ask a question?¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine¡­ But before that, that honorifics thing? Can you stop using it now? It feels complicated, I don¡¯t like it.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± Ashton turned her down without a second thought. ¡°Muu¡ª but why? You spoke to me normally back in the mess hall.¡± Olivia was unhappy about Ashton¡¯s answer, and puffed her cheeks. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you are a superior officer back then. So even if you ask me to change my tone¡­¡± ¡°Hmm~ the army sure is troublesome¡­ That¡¯s right! In that case, then I will make this an order! Ashton is prohibited from using honorifics when you speak with me! Ah, the same applies to everyone, don¡¯t force yourself to use honorifics with me.¡± Olivia thought of an idea and clapped. The recruits were baffled by the sudden command, and only Guile kneeled on one knee when he heard that, and said: ¡°If that is the will of the valkyrie.¡± Even Olivia was shocked that he went that far. Ashton was grateful that Olivia gave that order. It hadn¡¯t been that long since his meeting with Olivia in the mess hall, so his manner of speech right now felt unnatural. Normally, he couldn¡¯t be so disrespectful to a superior officer, but it wouldn¡¯t be a problem with this order. Ashton tried to convince himself with that. ¡°I will do just that then. I want to ask you what that black mist from your sword is? I¡¯m sure I wasn¡¯t seeing things.¡± ¡°Oh~ you are curious about this sword. This is¡ª¡ª¡± ¡°Platoon Leader Olivia, this humble Guile has sighted a fort!¡± Guile who was walking in front turned back and waved his hands hard, cutting off Olivia¡¯s words. ¡°That seems to be the fort.¡± A soldier checked the map to confirm. In front of them was a stone fort covered in vines. It was still some distance away, but the fort had deteriorated a lot, and had obviously been abandoned for a long time. ¡°We have finally reached, huh. Okay, everyone, let¡¯s hurry on over!¡± Olivia raised her fist high, and walked boldly towards the fort. (I didn¡¯t get my answer on her sword. Never mind.) The recruits hurried after Olivia. Ashton quickened his pace too. ¡°Wait! Olivia! This is too rash!¡± ¡°Platoon Leader Olivia, this isn¡¯t good! Please come back!¡± ¡°Ahaha, it will be fine. Let¡¯s go!¡± Olivia ignored Ashton and Guile, and charged towards the fort. With no other choice, Ashton and the others followed while staying wary of the surroundings. ¡°It¡¯s in a horrible state.¡± Looking at the fort from up close, the deterioration was even more prominent. They could see the collapsed walls, and the ones still standing would probably collapsed with a bit of force. Was there any point in reclaiming such a fort? Ashton started to doubt. ¡°By the way, that¡¯s the base of bandits, so why is it so quiet?¡± Guile peeked at the entrance. Ashton agreed with his assessment. Olivia didn¡¯t answer, and snatched a spear from a recruit, saying: ¡°Let me borrow this.¡± ¡°Ehh!?¡± The recruit was surprised by her sudden actions. Olivia didn¡¯t pay him any mind, readied the spear, and threw it far away. The spear tore through the air and landed in the bushes. A sound like a frog getting squished echoed out. Ashton and Guile looked at each other and said: ¡°¡­ I heard something.¡± ¡°I guess I wasn¡¯t hearing things then.¡± They nodded at each other, then creeped towards the source of the sound with the other recruits. They pull the bushes aside, and found a man on the ground, with blood and brains scattered all over. A spear was pinned to the tree nearby. It was obvious how the man died. ¡°Oh, right on target.¡± Olivia who had arrived without them noticing cheered when she saw the corpse. ¡°O-Olivia, what is¡­!?¡± ¡°Hmm~ how should I put this. He had been following us suspiciously for a while now, and is probably a bandit? Or a gutter rat?¡± Olivia laughed as the recruits looked on with a pale face. After exchanging looks silently, they braced their spears and got ready for battle. As Ashton and company watched their surroundings cautiously, a man with a spear on his shoulder walked out boldly from the shadows of the fort. He was tall, had long hair, and his eyes were as sharp as a hawk. ¡°Hmmp, I¡¯m impressed you lot sensed his presence. Who did that?¡± The man then checked out the group with appraising eyes. When his eyes fell on Olivia, he stopped moving and said: ¡°¡ª It must be you. The air about you is completely different from the others. Are you the female leader of this platoon?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m Olivia. Nice to meet you.¡± Olivia waved her hands and greeted him casually. The man waved with a wry smile. ¡°Oh, thank you for your self introduction, I will remember that. My name is Wulf¡ª just to be sure, why are you here?¡± Wulf snapped his fingers, and a band of bandits showed up at the entrance of the fort. They numbered around 40. They all smiled coldly as they held their weapons with ease. It was clear from their faces that they had no hesitation on killing people. The recruits were the ones whose teeth were clattering from fear, while Olivia didn¡¯t move at all. ¡°We are here to retake the fort. It can¡¯t be helped since it is our mission, but I still find it strange to take back something that had been thrown away.¡± ¡°Haha, you got that right, young Miss. In that case, can I ask you to turn back? It¡¯s a hassle to take care of the bodies.¡± Wulf said with a shrug. A bandit immediately grumbled: ¡°We are the ones who have to clean up though.¡± While the bandits were trash talking the soldiers... ¡°Ehh? I won¡¯t take care of the bodies. Can I leave it to everyone?¡± Olivia said as she looked at the recruits. They nodded in unison with a pale face. And of course Ashton and Guile did the same. The smile was gone from Wulf¡¯s face, and he asked with a fierce gaze: ¡°¡­ Just to confirm again, what do you mean by ¡®taking care of the bodies¡¯?¡± ¡°I mean exactly what I said, what¡¯s wrong? You don¡¯t understand what I¡¯m saying?¡± Olivia¡¯s provocative words angered the bandits, and the air grew tense. Wulf stopped his men, and started spinning his spear. The sound of the spear head cutting through the air could be heard, and the grass swayed with the spinning spear. ¡°You sure talk big, little Miss. Or are you just retarded? The people who said such things to me are all dead.¡± ¡°In that case, I will be the first one to survive.¡± After Olivia said that, Wulf thrust mightily. To Ashton, there wasn¡¯t any time to react. However, Olivia turned and dodge right before the tip reach her heart. She then clamped the spear under her armpit, and slid right into Wulf¡¯s arms. ¡°H-How is that possible!?¡± Wulf tried to shake Olivia off his spear, but couldn¡¯t move her an inch. ¡°Spears are great for mid distance fights, but it¡¯s useless when the enemy sneak up close. A sword is still the best.¡± Olivia drew her sword and push it against Wulf¡¯s throat. Wulf lost his will to fight, let go of his spear and pleaded: ¡°I-I get it! I yield! We will leave this fort!¡± ¡°That won¡¯t do. Adjutant Otto doesn''t want me to give him head, but his orders is to kill you all.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t hesitate to stab the dark sword through Wulf¡¯s head. Blood splurt out, dying the ground dark red. Wulf¡¯s face lost all hints of life, and his body stopped moving after a short spasm. He came fast, and left fast. Olivia lost interest in Wulf, and tossed his body aside. She then swept her gaze across the remaining bandits. ¡°Phew¡ª okay, let¡¯s finish off the rest quickly!¡± While the bandits were still shocked by the scene before them, the dark sword gleamed in the light. ¡°Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! What the hell! How did things turn out this way!?¡± The man cursed as he pounded on the ground. The screams and cries had stopped, and he could only hear his ragged breathing. ¡ª¡ªSoldiers from the Royal Army were here to reclaim the fort. When he heard the news from his comrades, the man got excited. He wanted to try if his new sword was sharp, and a prey came to them. And the enemy was different from the previous batches, everyone of them looked capable of screaming wonderfully. ¡°Damn it! I should be¡­¡± The man thought back to his heroic figure last time when he killed the weak soldiers from the Kingdom easily. The scene of him and his comrades running the soldiers through with corpses as the backdrop. It should be the same today, but now¡ª ¡°¡ª Really now, are we done playing tag now?¡± The girl walked over and her footsteps created squishing sound in the blood. Her black sword covered in blood was covered with an ominous mist. ¡°Hah, hah, p-please! Spare me! No, no, please spare me!!¡± The man pleaded for his life with all his might. He collapsed on the floor, having lost his strength to flee. His sword had snapped, and couldn¡¯t function as a weapon. The suffocating blood stench was just an afterthought to the man now. (Everyone except me is already¡­) He looked around him, and saw his 40 comrades were all gone. Or rather, they had turned to silent heaps of corpses on the floor. And this was all done by the silver haired girl, who was an avatar of death. It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to call her a Death God. For the first time in his life, the man prayed to the Goddess Citresia. (Please! I won¡¯t rob again! I won¡¯t kill again! I won¡¯t rape again! So please, please save me from this Death God!!) A bell-like voice reached the man¡¯s ears, and sounded like the music of a Death God. ¡°Hmm~ Isn¡¯t it lonely that only you are alive?¡± ¡°Not at all! I will live properly on my comrades behalf too!!¡± ¡°Sigh~ even if you tell me that, it¡¯s troubling for me. Adjutant Otto wants me to kill you all, and this human is even crying from loneliness.¡± The girl stuck her sword into a head, then tossed it gently over. The head drew a nice arc in the air, and landed before the man with a thud. ¡°Hiee!¡± It was the head of his best friend, Dennis. His face was frozen with fear in death, and a red liquid was flowing from his eyes. ¡°Hiee¡ª!?¡± ¡°Well, as you can see, I¡¯m right. Well then.¡± The girl stood before the man and raised her dark sword with her smile still on her face. He was probably hallucinating from being stressed out by fear. For some reason, the man thought the thing being raised was a dark scythe¡ª _______________________________________________________________ After sending a messenger back to report the mission¡¯s success, Olivia''s Special Platoon moved on to their next task. They were to hold this fort before the garrison unit moved in. This was more of a formality, and they didn¡¯t really need to do anything in particular. Since the bandits had been eradicated, they didn¡¯t have to worry about being attacked. The only thing they had to do was to bury the corpses to avoid attracting feral beasts. And of course, as Olivia said previously, she didn¡¯t take part in that task. The bored Olivia then hunted or fished with the recruits all day. She also trained them as they mulled the time away carefreely. Those were fleeting days that were meaningful and peaceful. One night, the recruits gathered around a bonfire under a starry night and talked about Olivia. ¡°Anyway, Platoon Leader Olivia is amazingly strong.¡± ¡°I think so too. Skewering that One horned beast is incredible, but slaughtering 40 bandits alone is normally impossible.¡± ¡°If I told the guys back at Fort Gallia about this, they wouldn¡¯t believe me.¡± All the recruits nodded in agreement. ¡°Compared to her, we are¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t! We all agreed to not bring that up¡­ We are such a disgrace.¡± At that, they all got depressed. While Olivia was cutting down the bandits one by one, instead of helping her, the others just stood still and trembled. Some of them even lost control of their bladder out of fear. But they weren¡¯t mocked for that. They all knew it was just a matter of whether they could hold it in. It was shameful for these men, but this was the consensus of all the recruits. The bonfire crackled in the darkness. One of the recruits said with regret: ¡°We are really disgraceful. But that¡¯s why we asked Platoon Leader Olivia to train us, so we can be of use in the next battle?¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s right. We just need to learn from our mistakes.¡± Another soldier clenched his fist with determination. But some other soldier said uneasily: ¡°But is Platoon Leader Olivia¡¯s training useful?¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking the same thing. I thought she will teach us how to wield swords or spears, instead¡­¡± ¡°Is there a point to that training? I don¡¯t get it.¡± The recruits all looked puzzled. Olivia¡¯s training was simple. The soldiers paired up, one will attack, and the other will defend. The attacker has to keep striking with wooden swords, and the defender needed to defend with shields. They would switch after some time, and this process kept repeating. Compared to the training at Fort Gallia, there wasn¡¯t any weapon training, or striking at dummy targets. It might sound practical, but it wasn¡¯t too different from play fighting when they were kids. ¡°By the way, we have to observe our opponent¡¯s movements? We can become strong if we did that? Oh, I don¡¯t mean I¡¯m doubting her, but¡­?¡± Watch, observe, inspect. Lines formed from dots, and circles drawn with the lines. The recruits were confused by what Olivia said. They asked for a simpler explanation, and she told them to observe their opponent¡¯s movements carefully. ¡°I can¡¯t be certain since training has just started, but I don¡¯t feel I will become stronger with just that.¡± ¡°But we can only trust her, right? Since Platoon Leader Olivia¡ª our Valkyrie says so.¡± The recruits all looked at the Valkyrie in question¡ª Olivia, who was eating a roasted chicken gleefully. Beside her were Guile who was plucking feathers from a bird, and Ashton who was brushing something onto the bird as he roasted them. ¡°¡­ That¡¯s right. Platoon Leader Olivia saved our lives. And it¡¯s rude to suspect her, since we are the one who asked for it.¡± ¡°You are right, if it¡¯s another Leader, we would be dead.¡± ¡°Indeed¡ª Alright then! Let¡¯s toast to our Platoon Leader, the Valkyrie!¡± ¡°¡°Cheers!!¡±¡±¡± The recruits raised their mugs with a laugh. ¢ò Royal Army, Fort Gallia, Commander¡¯s Office Neinhart who came to Fort Gallia as a liason, reported the battle plan for the First and Seventh Army to coordinate and retake Castle Kaspar to Paul. Otto frowned as he perused the report. ¡°¡ª I see. This is something Lambert would do. After recovering Kaspar castle, we won¡¯t have to worry about our rear, and move our troops to attack Fort Kiel¡­ However.¡± Paul sighed at this moment, and looked up at the ceiling. The smoke from his cigar covered the office in a thick fog. ¡°¡­ Is there anything that worries you?¡± ¡°Yes, quite a number¡­ but mainly, I don¡¯t understand the rationale in retaking Fort Kiel now. Looks like age is getting the better of me.¡± Paul¡¯s vague answer made Otto smile awkwardly as he scratched his face. Seeing them like this, Neinhart lifted the corners of his lips. (I see. It seems Lieutenant General Paul and Lieutenant Colonel Otto are against this plan.) Retaking Fort Kiel was Alphonse¡¯s edict. Paul was doing so in a roundabout way, but what he said could be construed as lese majeste. However, Neinhart didn¡¯t intend to point that out, since he shared the same view. Cornelius and Lambert wouldn¡¯t say it out loud, but they thought the same too. After all, Alphonse¡¯s edict was too reckless. Alphonse wasn¡¯t stupid, but he ascended the throne at a terrible time. When the Benevolent Emperor declared his intention to conquer the continent, Alphonse had only reigned for two years. He would have time to improve on the way of kings if the times were peaceful, and he would become a fine monarch. However, this was chaotic times, and the Kingdom was struggling on the verge of destruction. Alphonse couldn¡¯t afford to take his time and learn, and didn¡¯t have the ability to issue orders to match the fluid situation. After agonizing over it, his plan was to send the First Army to retake Fort Kiel. The Kingdom was shaking like a boat in the storm because of the fall of Fort Kiel. He probably thought he could turn the tide in one shot by seizing Fort Kiel. Neinhart analyzed Alphonse¡¯s consideration, and used it as the basis to convince Paul: ¡°¡ª I understand your concerns, Lieutenant General Paul, but His Majesty¡¯s words are final. And we can¡¯t turn the situation around just by defending.¡± ¡°¡­ That¡¯s true. I have said too much. Back to the topic, if we march on Kaspar castle, where do you think the Imperial Army will intercept us?¡± When he heard Paul¡¯s question, Neinhart pointed to a spot on the map. Otto thought the same, and nodded in approval. ¡°The Imperial Army would definitely deploy on Iris plains. This is the best spot to field an army. We will probably march through here too.¡± If they were to attack Kaspar castle, then going via Iris plains would be the shortest route. The alternatives would be marching through a vast forest, or brave the cliffs and valleys. That meant taking a detour, and using routes not suitable for a large army. There was only one option. ¡°I feel the same way. But that means we have to defeat the enemy at Iris plains, and then assault Kaspar castle. That will be extremely difficult.¡± Paul said bitterly. Neinhart nodded silently in agreement. Compared to Kaspar castle¡¯s estimated 50,000 army, the combined forces of the First and Seventh was 55,000. The Royal Army had the advantage in numbers, which couldn¡¯t be made up easily with strategy. At a glance, the Royal Army had the upper hand. However, the situation would be reversed if Fort Kiel sent reinforcements. The Kingdom would have no other choice but to withdraw. That was what Paul was hinting at. And Neinhart didn¡¯t have any solution for this problem. Otto furrowed his brows and didn¡¯t say anything. As the air grew heavy around the three men, someone knocked on the door of the Commander¡¯s Office. With Otto¡¯s permission, a soldier entered. ¡°An urgent report?¡± ¡°Yes Sir, pardon my intrusion. A messenger from Olivia''s Special Platoon just arrived, and reported that Fort Lamburg has been successfully reclaimed.¡± ¡°Oh~! That¡¯s wonderful news.¡± ¡°The bandits have been wiped out. The platoon is proceeding with the second mission, end of report.¡± ¡°Understood. I will give them new directives later. Let the messenger stand by at the base for now.¡± ¡°Yes Sir!¡± The soldier quickly left the Commander¡¯s Office. The sudden good news cleared the heavy air. And the reason for this easy atmosphere was the smiling Paul. ¡°Fufu, Warrant Officer Olivia has completed her mission splendidly. I will have to prepare an extra large cake for her when she comes back, or she will be mad.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­ You are saying that again. She will get conceited, so please don¡¯t do that.¡± In response to Otto¡¯s advise, Paul said: ¡°You don¡¯t have to be that serious.¡± and laughed heartily. Otto shook his head in resignation and sighed. Neinhart was also an adjutant, and sympathized with Otto, but that didn¡¯t matter right now. He heard a name he couldn¡¯t ignore, and asked. ¡°Is the person in question that Warrant Officer Olivia?¡± ¡°Hmm...? Yes, that¡¯s right, the Warrant Officer Olivia mentioned in the earlier reports.¡± (As I suspected. So she isn¡¯t in this fort right now¡­) One of Neinhart¡¯s objective in visiting Fort Gallia was to meet Warrant Officer Olivia. He knew that he was mixing his private affairs into official business, but he wanted to thank her personally. ¡°Why do you look so distracted?¡± ¡°¡ª Ah, my apologies. Actually, the person Samuel killed, Major General Lance, is my good friend. I wanted to thank Warrant Officer Olivia for avenging him.¡± After hearing Neinhart¡¯s reasons, Paul¡¯s expression softened and turned a little awkward. ¡°I see, you are Major General Lance¡¯s¡­ I see. His death is a great loss for all of us.¡± Paul touched his balding head and muttered. It was short, but more than enough to mourn the dead. ¡°Thank you very much. Major General Lance would definitely feel honored by your kind words in the next world, Lieutenant General.¡± ¡°Sigh. Who knows¡­¡± Paul snuffed out his cigar in the ashtray. The mood turned heavy again, and Otto clapped his hands suddenly. ¡°What is it? You thought up a plan?¡± ¡°Yes Sir. I have an idea that warrants a try. If it works, we might be able to reclaim Kaspar castle before enemy reinforcements arrive.¡± ¡°Oh~ that¡¯s great¡­ but you are thinking of exploiting Warrant Officer Olivia again, correct?¡± Paul said with a speechless face. Otto smiled faintly when he heard that. ¡°Your Grace, Warrant Officer Olivia is now the strongest chess piece of the Seventh Army, so of course I will make full use of her. Even more so if it will increase the chance of success.¡± ¡°I know, I know. Then tell me what you have in mind.¡± Otto cleared his throat beside Paul who was smiling wryly, and explained his plan with a map after a short moment of silence. Neinhart was shocked. Otto was an absolute pragmatist. He wouldn¡¯t over or under estimate both friends or foes. And Otto called Warrant Officer Olivia the strongest in the Seventh Army, which intrigued Neinhart even more. (It¡¯s hard to believe, but she is the girl who killed that Samuel. She must be incredibly buff.) After arriving at that conclusion in his mind, Neinhart listened to Otto¡¯s plan. ¢ó Two weeks after Olivia''s Special Platoon retook Fort Lamburg. Fort Gallia was busy with the garrison of the First Army during this time, with the transportation of resources and the preparation to attack Kaspar castle. On the other hand, Olivia¡¯s platoon was having fun in Fort Lamburg. But when the garrison force arrived at Fort Lamburg, the platoon was literally chased off, and head back to Fort Gallia. Shortly after returning to the fort Otto summoned Olivia to the commander¡¯s office. Olivia looked at her Pocket Watch, confirmed the time, then knocked on the office¡¯s door. ¡°Warrant Officer Olivia, reporting on time.¡± Right after that, Olivia could hear a stifled laugh from behind the door, and a familiar voice said ¡°Enter.¡± She went in, and saw three men seated inside. Olivia looked at the group, which includes the gently smiling Paul, and the stern looking Otto. She didn¡¯t recognize the man with wavy blonde hair. The man kept opening and closing his mouth when he saw Olivia, maybe he was mimicking a fish? Olivia thought that if he was trying to do so, then he was pretty bad at it. ¡°Warrant Officer Olivia. Reporting. On. Time.¡± Otto glared at Olivia who took out her Pocket Watch, and said ¡°I know, put your Pocket Watch away.¡± He then added ¡°Are you looking for trouble?¡± It seemed there was no reward for reporting on time. The Pocket Watch was important, so Olivia kept it carefully. Paul tapped on the couch beside him, gesturing for Olivia for seat, and she did just that. ¡°Warrant Officer Olivia. Sorry for summoning you right after you came back. Thank you for your hard work.¡± ¡°Yes Sir, thank you for your concern!¡± ¡°I heard there¡¯s a skilled spear wielder amongst the bandits, did you have any trouble?¡± Paul¡¯s question made Olivia tilt her head puzzledly. She really didn¡¯t remember someone like that amongst the bandits.Did she forgot? But Olivia was confident in her memories. She could remember the contents of every book she had read. Ashton even commented that her memory was incredible. Even so, she had no impression of that, so that opponent was not a big deal. He was killed in one blow, so it would be strange if she remembered him. And of course, she wouldn¡¯t forget her happy experiences. For example, when she went hunting and fishing happily with the recruits. When Ashton almost drowned, Olivia laughed at the riverbank. When she saved him, Ashton complained really angrily. Guile was a hunter, so his bowmanship was excellent. Especially his skills in plucking feathers from a bird. When she told him that, Guile got down on one knee and said ¡°I honed this skill for the sake of the Valkyrie.¡± Olivia thought he was lying, but didn¡¯t say it out loud. For some reasons, she felt it would be bad if she refuted him. And the food she ate at the bonfire under the stars with everyone was really delicious. ¡°¡ª I don¡¯t remember the battles. All of them died to my sword in one hit.¡± ¡°Hahaha! I see, you killed them with one hit. Do you hear that, Otto? To Warrant Officer Olivia, that skilled spear wielder is no different from your run of the mill bandit.¡± Paul slapped his thigh and laughed. Otto sighed speechlessly. The blonde man stared with his eyes wide. Olivia was a little worried that his eyes would fall out. ¡°Oh right, I got too engrossed and forgot the reason I called you. Warrant Officer Olivia, I asked you to come in order to give you this.¡± Paul then put a white box on the table onto her lap. On his urging, Olivia opened the box, and found a colorful and luxurious cake. The sweet aroma assaulted her nose, and Olivia cried: ¡°Uwah! This is a cake! A cake, correct!? Thank you Lieutenant General Paul!!¡± ¡°Fufu. I¡¯m glad you like it.¡± Paul was all smiles. Olivia impatiently took a piece of cake, but suddenly remembered that the books said that cakes were so delicious that it would melt your face. Otto seemed to be saying something agitatedly, but Olivia didn¡¯t care. She was worried about her face melting because of the cake, but couldn¡¯t resist the temptation. Deciding that things would work out in the end, Olivia shoved the cake into her mouth. (¡ª¡ª Sweet. And so soft!) However, it tasted so good that Olivia¡¯s cheeks became loose. She quickly touched her face, and was relieved that her cheeks were fine. She could enjoy the cake without worries now. Before Olivia could pick up a second slice, someone grabbed her hand. She looked up, and saw the flushed Adjutant Otto with trembling lips standing before her. Olivia felt he was just like the ¡°Red Devil¡± depicted in books. ¡°Adjutant Otto, you want cake too? But Lieutenant General Paul gave this to me. Even if it¡¯s Adjutant Otto, I won¡¯t give them to you.¡± ¡°Who told you that I want the cake? You wench, do you know where you are? How dare you eat cake here!?¡± Olivia was baffled. When she entered the room, she checked the sign on the door which said ¡¶Commander¡¯s Office¡·. This was obviously the Commander¡¯s Office. ¡°¡­ Adjutant Otto, did you hit your head?¡± ¡°What are you blabbering about?¡± ¡°Well, I read in a book that a human¡¯s memories will get confused if their heads got hit hard. This is definitely the Commander¡¯s Office. In my humble opinion, Adjutant Otto, you should seek treatment from a doctor quickly.¡± ¡°W-Why you...!¡± Otto was shaking, and he lifted his fist up, put them down, and repeated that again. From Olivia¡¯s experience in the interrogation room, Otto probably wants to smash the table. Olivia got even more confused from Otto¡¯s reaction. It was only information from book, why did he have to be mad? Z once told her that humans differed from beast, because they yearned for knowledge. Otto should be happy instead of mad. If Ashton was with her, he would definitely give Olivia splendid advice. When she thought about that, Olivia looked at the cake on her lap. (¡­ So Adjutant Otto wants to eat cake after all. It¡¯s such a delicious dessert, so it can¡¯t be helped. How can anyone not want to eat it?) Otto did take good care of her, and even gave Olivia a nice silver Pocket Watch. She might receive even more stuff in the future. Olivia made up her mind, and offered a piece of cake to Otto. ¡°I will only give you one, okay¡­?¡± ¡°I said I don¡¯t want your cake!¡± With that, Otto slammed his fist on the table. ¡°So you are still going to slam the table, huh.¡± Olivia said. Otto slammed a few more times because of that, and Paul watched his reactions intriguely. Paul then said to Olivia: ¡°We still have important matters to discuss. Warrant Officer Olivia, you may return to your room and take your time to savor your cake.¡± ¡°Yes Sir, Warrant Officer Olivia will now return to her room to eat cake!¡± Olivia gave the most crisp salute of the day. If Otto was beside her, she wouldn¡¯t be able to enjoy her cake. Hence, Paul¡¯s words were a godsend. She swiftly left the room. And of course, she took the all important box of cake with her. ¡°How should I put this, she really is a strange girl.¡± As Olivia¡¯s footsteps faded into the distance, Neinhart gave his comment. The girl was not what he imagined in all sorts of ways. ¡°Colonel Neinhart, please pay her no mind. She just lack common sense and a proper upbringing.¡± Otto said angrily, and was probably still fuming since his hand holding his cup was shaking a little. Neinhart couldn¡¯t help smiling at the upset sight of this man who was always composed. When Otto noticed, he glared at Neinhart with a sharp gaze, which made Neinhart tense his face. ¡°What do you think, Colonel Neinhart. She is a cute kid, right?¡± In contrast with Otto, Paul asked with a gentle smile. Neinhart didn¡¯t know how to answer, and responded with a warm smile. Paul probably thought of her like a granddaughter. In fact, Neinhart heard that Paul¡¯s granddaughter was about this age. And of course, Neinhart had no objection that she looked cute. If she dresses up with some accessories, Neinhart would not suspect anything if someone says she is a daughter of a noble house. If she attends a ball, the gazes of the men would definitely be drawn to her. And of course, the ladies would be jealous of her. (I did something really rude when I imagined her to be too swole to control.) Neinhart smiled awkwardly in his heart, then reached for the tea on the table. Right now in the Kingdom, even an ordinary beverage like tea was now a luxury. Affected by the economic blockage by Sutherland under the excuse of a poor harvest, they had to rely on illegal smuggling instead. Neinhart took a sip of tea melancholically, and noticed that Otto had gotten over his rage. Otto massaged his red fists, remembered the conversation earlier and asked: ¡°By the way, didn¡¯t you want to thank the Warrant Officer?¡± ¡°Yes, I was planning to, but the Warrant Officer¡¯s left too impactful an impression, so I couldn¡¯t find the chance to speak.¡± ¡°Should I call her over again?¡± ¡°¡­ It¡¯s fine, you don¡¯t have to go that far, let¡¯s save that for another day. And I think her mind¡¯s probably preoccupied with cake right now.¡± After saying that, Neinhart realized he had misspoken. As expected, Otto grumbled ¡°It¡¯s all because you spoil her too much, Your Grace.¡± as he glared at Paul. But Paul wasn¡¯t fazed at all, and even leaned back heavily into the sofa and enjoyed his cigar. ¡°Adjutant Otto, don¡¯t grumble so much. Your plan is only possible because Warrant Officer Olivia took back Fort Lamburg. If you keep admonishing her, what will you do if she runs off to join the Imperial Army?¡± ¡°Ugh, w-well¡­¡± Paul¡¯s words hit right where it hurts, and Otto¡¯s eyes darkened a lot. He probably felt that situation was quite plausible. Desertion was a problem that had been plaguing the Royal Army. Desertion was one thing, but there were quite a number that joined the Empire instead. There was a ridiculous case of an entire platoon deserting their post and joining the Imperial Army. To warn against future transgression, all deserters were immediately executed. They were crucified, burned alive, or even executed with a guillotine. Despite the examples, there were still many soldiers who deserted at the risk of death. On the other hand, publicly executing the deserting soldiers only increased the unhappiness the citizens felt towards the Royal Army, which was ironic. It was regrettable, but the Royal Army was in a precarious situation. Neinhart remembered Olivia¡¯s blissful face as she ate her cake. According to the reports related to Olivia, she joined the Royal Army voluntarily. She even brought the heads of many Imperial Soldiers as a gift. With that in mind, Neinhart felt it was unlikely for what Paul said to happen to her. But even so, there was no guarantee that she wouldn¡¯t betray them. From her frivolous attitude, she was definitely not patriotic. And she didn¡¯t seem that she signed up with the army to make it big. Olivia gave the impression that if the Imperial Army bribe her with a mountain of cakes, she would turncoat immediately. (So, why did that child join the Royal Army?) The question that suddenly came to his mind made Neinhart hold his chin in deep thought. The Kingdom was like a crumbling tower, and it wouldn¡¯t be a surprise if it collapse at any moment. With Olivia¡¯s abilities, she would be treated better if she joined the Imperial Army. It wasn¡¯t proper to say this, given Neinhart¡¯s position, but he couldn¡¯t understand why she joined the Kingdom instead of the Empire. ¡°Lieutenant Colonel Otto, have you asked Warrant Officer Olivia why she joined the army?¡± Neinhart asked the Otto who had a bitter face just like him. Normally, the military wouldn¡¯t ask a soldier the reason they signed up. The army just needed to know whether the soldier could fight. However, Olivia who had exceptional marital prowess was an exception. Neinhart felt the careful Otto would definitely ask her about that. ¡°¡­ I did ask, but I got a nonsensical answer¡­ the Warrant Officer said this is a way for her to find ¡®Z¡¯.¡± Feeling glad that Otto didn¡¯t betray his expectations, Neinhart continued and ask: ¡°So she joined the army to search for someone?¡± ¡°It appears so.¡± ¡°It¡¯s true that searching for someone will be easier with the army¡¯s information network¡­ But Z, huh. What a unique name. What kind of person is he?¡± ¡°It sounds preposterous, but that Z the Warrant Officer was referring to is a ¡®Death God¡¯.¡± ¡°¡ª Hah? Death God? The one that wields a scythe?¡± Neinhart made a gesture of a scythe, and Otto nodded with a bitter face. The skeleton in tattered robes wielding a scythe was really famous. There might be variations between the description of authors, they were all about the same. ¡°This is ridiculous.¡± ¡°¡­ Hmm, that¡¯s true¡­¡± Otto muttered. (Hmm? His attitude seemed kind of vague.) When he saw Otto stroking his chin, a question occurred to Neinhart. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s possible, but Lieutenant Colonel Otto, do you think it¡¯s true?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s forget about believing her for now¡­ normally, no one would fabricate such an outrageous lie. I also thought that it is too ridiculous in the beginning too.¡± Unable to reach a conclusion by himself, it was rare seeing Otto so troubled. Neinhart didn¡¯t know what to say either, and just acknowledge vaguely. Paul wasn¡¯t aware of this issue, and just smiled intriguely and said ¡°I see, she¡¯s searching for a Death God.¡± (This is unfathomable. Is her Death God a metaphor? From what I heard, she is searching for a person¡ª¡ª whether it¡¯s a person or not, that is the reason she joined the Royal Army. However¡­) Neinhart was about to about to think further, but the documents on the table entered his view. There were tons of problems he had to deal with, and had no time to think about Olivia¡¯s words. Neinhart took a deep breath, and reached for the documents on the table. ¢ô Royal Army, Fort Gallia, Lieutenant Colonel Otto¡¯s office ¡°Oh~ so you are the officer Colonel Neinhart recommended¡­¡± ¡°Warrant Officer Claudia Lung, reporting to the Seventh Army for duty! I¡¯m here to meet you as requested!¡± ¡°Yes, thank you. Please take a seat at the couch over there.¡± ¡°Yes Sir, excuse me.¡± Claudia sat on the couch as ordered. Otto took out a spare cup from the cabinet, and reached for the white porcelain teapot. ¡°Lieutenant Colonel Otto, you don¡¯t have to trouble yourself!¡± Claudia tried to get up, but Otto stopped her. ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Otto cut Claudia off, and poured the tea with practiced hands. Seeing how well he did it, Claudia wondered if Otto didn¡¯t have a secretary. Otto placed the cup on the table before Claudia, and the aroma of the tea leaves entered her nose. ¡°Sorry, but our resources are limited, and we are out of sugar. Please bear with us.¡± ¡°You are too kind. Please excuse me.¡± Claudia sipped the tea politely, and returned the cup onto the table. She kept her back straight, looked Otto in the eyes and asked: ¡°¡­Lieutenant Colonel Otto. If it¡¯s fine with you, may I know the reason why I was transferred from the First Army to the Seventh Army?¡± ¡°Huh? Didn¡¯t Colonel Neinhart explain that to you?¡± Otto was surprised. ¡°Yes Sir, he didn¡¯t tell me anything. Since he seemed to be busy, I have no choice but to ask Lieutenant Colonel Otto directly.¡± Otto smiled wryly when he heard Claudia¡¯s explanation. She was expressing her displeasure towards Neinhart in a roundabout way. If he didn¡¯t know Claudia was Neinhart¡¯s cousin, he wouldn¡¯t have discerned what she was implying. ¡°I see, then I will get straight to the point. Your transfer orders is to take on the post of Warrant Officer Olivia¡¯s deputy¡ª No, she¡¯s a Second Lieutenant now. Your assignment is Second Lieutenant Olivia¡¯s deputy.¡± With that, Otto handed a document to Claudia. ¡°I¡¯m assigned to become a deputy¡­ Allow me one moment to read the documents.¡± Claudia perused the documents in her hand. It stated the extraordinary accomplishments of the subject. Slaying Samuel of the Violent Thrust, apprehending and killing two spies who infiltrated Fort Gallia, and almost single handedly reclaiming Fort Lamburg. ¡°S-Sir¡­ are these all true? Aren¡¯t they¡­¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s normal for you to think that. But it¡¯s all true. However¡­¡± Otto suddenly sighed. ¡°Is there a problem, Sir?¡± ¡°¡­ As you can see, the subject¡¯s martial prowess is flawless.¡± ¡°Of course. Do you mean she has some problems that isn¡¯t stated on the reports?¡± When Claudia asked that, Otto nodded to affirm that: ¡°It is as you say, Warrant Officer Claudia. Second Lieutenant Olivia extremely lacks common sense and etiquettes. To be honest, it¡¯s a big headache.¡± ¡°Hah, etiquettes huh¡­¡± Claudia didn¡¯t know what to say, and just repeated those words. Because etiquettes didn¡¯t seem like a big deal. ¡°You might think that the problem is cute¡­ No, never mind. Forget what I said.¡± ¡°Yes Sir, I will keep that in mind.¡± ¡°Sorry. As you know, we are preparing to retake Kaspar castle. The success of this operation all hinged on Second Lieutenant Olivia. And so, we need an excellent officer to be the Second Lieutenant¡¯s deputy.¡± ¡°¡­ Pardon me for being frank, but another officer can perform this task too, correct?¡± The Seventh Army shouldn¡¯t be hurting for talented officers. Claudia pressed with that in mind, but Otto shook his head immediately. ¡°There aren¡¯t many who can rein in the Second Lieutenant. She might look bright eyed and pretty, but she¡¯s a wild brat on the inside. So it will be easier for someone of the same gender to handle her. This will be very tiring, but I will be counting on you.¡± ¡°Yes Sir, I will do my best to assist Second Lieutenant Olivia as her deputy!¡± Claudia¡¯s answer made Otto turn stiff. ¡°Good. I already told Second Lieutenant Olivia that you will be visiting her. She should be in her room. Go pay her a visit later.¡± ¡°Understood, I will head there to greet her right away.¡± ¡°I see. That¡¯s all for now, you may leave.¡± ¡°Yes Sir, excuse me.¡± After leaving the office, Claudia sighed. From Otto¡¯s attitude she had taken over a troublesome task. (It¡¯s all his fault for arranging all this without informing me.) Claudia grumbled at Neinhart who recommended her, and headed for Olivia¡¯s room. Outside Olivia¡¯s room, Claudia checked her dressing. Judging that it was fine, she knocked on the door, and heard a clear sound from inside. ¡°Claudia?¡± Claudia turned stiff when her name was called. She raised her voice and answered: ¡°Yes Mdm! I¡¯m Warrant Officer Claudia Lung, and will be serving as Second Lieutenant Olivia¡¯s deputy from today onwards! I¡¯m here to greet you!¡± ¡°Yes, I heard about it from Adjutant Otto~ come in.¡± ¡°Yes Mdm, please excuse my intrusion.¡± When she opened the door, Claudia gasped at the sight before her. The girl lying prone on her bed was too beautiful, as if she was a doll. When Claudia was mesmerized by Olivia¡¯s beauty, their eyes met. Careful not to step on the books scattered all over the floor, Claudia saluted hastily. ¡°I¡¯m Olivia, nice to meet you!¡± Olivia propped her body up and returned the salute with a smile. She then laid back down and continued reading. (¡­ Ehh!? That¡¯s it!?) Claudia thought it was some kind of test, but she just looked engrossed in her book. Claudia then remembered what Adjutant Otto said. Since she was her deputy, Claudia had to better understand Olivia¡¯s situation. With that in mind, Claudia tried chatting her up. ¡°E-Erm, Second Lieutenant Olivia? There sure are many books in your room.¡± ¡°Hmm... ? I bought all the books Ashton said was interesting from the capital. Thanks to that, my bonus pay from Lieutenant General Paul is all gone now. Books are really expensive.¡± Olivia answered with her eyes on her book. Claudia was surprised by the response, but still kept the conversation going. ¡°Second Lieutenant Olivia, so you like books. By the way, who is that Ashton that you mentioned?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Claudia asked the same thing as Adjutant Otto. Ashton is Ashton. A human.¡± Olivia finally shift her eyes from the book, and looked at Claudia confusedly. Her dark eyes showed no signs that she was joking. (I see¡­ This is really something. Neinhart onii-san you jerk, I will remember this.) Claudia complained in her heart, but still showed a humble face. ¡°It is as you say, Second Lieutenant Olivia. I apologize for asking something so obvious.¡± Claudia bowed in apology, and Olivia shook her head: ¡°Yes~ it¡¯s fine. But how strange, why does everyone like to ask obvious questions¡­? Is it my fault that I can¡¯t convey my words properly to other people?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not true.¡± ¡°I see¡­ very well then. You are done with your greetings, right? You can go now.¡± Then, Olivia returned her gaze to her book for the third time. That was all she had to say. Claudia saluted Olivia who was lying prone on her bed: ¡°I will be taking my leave then! Please don¡¯t hesitate to find me if you need anything!¡± ¡°Yes, got it.¡± Claudia left the room, then leaned against the wall to sighed for the second time today, which was much heavier than the first. She then took quick strides and headed straight for Neinhart¡¯s room. Volume 1, 3: Battle of Iris Volume 1, Chapter 3: Battle of Iris Translator: Skythewood Editor: Hiiro ¢ñ Imperial Army, Kaspar castle, Main Base There¡¯s movement from the Seventh Army! The surveillance network keeping watch around Fort Gallia sent an urgent report to the main base, and General Osborne summoned all the officers for a war council. ¡°Where is the enemy headed?¡± ¡°Sir, the Seventh Army has crossed the Ecstasy River, and is marching towards Canaria road.¡± The messenger reported the movements of the Seventh Army a little excitedly to the room. Metallic clanking noises could be heard outside, and the atmosphere was a little tense. The entire unit already learned that the Seventh Army was moving, and the soldiers were preparing for battle hastily. ¡°Sir, judging from the enemy¡¯s advance, they are definitely targeting this Kaspar castle¡­ Looks like they stole a march on us.¡± ¡°That seems to be the case. They probably got tired of turtling inside their base.¡± All the officers laughed at Osborne¡¯s sarcastic words. Paris was the only one who averted his eyes and sighed. He could tell that Osborne sounded a little vexed. (Why didn¡¯t the Emperor approved the plan to attack Fort Gallia? I have seen His Excellency¡¯s plans, and it is perfect. General Felixus also pushed hard for the plan too. The initiative should have been ours¡­ Paris clicked his tongue inside his head as the stinging laugher of the officers rang out. He then asked the messenger calmly: ¡°What are the enemy¡¯s numbers?¡± ¡°Yes Sir, scout reports estimate their strength to be around 50,000.¡± ¡°¡°¡°Hahaha¡­ Ha?¡±¡±¡± The faces of the laughing officers turned stiff. ¡°50,000¡­ that¡¯s unexpected. It seems they have more reserves than we expected.¡± No one responded to Paris¡¯ words. They didn¡¯t expect such a large force either. Most of the officers furrowed their brows at this news. After getting reinforcements, Kaspar castle now has 55,000 troops. Paris commented the development was ¡°unexpected¡±, but he wasn¡¯t too surprised. But he did admit that he underestimated the enemy numbers. He previously estimated Fort Gallia to have 40,000 soldiers, or 45,000 at best. But considering the invading force and the garrison unit left at the fort, he would need to revise those numbers to around 60,000. (Our spy in Fort Gallia has not reported back. He either got caught, or was killed. The lack of intelligence is making things difficult.) Paris was from the intelligence bureau, and placed a lot of importance on intel. He knew very well that a single piece of intel might be as valuable as 10,000 soldiers, and could decide the outcome of a battle. However, many of the officers present believe the opposite. A large number of soldiers only consider intel to be of secondary importance, and that battles were always decided with martial might. And Lieutenant General George was the most devout believer of this. He had a burly build and was the head of the famed Bachstein family that aided with the founding of the Empire. With the influential power of his renowned clan, he got everything he could ever want. To match his achievements on the battlefield, George leads the Knight Corp that rose to fame during the Battle of Swaran¡ª the Full Metal Knights. During the early stages of the Southern War Theatre, he personally led his Knight Corps to crush the Sixth Army, and his outstanding performance fueled his confidence. George glanced at Paris, then said to Osborne with a faint smile: ¡°Your Excellency, the enemy might be numerous, but they are just a weak mob. We have nothing to fear, and this will be a good chance to crush them head on, and show them the might of the Imperial Army.¡± George smashed the table in a display of his strength. The officers all agreed with him and cheered him on, including the ones who were furrowing their brows. ¡°Your enthusiasm heartens me. Well then, let us show the Seventh Army our might¡ª Paris, where do you think we should engage them?¡± Osborne asked. Paris turned his gaze to the map on the table. ¡°Here¡­ In my humble opinion, the Iris plains will be the most suitable place.¡± ¡°The reason?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple. That is the most suitable place to deploy a large army. The Ark forest and Grox valley on either side of the plains aren¡¯t suitable. Going through the Iris plains will be the shortest route to Kaspar castle, so they will be fools to take another route.¡± ¡°Hmm, so this battle will be a direct confrontation, huh.¡± Osborne said with a nod. ¡°That¡¯s just what we want. My Full Metal Knights will tear the Seventh Army into shreds!¡± George smiled sinisterly. The fighting spirit of the officers reached its peak. Paris felt a sense of danger when he saw their reaction. (This is a little dangerous. This large battle after a long lull is making them anxious for war merits. This isn¡¯t a good sign.) Right now, the situation to the south of the Kingdom was at an impasse. With the Seventh Army stubbornly defending Fort Gallia, the army in the southern war theatre had no chance to earn any war merits. On the other hand, their comrades had been winning battles in the northern and central war theatres, which fills them with envy. And now, reports of the Seventh Army invading came in. It was natural for the soldiers to get hyped up. However, if they lose the battle because they were too anxious, that would be putting the cart before the horse. As a strategist, he had to consider the worst case scenario at all times. With that in mind, Paris proposed to Osborne: ¡°Your Excellency. To be safe, we should request for reinforcements from Fort Kiel. We can then¡ª¡± ¡°What¡¯s that drivel I¡¯m hearing?¡± Paris got cut off before he could even finish, and he looked towards the one who spoke¡ª Lieutenant General George. George was glaring at Paris, his body trembling with rage. ¡°I will ask this again. What¡¯s that nonsense you just said? I can understand if we are at a disadvantage, but our numbers are evenly matched. Are you trying to shame us by calling for reinforcements for nothing?¡± ¡°Lieutenant General George, pardon me, but we can intimidate the enemy more easily if we had overwhelming numbers. In my humble opinion, this will be the best way to minimize our losses.¡± When he heard Paris¡¯ rebuttal, George smashed his fist on the table. ¡°You moron! Where¡¯s the honor in winning with numbers? And you call yourself an honorable soldier of the Imperial Army? Know your shame!!¡± George declared publicly that honor was more important than the lives of soldiers. Paris knew there was no point in saying more. ¡°¡­ You are right, Lieutenant General, my apologies for making a useless proposal.¡± Paris bowed deeply to the sound of sneers. From their voices, it was probably people from the George¡¯s faction. His clique were officers from the upper nobility, and as a lower tiered noble Paris was already used to such treatments, and didn¡¯t mind. ¡°Lieutenant General George. Strategist Paris is only stating his opinions. There is no need to be so agitated.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Excellency¡­¡± George let the matter rest reluctantly. Osborne gently tapped Paris¡¯ shoulder, and said even mannerly: ¡°I will keep your opinion in mind, Paris. We will engage the enemy first, and see what they will do. We can decide if we should request for reinforcements after that.¡± ¡°¡­ Understood.¡± ¡°Alright then¡ª Gentlemen, raise your glass.¡± Osborne stood up with his glass held high, and the other Officers followed his lead. ¡°May the Glory of the Arsbelt Empire Shine Brilliantly!!¡±¡± ¡°¡°Eternal Loyalty to the Great Emperor Ramza!!¡±¡± ¡ª¡ª The next day. 50,000 troops stood ready on the fields, and the horn that declared the start of the day echoed through the blue skies. ¡°Your Excellency, we are all set.¡± ¡°Good. Tell the troops that we are moving off for the Iris plains.¡± ¢ò Royal Army, Canaria Road The mixed unit under Paul and Lambert¡¯s command were marching towards Fort Gallia. There was almost no resistance from the Imperial Army during their march, as they headed west along Canaria road. To hide the fact that the First Army was part of the campaign, they were only flying the flags of the Seventh Army. Their intent was to trick the enemy into thinking that the First Army was still defending the capital. Paul and Lambert was in the center of the formation, and they exchanged ideas while they rode. Their guards in bright silver armour flanked them, and a group of elite heavy infantry encircled the two commanders. The guards remained vigilant at all times as they marched cautiously. In the meanwhile, Neinhart led the vanguards, and Otto commanded the rearguards. ¡°¡ª Everything is going well so far.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, the Imperial units in the vicinity are retreating hastily.¡± Lambert looked around him, and saw the remnants of tents and emblems with crossed swords. There was no doubt this used to be an Imperial Army camp. The vanguard units reported that Canaria town had been liberated from the Empire. ¡°But speaking of which, I was surprised that His Majesty approved this plan.¡± ¡°Hmm...? Well, it¡¯s all thanks to the Field Marshal pushing hard for this¡­¡± Lambert brushed it off lightly, but the process of convincing Alphonse was very tedious. Alphonse was planning to turn down Cornelius¡¯ advice, and insisted that the First Army should make haste and capture Fort Kiel. But Cornelius didn¡¯t give up, and pushed his agenda repeatedly over many days. This irks Alphonse, who then forbid Cornelius from entering the palace. In the end, Cornelius threatened to resign, which prompted Alphonse to quickly change tack and approve the plan. The exalted Field Marshal was already in his 70s, but he was still known as the ever winning general, and his resignation would cause an uproar. Voices from both inside and outside the court would question Alphonse¡¯s ability as a King. That would make things even harder for the Kingdom. Lambert deduced that Alphonse only approved the plan because of that. ¡°¡­ Sigh. I don¡¯t know the details, but it must have been tough.¡± Paul stroked his chin thoughtfully. His insight was still keen despite his advanced age. Lambert clicked his tongue in his heart. ¡°It probably is. But thanks to that, the First Army doesn¡¯t have to die in vain at the walls of Fort Kiel.¡± Lambert shrugged. ¡°Oh~ it¡¯s rare to see you so dejected. Aren¡¯t you worried about your reputation taking a hit?¡± ¡°Paul, it¡¯s a bad habit to ask the obvious.¡± Lambert answered with a blank face. Paul said with the corners of his lips raised: ¡°Fufu, sorry. Even for the First Army elites, attacking Fort Kiel like this is as good as suicide.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I wish to die on the battlefield, but not in vain.¡± Paul and Lambert looked at each other for a short moment, then laughed. ¡°So we can¡¯t lose this time. We will follow the lead of the Seventh Army, so you will call the shots, Paul¡­ but are you sure? You know, about that girl? ¡°You mean Second Lieutenant Olivia?¡± ¡°Yes yes, that Second Lieutenant Olivia. I heard she¡¯s just 15? And your granddaughter is around her age too?¡± Lambert thought about the girl he saw at a ball one decade ago, and sighed. ¡°Oh~ to think that you remembered. Yes, she¡¯s as old as Second Lieutenant Olivia.¡± ¡°Hmmp. I might be old, but my memory is still fine.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you just 50?¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough to be called an old man. Never mind that. A girl that is the age of Paul¡¯s granddaughter is the key to the battle plan? I admit she¡¯s extraordinary skilled¡­ But isn¡¯t that too rash?¡± Lambert knew about Olivia¡¯s exploits, starting with her killing Samuel. And it was unbelievable since all that happened in just two short months. Especially the ridiculous story about killing a one horned beast with one stab, which Lambert could only brush off with a laugh. ¡°I understand your concern, but it¡¯s fine to leave this to Second Lieutenant Olivia. We assigned an excellent deputy to her.¡± ¡°Warrant Officer Claudia, huh¡­ you actually poached an up and coming officer from the First Army.¡± Lambert glared at Paul. Claudia graduated second from the Royal Military Academy, and was both knowledgeable and outstanding in swordsmanship. She might still be rough on the edges due to her youth, but the fact remained that she was far more capable than the other officers in her age group. Lambert had high expectations of her, and was very unhappy about her transfer to the Seventh Army. ¡°I¡¯m innocent. It¡¯s your adjutant who recommended her, so don¡¯t pick a fight.¡± Paul said with a blank face. ¡°Yes, I know¡­ Sigh, Neinhart did something unnecessary.¡± Lambert glared at the youth that was out of sight. At this moment, a soldier walked through the formation of heavy infantry and stopped before the two generals. His red epaulette showed seven silver stars, marking him out as a messenger of the Seventh Army. Paul pulled his reins and raised his left hand to stop the march. ¡°Lieutenant General Paul, my apologies for interrupting your discussion.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Any signs from the enemy?¡± ¡°Report, the Imperial Army is marching for Iris plains. They number about 50,000.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s the Iris plains after all. Well, it¡¯s not like there is any other choice.¡± Paul nodded, and Lambert deduced from the news: ¡°50,000, huh. If we discount the detachment force, we are evenly matched. So they left 5,000 men behind to hold their fort?¡± ¡°Around there. It¡¯s within expectations.¡± ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s fine then¡ª Any movements from Fort Kiel?¡± This is the most crucial matter for this plan. Lambert asked a little tensely. ¡°Yes Sir, there are no signs of movement from Fort Kiel as of now.¡± Lambert was relieved to hear that report. If Fort Kiel sent out reinforcements at this juncture, then the operation will be stopped immediately. He looked towards Paul, who also looked relieved. ¡°Seems like our biggest worry is out of the way.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, there¡¯s no point in fighting the war if they call for reinforcements right away.¡± ¡°In that case, it will be all up to the performance of the detachment unit.¡± Lambert said as if he wanted to confirm this, and Paul looked confident when he heard that. ¡°Second Lieutenant Olivia will definitely come. After all, she is the ¡®Silver Haired Valkyrie¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­Silver Haired Valkyrie? What¡¯s that?¡± Lambert was confounded by this foreign term. ¡°You didn¡¯t know? Valkyries are beautiful women who charge around the battlefield with grace and majesty. That¡¯s what the soldiers who accompanied Second Lieutenant Olivia to seize Fort Lamburg said. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s an apt use of the term?¡± Lambert started doubting his eyes at the sight of Paul¡¯s warm expression. He already heard from Neinhart, but after seeing with his own eyes, he realized that Paul was already beyond saving. This wasn¡¯t a face that a man going into battle should have. This was the face of a loving grandfather doting over his grandchildren. Even the soldiers around them had complicated faces. (Paul, who used to be called a demon, is like this now, huh¡­) Lambert soothed his neighing horse and sighed heavily. _______________________________________________________________ One week before the combined forces led by Paul and Lambert set off from Fort Gallia. To avoid prying eyes of the Imperial Army, soldiers were sent by platoon levels towards Fort Lamburg, until 5,000 of them were mustered. Olivia then led her detachment force of 3,000 cavalry into Ark forest secretly. Right now, Olivia was riding on a black horse and moving in the forest at a leisurely pace. Beside her was Olivia¡¯s newly appointed deputy, Claudia. She watched her surroundings cautiously, and kept her guard up. ¡°Claudia, you don¡¯t have to be so wary with such a scary face. It¡¯s a waste of your beautiful face, you know?¡± Olivia patted Claudia¡¯s back with a laugh. ¡°Pardon me for being blunt, but getting complimented by Second Lieutenant Olivia on my looks feels sarcastic.¡± ¡°Ehh? But why? I¡¯m not being sarcastic though?¡± Olivia tilted her head puzzledly. Claudia sighed, it was worse since Olivia wasn¡¯t aware of the reason. ¡°Please look at the mirror and see for yourself¡­ That aside, the mission assigned to us will greatly affect the war. We can¡¯t be careless before we flank around to the Imperial Army¡¯s back.¡± The battle plan was devised around this surprise attack. Olivia¡¯s group were to travel through the Ark forest, and go around to the back of the Imperial Army deployed on the Iris plains. They would then launch an attack on the Imperial Army headquarters in concert with the main unit¡¯s attack, and rout the enemy in one go, a very bold plan. Olivia¡¯s mission was to kill the enemy commander swiftly. Claudia¡¯s task was to bring Olivia within striking range. The timing of this crucial attack would be left to their discretion. Claudia who was weighed down by her heavy responsibilities looked at Olivia beside her. Olivia¡¯s frivolous attitude wasn¡¯t wrong for the detachment commander. This would keep the men at ease. On the other hand, her role as the deputy was to keep her guard up, and this balance was just right. ¡°Speaking of which, Second Lieutenant Olivia, your horsemanship is excellent. I heard that black horse has quite a temper.¡± The black horse had a tougher build than the other horses, and was faster too. In theory, this breed of horses were well suited to be warhorses, but were seldom seen in battles. That was because of the fierce temperament of the black horse, which made it difficult to ride it. From what Claudia knew, riders who could ride black horses were really rare. Even so, this black horse was really docile towards Olivia. It would neigh from time to time like a child wanting attention. Its unexpected behaviour made Claudia wonder if it''s black hide was dye. Olivia brushed the mane of the black horse gently and said: ¡°Ehh~ is that so. I think this horse is really docile. When I was small, I rode on the back of a one horned beast, and it made quite a racket.¡± ¡°¡ª¡ªHah...? By, One horned beast, you mean the ¡¶Type 2 Danger Beast¡·?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what is a Type 2 Danger Beast, but it¡¯s a beast with one white horn on its head. And its meat doesn¡¯t taste good.¡± Olivia placed her hand on her forehead with her index finger pointing out, and mimicked the cry of One horned beast with a ¡°rawr¡±. She looked absolutely adorable. That aside, Claudia was stunned by Olivia¡¯s sudden words. There were no kids in the world that rode on the back of One horned beasts. Not even adults would do that. They would get eaten before that happens. (Is Second Lieutenant Olivia teasing me?) Claudia looked Olivia in the eyes with that in mind, but she couldn¡¯t see any ¡®colour¡¯ that suggested Olivia was lying. As Claudia looked on in surprise, Olivia gently stroked the neck of the black horse, and then nimbly stood up on the horse¡¯s back. ¡°Hey, the horse is really docile, right?¡± ¡°W-W-What are you doing!?¡± Claudia reached out to stop her, but the black horse turned away, as if to stop her from disturbing its master. Olivia flipped back in the air, and did a handstand on the saddle. The soldiers around them all cheered in awe. ¡°Your physical abilities are excellent, but please refrain from doing this. We are in the middle of an important mission, and please be aware that you are the commander of 3,000 soldiers.¡± Claudia warned coldly. Olivia answered: ¡°Okay~. Ehehe, I made Claudia mad.¡± She then stuck out her tongue. The soldiers around them smiled and said: ¡°The Captain did it again, huh.¡± The warm scene dispelled Claudia¡¯s displeasure. It seemed that some of the soldiers were acquainted with Olivia. ¡°Do you know Second Lieutenant Olivia before this?¡± ¡°Yes Mdm, we accompanied Platoon Leader Olivia to retake Fort Lamburg.¡± A black haired youth named Guile answered proudly. ¡°Oh~ is that so.¡± ¡°Yes Mdm. But we just stood around trembling in our boots, and was of no help¡­ But thanks to the Captain¡¯s training, we have gotten stronger. We will definitely be of use this time.¡± Guile said with his head held high, and his comrades all nodded confidently. (Too naive. It¡¯s not that easy to become stronger. They don¡¯t understand that requires long periods of continuous effort.) Claudia¡¯s swordsmanship was the effort of years of harsh training. Thanks to that, she understood the difficult path of martial prowess. However, she wouldn¡¯t discourage the soldiers who had resolved themselves. Saying unnecessary things right before the battle would lower morale, and had no benefits. ¡°Hmm~ Guile, you haven¡¯t gotten that much stronger though. Or rather, everyone is too weak, be careful and don¡¯t die, alright?¡± But Olivia poured cold water on them without a second thought. Claudia couldn¡¯t help facepalming herself. Morale would drop now¡ª However, the soldiers just smiled awkwardly. They didn¡¯t look depressed and seemed to be used to this. Olivia wasn¡¯t done though. ¡°Especially Ashton, you won¡¯t do at all. If I had to use an analogy, it will be like you will die if you daze off a little.¡± ¡°¡ª¡ª!? W-What do you mean!? I¡¯m working my ass off too!!¡± Ashton protested angrily, and Olivia chuckled when she saw his reaction. Claudia stared at Ashton. So the mysterious person that Olivia would mention from time to time was a new recruit. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped, people are suited for different things. If I have to say, I think Ashton has the makings of a strategist. When we played chess at the fort, you performed rather well.¡± ¡°I-Is that so? Being a strategist suits me?¡± Ashton asked happily, and Olivia added: ¡°But you lost all your matches against me.¡± She then held her stomach and laughed out loud. The others smiled at their interaction, and Ashton had a complicated expression on his face. ¡°Are you talking about your time at Fort Lamburg?¡± ¡°Yes. Everyone asked me to train them there. We got chased out shortly after, so there isn¡¯t much results though.¡± Despite what Olivia said, Claudia disagreed. She noticed that the steps of these soldiers were firm and steady. They also kept their eyes open and watch the surroundings as they chatted. This was child¡¯s play to Claudia, but it definitely wasn¡¯t a standard she expected from recruits. (I heard the soldiers that participated in the operation to retake Fort Lamburg are inexperienced fresh recruits. Did they improve so much from the Second Lieutenant¡¯s tutelage¡­? Just where did she come from?) As Claudia was feeling puzzled, Olivia said in a hopeful tone: ¡±I wonder what reward Lieutenant General Paul will give me for completing this mission?¡± ¢ó Iris Plains The Imperial Southern army led by General Osborne reached the Iris plains before the Seventh Army did. On Paris¡¯ advice, the headquarters was set up on the high ground that overlooked the entire battlefield. In the center was 20,000 strong Full Metal Knights, commanded by Lieutenant General George. On the left flank was Major General Heit, and on the right flank was Major General Minits, with 25,000 men that comprised mainly of light infantry. Their crossed swords banner flew high in the sky, as the army of 50,000 waited for the Seventh Army¡¯s arrival. On the other hand, the combined forces of Lieutenant General Lambert and Paul arrived one day later. Judging that the enemy main forces were in the center, Lambert led his 25,000 men from the First Army and deployed in the middle. Another 20,000 men were split between both flanks, led by Major General Elman and Major General Hosmund. The headquarters with 5,000 troops were set up behind the center formation, headed personally by Paul. Both forces were deployed in the basic line formation, which could make the best use of the vastness of the plains and alleviate the threats of attacks from the flanks. As the deafening horn and drums sounded, the Full Metal Knights plan to start the battle with a charge. And thus began what would be called the ¡¶Battle of Iris¡· in the future. _______________________________________________________________ ¡°Your Excellency, you are too close to the front! Please slow your pace!¡± George¡¯s adjutant Lieutenant Colonel Cyrus advised him hastily. But George paid him no heed, and spurred his horse to go faster instead. Cyrus charged to George¡¯s side, and George yelled at him: ¡°What drivel! How can I back off before the weaklings of the Royal Army? I will crush anyone who dares to stop the advance of our Full Metal Knights!¡± George had a sinister smile as he ran over the enemy soldiers one after another. The Lieutenant General leading the charge personally raised the calvary¡¯s morale to the roof. A few hours after the battle started. The fighting on the Iris plains was abnormally intense. George¡¯s Full Metal Knights were a heavy cavalry unit, and the unusual thing about them were their lances. Unlike normal spears or pikes, these lances were specialized for penetration, and with the inertia of their charging war horses, they could even easily pierce through armour. The Full Metal Knights displayed their exceptional attacking and defensive prowess, dominating the battlefield. ¡°Too weak! What an unsightly display! It¡¯s the same with the Sixth Army, looks like the Seventh Army is just a gathering of mobs too! Even the Swaran Kingdom have more fight in them.¡± George cursed and tossed aside an enemy soldier on his lance. Cyrus suddenly shouted: ¡°Your Excellency, the enemy is suddenly retreating!¡± Following the direction Cyrus was pointing at, he could see some Royal soldiers retreating. The other soldiers were also pulling back in a coordinated effort. ¡°Hmmp¡­ Adjutant Cyrus, what do you think about the Royal Army¡¯s movements? Let¡¯s hear your views.¡± George¡¯s cold gaze made Cyrus straighten his back. If he didn¡¯t give an answer that would satisfy George, even the adjutant would earn the wrath of the General. That was what his gaze was saying. ¡°Yes Sir, in my humble opinion, the enemy is trying to withdraw to put some distance between us, and then regroup!¡± ¡°What should we do then?¡± ¡°This is a good chance. I think we should seize this chance and break through their center line, and charge their headquarters.¡± George was pleased to have gotten the answer he wanted. Like Cyrus said, the enemy probably wanted to withdraw and regroup. If he used this chance to charge right into the enemy¡¯s headquarters, then he would get all the credits. After that, It would just be a matter of time before he gets promoted to General. George shook off the blood on his lance, and made his decision: ¡°Cyrus! We are breaking through the enemy¡¯s center line, and head straight for their headquarters!¡± ¡°Yes Sir!¡± ¡°Hear me, Glorious Full Metal Knights! Follow my lead and charge! The one who cuts off the head of the enemy commander-in-chief will be handsomely rewarded!¡± ¡°¡°¡°Wooaahhh!!¡±¡±¡± Cheered on by George, the Full Metal Knights let out a deafening roar. On Cyrus¡¯ signal, the entire unit went forth like an unstoppable tide. In contrast, despite Lambert and the First Army¡¯s effort to hold the line, the Full Metal Knights broke through easily. The centerline falters, and the Knights started to threaten the headquarters of the centerline¡¯s headquarters. _______________________________________________________________ As the Full Metal Knights tore the centerline apart, Neinhart watched on calmly. He ordered the routed units to retreat, and kept up the barrage of arrows. However, the arrows weren¡¯t very effective. Since the warhorses were armored too, they couldn¡¯t stem the calvary¡¯s charge by killing the warhorses. ¡°Your Excellency, that¡¯s the famed Full Metal Knights.¡± ¡°I can see that plainly. This unit is the personification of the term ¡®reckless charge¡¯. They might be the enemy, but their performance is worthy of praise.¡± Lambert nodded with admiration. It was true that the morale and prowess of the unit were impeccable. Even the elite First Army was put on the backfoot so easily, which surprised Neinhart. No wonder the Sixth Army commanded by Lieutenant General Sara was defeated. ¡°Admiring them won¡¯t help us. What should we do about this? Commit our reserves?¡± Neinhart looked behind them, where the main base flying the flags of the Seventh Army was set up. Lambert said with a snort: ¡°Hmmp, you have a bad habit of asking the obvious. You already planned for this from the start, you think I¡¯m not aware?¡± ¡°Pardon me, I will get right on it.¡± With that, Neinhart raised his left hand. On this signal, a group of archers that had been waiting for this showed up. Their arrows were covered with oil, and after a soldier set them alight, a volley of fire arrows were ready. When the fire burned to the right intensity, Neinhart swung his arm down. ¡°Loose!¡± On his command, the volley rained down on the area before the Full Metal Knights. The aim wasn¡¯t to burn the cavalry, but to send the warhorses into a panic. All animals in this world fear fire. Neinhart¡¯s plan was very effective, and the warhorses started neighing, and started rampaging. ¡°Steady!!¡± The riders chided their warhorses, but still fell off in the end. The heavy infantry used this chance to assault the dismounted riders. They tried to get up and engage the enemy, but their heavy armor became the chains weighing them down. In the end, they couldn¡¯t put up any resistance and were killed by the heavy infantry. Neinhart muttered when he saw that scene. ¡°We can stop the enemy¡¯s charge for now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but we have to stay on our toes. It¡¯s our turn to attack for now, but the enemy is no slouch.¡± With that, both men continued observing the battle without a word. The fight in the centerline was at a stalemate. The battle at the two flanks were less intense, and the war slowly became balanced. Finally, the setting sun dyed the Iris plains in red. With that as the sign, both forces withdrew their forces. The battle on the first day drew to a close. The Imperial army lost 2,000 troops, and the Royal army lost 3,000 men. While the flanks were evenly matched, there was a clear difference in the centerline. Royal Army, Main Headquarters Otto and several of his staff were overwhelmed with the reports from the battlefield. Many of them stated the prowess of the Full Metal Knights, which stressed to Otto how powerful the Imperial Army was. ¡°Everyone¡¯s working late tonight.¡± With that, Paul walked slowly to the group. His subordinates all saluted. ¡°Your Excellency, shouldn¡¯t you be resting in your tent?¡± Otto asked out of concern. Paul gently waved his hand, and sat on a chair that was prepared for him. ¡°At ease. Otto, you know I don¡¯t sleep much during battles. The blood goes right up into my brain, and that didn¡¯t change even at my age¡ª So, how¡¯s the casualty count?¡± Paul looked over with a sharp gaze, showing flashes of his past when he was called a demon. Despite his advanced age, his nature remained unchanged. Otto felt a little nostalgic, and reported the intel he had gathered so far to Paul. ¡°¡ª They put the Fierce General Lambert on the back foot, huh. The Full Metal Knights lived up to their name.¡± ¡°Indeed. The First Army stopped the enemy¡¯s attack by panicking their warhorses with fire arrows, however...¡± Otto stopped here, and looked up to the sky. The bright moon hanging above the Iris plains just now had been covered by dark clouds. Paul looked up and said: ¡°¡­ The weather is changing.¡± ¡°Yes Sir. If it rains, the effectiveness of the fire arrows will drop. This will adversely affect the First Army¡¯s battles.¡± ¡°Well, this is Lambert we are talking about, he will find a way. When can the detachment unit get in position?¡± ¡°Going by their schedule, they should be in place by now¡­¡± According to the plan, the detachment unit will send smoke signals if their surprise attack works. On that signal, the entire army would launch an all out assault. When Paul heard Otto¡¯s answer, he muttered ¡°Is that so.¡± He then took out a cigar and lit it up. Purple smoke then rose slowly into the night sky. There was still a few hours before dawn breaks. _______________________________________________________________ The second day of the battle, Overcast skies Learning from their failure on the previous day, Lambert¡¯s First Army prepared fire archers way ahead of time. To defend against the charge of the Full Metal Knights, they adopted a defensive formation. On the other hand, the Full Metal Knights that achieved great results yesterday didn¡¯t prepare any countermeasures against the fire arrows, and their attacks were more reserved than yesterday. And so, the fighting in the centerline was less intense than the day before, with occasional skirmishes here and there. The battle had shifted to the flanks. In charge of the Royal Army¡¯s left flank was Major General Elman Hark. He was a commoner by birth, but caught the eye of Paul, and rose to the rank of Major General. A rare talent who mastered defensive battles. ¡°Your Excellency, the enemy calvary is charging us!¡± His adjutant, Captain Louis shouted. As the intense battle rages on, a five hundred strong cavalry were charging towards them with reckless abandon. ¡°Stay calm. The enemy is in a crescent moon formation, it¡¯s obvious that they intend to split our defence line. Relay my orders to the archers on both flanks, and tell them to attack with volley fire.¡± The messengers sprinted off with Elman¡¯s orders, and delivered them to the commanders of the archers. The archers readied their arrows with practiced movements, and fired as one. The bolts tore through the air and rained down on the enemy horsemen. The warhorses neigh and raised their forelegs, throwing their riders onto the ground. But the calvary did not break their charge, as if they were being chased by something from behind. ¡°Hiee! T-The enemy isn¡¯t stopping! They are still charging us!¡± One archer said, and seemed to be on the verge of crying. ¡°Shut up and keep shooting!¡± On the captain¡¯s angry orders, the archers fired a second and third volley. Each volley created many corpses, and when the calvary¡¯s casualty grew over 50%, the riders turned around and fled. ¡°Your Excellency, the enemy has been routed, we should pursue them.¡± Louis proposed, and Elman muttered after hearing that: ¡°¡ª Indeed. If we don¡¯t pursue now, the enemy will grow suspicious¡­¡± Normally, Elman would have ordered a pursuit before Louis gave any advice. But he hesitated this time. ¡°Hmm? May I ask what you mean by that?¡± ¡°Nothing, it¡¯s my problem, you don¡¯t need to worry¡ª Alright then, send the calvary to pursue. 400 of them will do. Don¡¯t pursue too deep, and fall back after making a show of it.¡± ¡°Yes Sir! I will make the arrangement!¡± Louis quickly issued the pursuit order to the messenger. Elman looked at his subordinate¡¯s movement and recalled the content of this operation. The key of this plan rests on Olivia, and only a small number of people knew the details. Since the success of the plan depends on the surprise attack, this was a necessary measure to avoid leaking the information to the enemy. Their strategy was to not be too aggressive before the surprise attack worked and all the commanders were to strictly follow this game plan. This was the consideration Paul made to conserve their forces for the assault on Kaspar castle. However, it would be suspicious if they acted too passively. So they had to fight with all their might to fend off the enemy, and not draw any suspicion from the enemy when attacking. Elman sighed at how difficult this was, and scratched his thinning hair. (Since Lieutenant General Paul trusts that girl, it should be fine¡­ But a 15 years old girl will decide the fate of this battle. I wonder what the enemy will think when they learn about this.) Elman thought about the silver haired girl he walk passed along the corridors of Fort Gallia, and gave the follow up orders to Louis. Imperial Army, Right Flank Headquarters ¡°You dare show your face to me, you shameless thing!¡± A man wearing flashy accessories that seemed out of place on a battlefield scolded with a shrill voice. He was Major General Minits O¡¯Stocks, a grand noble well known for being a show off. He was cowardly and didn¡¯t dare to take the field personally. He would admonish subordinates when they made mistakes, and take their credit when they succeed. Minits wasn¡¯t someone that could be entrusted with the command of the Flank unit, but since he was a distant relative of the Emperor, he was assigned to the post of commander of the Right Flank. ¡°Your Excellency, that should be enough. He is also frustrated by the loss of his men.¡± His adjutant, Major Reoness pleaded for the man, whose head was being stepped on by Minits. The charge to break through the enemy¡¯s left flank resulted in 70% loss of the assaulting force, and this man somehow survived. However, it was unfair to push all the blame on him. After all, Minits plan to break through the enemy with just 500 cavalry was foolish. ¡°Shut up shut up! If I can''t get any war merit in this battle, my father will give me a harsh scolding. Send more cavalry to charge them!¡± ¡°Y-Your Excellency! A reckless charge will only result in the same failure! You should understand after seeing this.¡± ¡°Annoying! Lieutenant General George¡¯s attack was stopped, so this is a good chance to get war merits! If you understand, then send more cavalries in. You hear that, this is an order!¡± Minits said hysterically as he held his head and repeated ¡°Attack, attack!¡± He couldn¡¯t be reasoned with, but since Osborne requested Reoness to watch over Minits, Reoness couldn¡¯t just leave him be. Reoness sighed heavily in his heart, then proposed to Minits: ¡°Your Excellency, how about this. Let¡¯s split 3,000 cavalry into three groups, and send one of them to charge the enemy left flank like before.¡± Reoness laid out a map on the table, then took out three chess pieces. He placed one of them in the middle of the enemy left flank. ¡°¡­ Didn¡¯t I ordered that just now.¡± Minits said angrily. So he had not completely lost it. Reoness smiled wryly in his heart, and continued: ¡°You are absolutely right, but what follows next is different. The enemy will become careless if they see the same attack. After all, they already beat us off once.¡± He then placed the other two pieces on either side of the enemy. ¡°While their guard is down, we will send the other two units to charge.¡± ¡°So the first cavalry unit will be bait, and create an opening for the other two groups? So we will be charging three positions at the same time?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Excellency. But that¡¯s not all, the next step is the real deal.¡± Reoness raised the corners of his lips and explained slowly to make Minits understand. _______________________________________________________________ ¡°Your Excellency, the enemy cavalry is charging.¡± When he heard Louis¡¯ report, Elman sighed in his heart and thought: ¡°Again?¡± He then reached for the telescope on his waist. ¡°¡ª Hmm? They sent more of them this time¡­ About a thousand riders. Crescent Moon formation again, so they are still trying to break through our line.¡± ¡°It appears so. The enemy is really obstinate.¡± Elman rebuked Louis for his frivolous words. The situation might change at a dime on the battlefield, and being careless could prove fatal. Elman relayed the orders through the messengers, tasking the commanders of the archers to prepare to engage. ¡°They are here!¡± The enemy cavalry got into charging range, and braced their lances. There didn¡¯t seem to be any foul play as they repeated the previous tactic. Elman felt a little confused as he gave the order for the archers to attack when they got in arrow range. Countless arrows fell like meteors, killing the cavalry one after another. ¡°¡­ It seems my worry was unfounded.¡± ¡°Hah? Did you say something?¡± ¡°No.¡± Elman handed command over to Louis, and returned to the tent for a short break. However, a shocked Louis barged in less than 10 minutes later. ¡°Y-Your Excellency!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°A new cavalry unit has appear! They are charging in an attempt to break through our lines!¡± When he heard Louis¡¯ report, Elman rushed out in a panic, and saw his army in disarray because of the enemy¡¯s charge. ¡°So that was part of a scheme. I fell for it too easily.¡± Elman grit his teeth. The first wave was probably a bait, and the enemy lowered the Royal Army¡¯s guard by seemingly repeating the same tactics. This created an opening for the other two units to assault from the sides. ¡°In my humble opinion, we should fall back and regroup.¡± Louis proposed with a bitter face. ¡°¡­ Pull the archers back, send the shieldmen to the front, and let the pikemen attack the enemy riders from the shieldmen¡¯s gaps.¡± ¡°Yes Sir!¡± Elman instructed Louis as he observed the enemy movements with his telescope. He could see the enemy mustering to attack. (I see, so the entire cavalry charge was just bait. Their main force is going to press their advantage while our army is in disarray, and break our lines. They are really underestimating me.) Elman smiled with self mockery, and Louis felt uneasy when he saw that. ¡°It¡¯s fine, I haven¡¯t lost my wits. This series of attack is just a diversion. The enemy main forces are ready to strike.¡± ¡°What did you say!?¡± Louis reached for his telescope in a panic. ¡°Ughh, it¡¯s true¡­ my apologies. You left command over to me, but I got careless.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same for me. Their timing is impeccable, looks like my opposite number is no slouch. But that should be the end of his schemes. In that case, it will be our turn to counter.¡± ¡°W-What do you mean?¡± Elman showed a sinister smile in response to Louis¡¯ question. _______________________________________________________________ ¡°Fuhaha, look! Look at the Royal Army scrambling about like gutter rats. My plan worked!¡± ¡°As expected of Your Excellency Minits. Your cunning is peerless.¡± ¡°The Royal Army has run out of luck now that they have to face our commander, the great Minits.¡± Minits was ecstatic, and his entourage was using this chance to kiss up to Minits. All the officers regarded them with icy glares. ¡°Very well, I will take over command now! Keep our offensive up, break through the enemy lines, and assault their headquarters. We will cut off their commander¡¯s head in one fell sweep!¡± ¡°Your Excellency!? Dividing the enemy and taking them down one by one is the orthodox tactic here. It might be possible for the Full Metal Knights, but our unit don¡¯t have their strong penetrative power. Please reconsider, Your Excellency.¡± ¡°No! This is a good chance to earn war merits!¡± Minits shouted as he smacked the table. ¡°Your Excellency! Please reconsider¡ª¡± ¡°Major Reoness, please restrain yourself. His Excellency has given his order. If you continue to defy him, you will be charged with treason.¡± Minits¡¯ attendent cut Reoness off, and threatened him with treason. The faces of all the Officers turned red, but Reoness stopped them before they could protest. ¡°¡­ As you command.¡± ¡°Good. I¡¯m pleased that you understand.¡± Minits nodded satisfactory, and ordered an assault on the enemy headquarters. It has been an hour since Minits¡¯ forces launched a strong attack on the enemy¡¯s left flank. As his allies fought courageously, Reoness who was commanding in the frontlines felt something was off. (This is strange. The enemy should have fallen for our trap. There¡¯s no chance of us getting the head of their commander, but we should be able to deal a heavy blow to their left flank. But things are proceeding too smoothly. It will make sense if the Royal Army is incompetent, but from what I saw yesterday, the opponent isn¡¯t that weak¡­ Seems like I need to check the situation.) Reoness cut down a stray arrow coming his way as he said to his aide, Mars: ¡°I will leave the command here to you for now. There¡¯s something I need to confirm.¡± ¡°Yes Sir, please leave this to me.¡± Mars bowed his head respectfully, and Reoness turned his horse around. ¡°Alright! One hundred men will follow me!¡± ¡°¡°¡°Yes Sir!¡±¡±¡± Reoness spurred his horse up to an elevated plain nearby. ¡°H-How could this be¡­?¡± After reaching high ground, Reoness was shocked by the scene before him. His unit was being enveloped by the opposing forces. ¡°Major¡­ What¡¯s going on?¡± One of his riders asked. That was what Reoness wanted to know, and fell into deep thought. He then came up with an answer. (Did the enemy see through our plans, and pretended to fall into confusion!? And we fell into their trap. That must be it, there¡¯s no other way to explain this ridiculous situation¡­ Fufu, in a sense, I set myself up for failure.) He lost the battle of trickery, and the only thing he could do now was to minimize the losses. The enemy¡¯s envelopment of their forces was tightening even as they speak. ¡°Let¡¯s hurry back to headquarters. It will be too late if we wait any longer.¡± ¡°Yes Sir!¡± Imperial Army, Right Flank Headquarters After rushing back to the base, Reoness saw Minits drinking from a cup filled with golden wine and making merry. ¡°Your Excellency! What are you doing on the battlefield!?¡± ¡°¡ª Hmm? Oh, it¡¯s Reoness. Nothing, I¡¯m just having a drink to celebrate our inevitable victory. You want some?¡± ¡°Now isn¡¯t the time for this! The enemy is enveloping our forces, please issue the order to retreat!¡± ¡°Order a retreat? Why are you acting drunk without even drinking? Aren¡¯t the enemy in confusion because they fell for my scheme?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a ruse by the enemy! They played us like a fiddle!¡± At this moment, a soldier stumbled into the tent. From his panicky behaviour, Reoness could tell the situation was developing in the worst possible way. ¡°How unsightly. What a shameful display for an Imperial Soldiers.¡± ¡°M-My apologies. B-But¡­¡± ¡°Yes, hurry up and report.¡± ¡°Yes Sir, o-our forces have been encircled by the enemy!! If this goes on, it will just be a matter of time before they storm the headquarters!!¡± ¡°You too, huh. Enough with your nonsense, or your head will¡ª¡± Minits didn¡¯t get to finish, because an arrow brush across his cheeks. Reoness could hear faint moans and shouts, and realize there wasn¡¯t much time. Minits looked confused at the start, and the truth gradually dawned on him. He started trembling and his pants grew moist. His entourage fell on their butt and screamed. ¡°Your Excellency! Please get a hold of yourself!¡± ¡°R-Reoness! W-What¡¯s happening!? Aren¡¯t we overwhelming the enemy!? What is the enemy¡¯s arrow doing here!?¡± ¡°As I reported earlier, we fell for the enemy¡¯s trap. The Headquarters is in danger, please withdraw with haste.¡± ¡°I-It¡¯s all your fault that things turn out this way!!¡± ¡°You can admonish after it¡¯s safe¡ª you lot escort His Excellency from here quickly. I will stay here and guard his retreat, and buy as much time as possible.¡± The two entourage nodded, and forced Minits up onto a horse, and retreated with Minits clamped in between them. After seeing them off, Reoness got onto his warhorse and drew his sword. ¡°Major, we will act as the rearguard along with you.¡± ¡°¡­ My apologies.¡± There were only 50 odd riders left, who joined the fray together with Reoness. _______________________________________________________________ ¡°Your Excellency, the enemy fell for our trick.¡± ¡°Yes, it appears so.¡± The enemy had been encircled, and archers were concentrating fire on them from afar. They repeatedly assaulted the enemy lines with pikemen units. ¡°Should we tighten the encirclement?¡± Louis asked, and Elman shook his head. ¡°That would be unwise. Leave them an opening to escape. Cutting off the retreat route of soldiers will make them fight like a cornered rat. Our losses will also increase from that.¡± ¡°Yes Sir!¡± (This is strange. The unexpected strategy is good at the start, but the offensive after that is inflexible and relied only on brute force. It¡¯s too amateurish. I thought I met a formidable opponent, but got let down. I can¡¯t tell what they are thinking.) Because of the outstanding performance by Elman¡¯s unit on the left flank, the day ended with the Royal Army¡¯s overwhelming victory. The Kingdom lost 2,000 soldiers. The Empire lost 5,000 troops. Olivia and her detachment unit was still absent. Third day of the battle, Overcast skies Neither side was capable to launch a decisive offensive, and the day ended after a few small skirmishes. The attacks from the Imperial Army right flank was unexpectedly reserved, and remained on the defensive. Rumors from after the war says that Major General Minits hid in his tent the entire day and trembled. And so, the dawn of the fourth day arrives. The dark clouds that had accumulated for days finally overflowed, and rained. ¡°Haha, looks like the heavens is on the side of the Full Metal Knights.¡± George threw back his head and laughed. Cyrus smiled with relief, and announced: ¡°Sir, we are all ready to move out!¡± The men and officers of the Full Metal Knights stood in orderly formation before George, everyone was eager to fight. The heavy rain would stop the effectiveness of the fire arrows. With their morale sky high, they could definitely overwhelm the enemy¡¯s defences. George rode on his stead majestically, raised his lance high and shouted: ¡°Heed me, glorious soldiers of the Full Metal Knights! We will charge right down the middle of the enemy line, and crush their headquarters. We will run over anyone in our way¡ª and take no prisoners!¡± ¡°¡°¡°By your command!!¡±¡±¡± George led the Full Metal Knights on a furious charge right down the middle of the Royal Army¡¯s formation. _______________________________________________________________ ¡°Your Excellency¡ª¡ª¡± Neinhart looked up at the sky and was hesitant to speak. ¡°I know. Our foes won¡¯t let this chance slip. Pass down the order, we will engage with the crane wings formation.¡± Lambert already had a tactic for battling on a rainy day. Neinhart also had some formations in mind, but he didn¡¯t consider the crane wings formation. ¡°¡­ Are you intentionally weakening our center to lure the enemy in?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. They intend to forcibly break through our defence lines and take our headquarters. You should have noticed that by now?¡± ¡°From their behaviour on the first day, I can guess as much. But even so, their commander¡¯s way of thinking is too rigid.¡± Neinhart avert his gaze from Lambert, and looked towards the middle of the enemy base. ¡°Yes, with the penetrative power of the Full Metal Knights, this is a feasible tactic for them. They are like a rampaging beast, so they will definitely go for such a delicious bait.¡± ¡°You are really confident.¡± ¡°Of course. If I were in their shoes, I will definitely bite too. Even if I know this is a trap.¡± Lambert smiled sinisterly. Neinhart shrugged after hearing that, and quickly sent the messengers to relay the orders to switch formation. (I understand his plan, but doesn¡¯t the Lieutenant General know that he is portraying himself as a ferocious beast too?) Neinhart smiled wryly in his heart, and proposed a plan to Lambert. After stating his plan, Lambert said bitterly: ¡°Neinhart¡­ despite your handsome looks, your thinking is really despicable. It¡¯s just a little bit, but I¡¯m glad that you are on our side.¡± ¡°I¡¯m honored by your compliments, Fierce General Lambert Sir.¡± ¡°You are really thick skinned, as expected of the adjutant of the First Army.¡± In response to Lambert¡¯s sarcasm, Neinhart placed his hand on his chest and bowed. ¡°Your Excellency¡¯s flurry of praises fills me with pride. Well then, allow me to take my leave and see to the preparations.¡± Neinhart led a few soldiers towards the supply depot as Lambert sighed behind him. Volume 1, 4 Volume 1, Chapter 4 Translator: Skythewood Editor: Hiiro ¡ª At this moment, at a different place. To the rear of the Imperial Army, Olivia and Claudia were lying prone in the grassy plains on high ground, and observing the battle using telescopes. ¡°As expected, the battle started days ago. What a blunder, how do we recover from this?¡± The guilt stricken Claudia cracked the telescope in her hands without realizing it. Olivia looked at puzzledly and said: ¡°It can¡¯t be helped, so don¡¯t beat yourself up over this, Claudia.¡± Going by the schedule, their detachment should have reached the Iris plains long ago. However, they ran into something unexpected at the Xymus river after going through the Ark Forest. Because of the rain from previous days, the river overflowed its banks, and crossing the river became a dangerous task. Cut off from their path, the detachment unit had no choice but to set up camp some distance away from the Xymus river, and waited idly for three days. ¡°It is as you say¡­ No, now isn¡¯t the time for this. From what I can see, the situation looks bleak for our allies.¡± ¡°Yes. The Imperial calvary in the center appears to be the dominating force on the field. They are strong and well trained.¡± Olivia complimented with a clap, and Claudia became agitated at that: ¡°You think it¡¯s a good idea to be in awe!? We have to act quickly, and assault the enemy¡¯s main basecamp!¡± Claudia stood up to prepare for an assault, but Olivia pulled her down by the arm midway. Her immense strength pulled the hapless Claudia heavily onto the ground, smashing her face with the dirt. ¡°Bleah! W-What are you doing!?¡± ¡°Ahaha, your face is covered with dirt.¡± Olivia pretend to be retarded. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you, Second Lieutenant Olivia!¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s still too early for us to make our move. Let¡¯s observe for a while longer.¡± ¡°How can it be too early? Our allies are getting overwhelmed!¡± This isn¡¯t the time to watch idly. Claudia nursed her nose and shot an accusatory gaze towards Olivia. But Olivia replied without any tension in her voice: ¡°Claudia, it is a taboo to be anxious in battle. It will stop you from performing at your best. Leaving that aside, why don¡¯t you use this telescope to watch the battle in the center again?¡± Claudia who was offered the telescope reluctantly followed her orders. She couldn¡¯t accept everything she heard, but it was true that the surprise attack would fail if she acted too anxiously. ¡°¡­ Nothing changed. Our forces have adopted the crane wing formation to defend against the Empire¡¯s cavalry charge.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. And don¡¯t you find that weird?¡± ¡°Weird? What do you mean?¡± Olivia¡¯s vague phrasing irritated Claudia, and she urged her to go on. ¡°Well~ as you know, the penetrative power of the Imperial cavalry is strong, right? So why are our forces adopting the crane wings formation, which had a relatively thin center? Normally, shouldn¡¯t they put more men in the center to stop the enemy from breaking through?¡± ¡°¡­ Now that you mention it¡­¡± As a formation that aims to encircle and destroy the enemy, the crane wings formation¡¯s weakness was its relatively weak center. Like what Olivia said, the enemy had strong penetrative powers. If the enemy broke through the center before the flanks encircle them, it would be all over. ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that weird? Despite that, our allies are still taking the crane wings formation, so they must have a plan¡ª Judging from the situation, they probably set up some kind of trap.¡± ¡°Trap¡­ What kind of trap?¡± Claudia asked, but Olivia just scratched her cheeks with a troubled expression. ¡°Hmm~ I can¡¯t tell what kind of trap it is. But if the trap works, the enemy will definitely waver. They appear to be an elite force in the Empire, so if we launch a surprise attack at the right time, it would shake the entire Imperial Army up too. That¡¯s killing two birds with one stone.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± At that, Olivia stretched her back, stood up, and dusted herself off. Claudia looked at Olivia and reflected on her own shallow thinking. (I was too concerned by what I see, and neglected to consider the big picture. The pride of being given this important task had narrowed my vision.) To perk herself up, Claudia pat her cheeks, and proposed to Olivia: ¡°Second Lieutenant Olivia. In order to be alerted quickly when the trap is sprung, let¡¯s deploy a few lookouts on the high ground. We can then launch our surprise attack before the enemy can recover.¡± ¡°Okay. I don¡¯t know why you are hitting yourself in the face, but I will leave this to Claudia.¡± ¡°Yes Mdm, I will see to it!¡± In response to Claudia¡¯s salute, Olivia returned the salute with an awkward smile. She tilted her head for a while before returning to where the cavalry unit was hidden. With all kinds of thoughts in everyone¡¯s minds, the battle on the Iris plains approached its climax. _______________________________________________________________ As the rain poured down, George charged with a grin on his face. ¡°Your Grace, please slow your pace! The enemy¡¯s movements are strange!¡± Cyrus who had rushed to his side shouted. George parried the pike before him, and crushed the pikeman¡¯s head with his lance. He shook off the brains stuck on his lance, stopped his warhorse and asked Cyrus with a glare: ¡°Strange movements? Explain concisely.¡± ¡°The enemy¡¯s attacks are too weak. It¡¯s nothing compared to the first day. I think there is a trap.¡± George scoffed at Cyrus¡¯s deduction. ¡°Hmmp. So what?¡± ¡°Huh? But if there¡¯s a trap¡­¡± ¡°Then we just smash through the trap. That¡¯s all. Or are you suggesting that the Full Metal Knights are weaklings that can be stopped by the weak traps of the Royal Army?¡± As he said that, George placed his bloodstained lance on Cyrus¡¯ neck. Cyrus said nervously: ¡°N-No, I don¡¯t mean that!¡± ¡°Then everything¡¯s fine. Enough with your drivel, and focus on taking the enemy base camp. Don¡¯t give any advice unless I ask for it.¡± Before Cyrus could respond, George spurred his horse and charged towards the enemy. He had no time for this nonsense, honor and glory were ripe for the taking ahead. As the Full Metal Knights charged right at the center, Neinhart returned his telescope back to his waist. ¡°It is just as Your Excellency predicted.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that right? They can¡¯t help but pounce on the bait before them. That¡¯s the pathetic nature of beasts.¡± Lambert said with a dreary tone. Neinhart couldn¡¯t help laughing at the sight of that. ¡°Hmm? Did I say something funny?¡± Lambert looked at him puzzledly. It¡¯s hilarious¡ª Of course Neinhart couldn¡¯t say that, and he shook his head. ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. Since we lured the enemy in, let¡¯s get started.¡± ¡°Have our allies in their path scattered yet?¡± ¡°Yes Sir, there¡¯s no problem.¡± ¡°Alright then¡ª Commence the operation.¡± Once Lambert said that, Neinhart gestured to an archer. He was the best archer in the First Army. After drawing his bow fully, he shot the fire arrow into the air. The flaming arrow drew a beautiful arc in the sky, and stab deeply into the ground in front of the Full Metal Knights. At that moment, the ground was engulfed in flames. ¡ª Fire attack. Neinhart had poured oil all over the place that the enemy was lured into. The Full Metal Knights who didn¡¯t know better were swallowed by the fire. The smell of charred bodies spread in the air, and the plains were transformed into a living hell. At the same time, Olivia and Claudia were enjoying Ashton¡¯s homemade mustard that had been spread on bread. Claudia nodded as she looked in awe at the bread Ashton made for her. As usual, Olivia was swinging her legs as she enjoyed her meal. Suddenly, the lookouts on high ground charged into the tent. ¡°Report! The plains have been set ablaze! It should be a trap by our allies!¡± ¡°Understood. Spread this news to everyone, and get them ready.¡± ¡°Yes Mdm!¡± The lookout left the tent briskly, and Claudia said in surprise: ¡°It¡¯s as you say, Second Lieutenant Olivia. But to use a fire attack in such a heavy downpour¡­¡± ¡°An impressive display of wits and guts. I wonder who thought up this plan? Thanks to this, our sneak attack will be much easier now. The enemy¡¯s main forces is now pinned down in the middle of the battlefield.¡± Olivia shoved the rest of the bread into her mouth, and stretched her back. She then left the tent. It was still raining, so the rain would wash away any blood that splashed on her. Olivia smiled when she thought of that, and a few soldiers who were looking her way all averted their gaze. Olivia wasn¡¯t sure what spooked them, and as she was tilting her head, she heard Claudia shouting: ¡°Please don¡¯t leave me behind!¡± Imperial Army, Main Basecamp Paris sighed, put down the telescope in his hand and reported to Osborne: ¡°Your Grace, the Full Metal Knights encountered a fire attack, and is in complete disarray.¡± ¡°What did you say!? A fire attack in such heavy rain!?¡± ¡°They probably poured a lot of oil, and covered it with straws. Lieutenant General George has fallen for this trick.¡± The unexpected report from Paris made Osborne groaned. He already knew about the trouble George had against the fire arrows. That¡¯s exactly why George saw this rain as a good chance to attack, and Osborne didn¡¯t stop his forceful charge. ¡°But there¡¯s no way George didn¡¯t notice the enemy¡¯s trap¡­¡± ¡°No¡­ I think Lieutenant General George charged in even though he knew there is a trap.¡± ¡°What!? He intentionally trapped himself?¡± George wasn¡¯t stupid enough to spring onto a trap intentionally. Seeing that Osborne was puzzled, Paris sighed and said: ¡°He probably felt the Royal Army¡¯s trap was insignificant.¡± That was very likely, Osborne thought. George had absolute confidence in his Full Metal Knights. It wasn¡¯t strange for someone like him who emphasize martial prowess over anything else. ¡°¡­ Should we order them to withdraw?¡± ¡°Yes. But with how chaotic things are, the orders might not get conveyed properly¡ª¡± At this moment, a soldier barged in frantically. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°E-Enemy units have appeared to our rear! They are storming our basecamp!¡± ¡ª Rewinding time back a little. ¡°Second Lieutenant Olivia, it seems like the enemy detected us.¡± Claudia said as she rode her horse. Before her was the rearguard of the enemy basecamp who were frantically getting into defensive positions. ¡°It appears so. But it¡¯s already too late.¡± Olivia drew out her sword with a smile, and spur her warhorse on. She lopped off an enemy¡¯s head cleanly, then dispatched of the other Imperial Soldiers swiftly. Black smog was slowly spilling out from her dark sword. The detachment unit soldiers who saw Olivia fighting for the first time all gasped at her overwhelming might and the carnage she wrecked. It was the same for Claudia. She read the reports before, but the impact from witnessing it first hand was completely different. Olivia¡¯s terrifying strength made Claudia¡¯s heart thump heavily. However, there was no point in getting worked up. Claudia took care of the enemy in her way, and rushed to Olivia¡¯s side. ¡°Second Lieutenant Olivia! Please don¡¯t charge ahead so suddenly by yourself!¡± ¡°Ahaha, sorry. They were full of openings, and I acted before I realized it~¡± Olivia stuck her tongue out, and at this moment, a rider approached them. ¡°Commander Olivia, another group of enemy is coming!¡± In the direction the rider was pointing at, a division of 2,000 infantry was mustering to attack their flank.Claudia made a snap decision and said: ¡°Second Lieutenant Olivia, please continue your attack on the enemy base camp! I will hold them off!¡± ¡°Will you be fine?¡± ¡°Please leave it to me. We will link up inside the enemy¡¯s basecamp later¡ª Third and Fourth company, follow me!!¡± ¡°¡°¡°Yes Mdm!!¡±¡±¡± Claudia turned and led 1,000 cavalry towards the enemy infantry. Olivia saw them off, then announced calmly to the soldiers of the detachment unit: ¡°Well, let¡¯s not lose out to Claudia, and hurry into the enemy basecamp¡ª oh, we need to kill all the enemies here first.¡± With Olivia¡¯s encouragement, the morale of the detachment unit surged, and their attack became even stronger. When the sword flashed, blood sprayed into the air like snowflakes. The Imperial Soldiers started whispering as they watched in fear: ¡°Hey, is that the monster girl mentioned by the soldiers who went crazy? She is wielding a dark sword.¡± When he said that, uneasiness spread like a ripple amongst the soldiers, and fear was slowly gripping the entire unit. Before terror overwhelmed the troops, the commander of the rearguard, Major Brando, roared: ¡°What¡¯s so scary about her!? How can soldiers of the Empire lose their nerves because of a girl!? Watch me, I will butcher her!¡± Brando spun his spear above his head, as he closed in on Olivia, then thrust right at her face. Olivia riposte the attack easily, and only the lower half of Brando¡¯s body with its guts spilling out was left on the horse. ¡°Hieee¡ª¡ª!! Monster ahhhh!!¡± Imperial Soldiers fled like water out of a busted dam. The detachment unit didn¡¯t let this chance slip, and pursued the routed enemy. Olivia looked on for a moment, then cast her gaze towards the base camp where the banner of the crossed swords flew high. She muttered at an inaudible volume: ¡°Humans sure are combative and cruel creatures, Z.¡± Imperial Army, Main Basecamp The attack came from nowhere. This unexpected development rattled Osborne a little. However, he didn¡¯t let it show, and instructed Paris to gather more intel. After collating the information¡ª the enemy was a monstrous girl, and she slaughtered the commander of the rearguard. ¡°Your Grace, could it be¡­¡± Paris showed a bitter face. ¡°You are probably right, it should be the girl who slew Samuel. What a surprise.¡± ¡°My apologies, it wouldn¡¯t have come to this if I focus more effort into intel gathering.¡± Paris said with his head bowed, and Osborne just waved it off. It was Osborne''s fault for not prioritizing the investigation into that girl. Deep inside, he thought the murder of Samuel was just a trivial matter, and thought the entire matter of the monstrous girl was ridiculous. That was why Osborne didn¡¯t place all the blame on Paris. ¡°Don¡¯t panic. The men might call her a monster, but¡ª¡± Before Osborne could finish, a soldier barged in with a scream. Paris furrowed his brows, and shouted with a murderous glare: ¡°What is it this time!!¡± ¡°T-The monster¡ª!!¡± The soldier would never complete his sentence. A dark sword had pierced his chest, and was drawn out slowly while the soldiers eyeball turned upwards and blood frothed from his mouth. When the sword was completely drawn out, the soldier fell onto the ground with a pomf. Behind that soldier was a silver haired girl covered in blood. ¡°Who goes there!?¡± Paris roared. He knew she was an enemy, but couldn¡¯t help asking anyway. ¡°Hmm? My name is Olivia~. By the way, who is the commander? Oh, hiding is futile, I already know he is here.¡± Olivia rested her sword on her shoulder, and surveyed the tent casually. The next moment, the four guards surrounded Olivia with their swords raised. Olivia spun as if she was dancing and there was a flash. The four guards stopped moving with their swords above their heads, as if they had been petrified. It all happened in a blink of an eye. The top half of their body slid horizontally, and fell to the ground, leaving their bottom half still standing. Blood spurt at that instant, and their organs spilled out. The pungent smell of blood filled the entire place. Osborne couldn¡¯t do anything but gasp at this nightmarish scene. Olivia glanced at the dead guards, and tilted her head. ¡°Hmm~ they look tough, but aren¡¯t much¡ª Oh! Is the commander an old grandpa like Lieutenant General Paul?¡± Olivia then turned to Osborne with a faint smile. ¡°¡ª¡ªYour Grace, you have to leave now. It¡¯s hard to believe, but this girl really is a monster. I can¡¯t buy you much time.¡± With that, Paris drew out the two short swords on his waist, rushed up to Olivia and stabbed at her neck. ¡°¡­ Paris¡­ Sorry, but I can¡¯t accede to your request.¡± Osborne gently caressed Paris¡¯ head that had rolled to his feet, and closed his eyes. He then faced Olivia and declared with dignity: ¡°I¡¯m the commander of the Southern War Theatre, Osborne von Gralvine!¡± Royal Army Main Base Camp ¡°Your Excellency, the First Army had suppressed the enemy with a fire trap.¡± ¡°I was shocked when they deployed in the Crane Wing formation, but to think they used such a vicious scheme¡­¡± If the Full Metal Knights wants to escape from the sea of flames, they would have to face the Royal Army¡¯s elite pikemen. Their only choices were to be burned alive, or skewered by pikes. The flanks had finished their encirclement, and was tightening it right now. Paul and Otto observed the battle in the center line with their telescopes. ¡°I was sweating bullets when it started to rain, but my worries were unfounded.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I told you that Lambert will find a way¡ª? But attacking with fire isn¡¯t exactly his style.¡± Paul furrowed his brows after putting down his telescope. Otto had an idea who came up with the fire attack scheme, but didn¡¯t state it as he was more concerned with the detachment unit. And he was sure Paul knew anyway. ¡°But the detachment unit sure is slow.¡± ¡°¡­ Maybe they ran into some unexpected obstacles.¡± It had been four days since the battle started. Otto felt it was unwise to wait any further. The Royal Army might have the advantage now, but if Fort Kiel send in reinforcements, the tables would be turned. That was the limit of the Royal Army¡¯s advantage. If the detachment unit couldn¡¯t achieve any results, then this would be the chance to press their advantage. With that in mind, Otto proposed to Paul: ¡°Your Excellency¡ª¡± Before he said anything more, Paul shook his head. He already knew what Otto had in mind. ¡°We have been working together for two decades now. I can guess what you are thinking, Otto.¡± ¡°In that case...¡± ¡°This is a good chance, but the enemy commander isn¡¯t stupid either, and will pull his forces back since things were going awry. He will also request for reinforcements from Fort Kiel, and you know what will happen then.¡± Otto furrowed his brows at Paul¡¯s sharp gaze, and didn¡¯t say a word. Paul smiled at that, and patted Otto¡¯s shoulder: ¡°It might be a little late for me to say this, but Second Lieutenant Olivia will be fine. Otto, you devised this plan yourself, right? It is the duty of the superior to trust in their subordinates to carry out their mission.¡± ¡°¡­ Yes Sir.¡± ¡°Hah, hah, hah¡ª you wench! Are you really human!?¡± ¡°Ahaha, surely you jest. Of course I¡¯m human.¡± Osborne already used his sure-kill strikes several times, but the dark sword fended him off easily. Every time he clashed swords with his opponent, his hands would go numb. The gulf between their skills was vast, and he couldn¡¯t shake off the ominous feeling of death clinging tightly on his back. ¡°Have enough already?¡± ¡°Hah, hah¡­ If I say no, will you sheath your blade?¡± He was only kidding, but Olivia pressed her index finger on her face in deep thought. Osborne couldn¡¯t help smiling at her carefree attitude in this fight to the death. ¡°Hah~ you have a point. I never thought about what I should do if someone says no. My choice of words are poor. Human language is complicated after all.¡± Olivia changed her phrasing with a brilliant smile: ¡°Forget what I said, it¡¯s time to end this.¡± She flicked her sword to the side, and the blade covered in black mist felt familiar to Osborne. She then took a high guard sword stance. ¡°I¡¯m coming!!¡± ¡°Yes, come at me, bro!¡± Osborne slashed vertically while holding his breath, and the sound of his blade swinging echoed out loud. He swung with all his might, and normal people wouldn¡¯t be able to track his sword¡ª However... ¡°Mr Osborne, you have potential, but you are just a bit slow.¡± The blade didn¡¯t touch Olivia¡¯s body, and slashed futilely through the air. With the sharp sound of a swing, the dark sword drew a beautiful arc and went straight for Osborne¡¯s neck. With his body still moving under the momentum of his own attack, it was impossible to evade. Osborne smiled faintly and close his eyes peacefully. During the last moment of his life, what flashed across Osborne¡¯s mind wasn¡¯t his beloved family or his subordinates in the military, but the thought that the mist around the dark sword seemed similar to the squirming shadows behind Chancellor Dalmes. Olivia flicked the blood from her sword and sheathed it. At this moment, Claudia and a few soldiers rushed over with bated breath. ¡°Second Lieutenant Olivia! Are you alright!¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine. What about you, Claudia?¡± ¡°Tis but a scratch, I will be fine.¡± On a closer look, there were some dents in Claudia¡¯s armour, her limbs were bleeding, but it wasn¡¯t life threatening. Olivia sighed, and patted her shoulder gently. ¡°People die when they are killed, so take care of yourself.¡± ¡°Yes Mdm, thank you for your concern¡ª! Speaking of which, did you kill the enemy commander?¡± ¡°Hmm? That head over there belongs to the commander-in-chief. He said he was Osborne von Gralvine.¡± Olivia pointed at the head with greying hair on the ground. Claudia approached it slowly, and gulped. ¡°You really killed their commander-in-chief¡­¡± ¡°Ehh? It¡¯s our mission after all. Instead of that, aren¡¯t you going to raise the smoke signal?¡± ¡°Y-You are right!¡± Claudia squatted down to prepare, and a column of red smoke rose into the air in no time. ¡°Our forces will now launch an all out attack. What should our unit do now?¡± ¡°Well¡­ To completely sap the fighting spirit of the Imperial Army, we need to spread the news that their commander-in-chief is dead. Stick his head on a spear and parade it around.¡± ¡°D-Do we need to go so far!?¡± Claudia was shocked. In contrast, Olivia was very calm. ¡°The real thing will be more convincing, correct? I won¡¯t force it if you don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°N-No, I will abide by your orders, and make the arrangements!¡± Leaving Claudia who was issuing her orders to the troops aside, Olivia stretched her back. The battle was coming to a turning point. Next would be the attack on Kaspar castle. Really now¡ª ¡°Sigh, being a soldier is so much work!¡± Claudia couldn¡¯t help laughing at Olivia¡¯s exaggerated tone that sounded like an actress in a play. Royal Army Main Base Camp ¡°Your Excellency! Look over there!¡± Otto pointed agitatedly to the distance. A column of red smoke was rising from the enemy base camp. ¡°Haha, you don¡¯t have to shout. It seems Second Lieutenant Olivia completed her mission.¡± Paul showed a sinister smile, and ordered: ¡°Contact Lambert, Elman and Hosmund. Tell them the silver lance has struck. Launch an all out attack, kill any who oppose us.¡± ¡°Yes Sir!¡± Otto relayed the orders to the messengers. Paul got on his warhorse with practiced movements. ¡°We are going too.¡± Without wasting any time, Paul led his 5,000 men to attack. ¡ª An hour after the smoke column rose. ¡°Ugh, d-damn it. Such petty tricks.¡± ¡°Y-Your Grace¡­¡­¡± After rushing to George¡¯s side, Cyrus saw the place was filled with charred corpses, and George was glaring at this scene with demon-like eyes. The charred remains of George¡¯s beloved stead laid beside him. Cyrus who was the bearer of grave news hesitated, but he steeled himself. ¡°Your Grace, our main base camp had fallen to the surprise attack by the enemy. They overrun our right flank, and our left flank won¡¯t last much longer¡­ Please retreat post haste.¡± ¡°¡­ Adjutant Cyrus. I¡¯m not in the mood for your jokes right now.¡± George said coldly as he pointed his charred lance at Cyrus¡¯ chin. Cyrus suppressed the crushing fear that he felt, knowing that the situation was deteriorating with every passing second, and there was no time to waste. As long as Kaspar castle still stands, they could come back from this devastating lost. But if they lose their life out of reckless bravado, then it would be all over. When he thought about that, Cyrus mustered his strength and said again: ¡°Your Grace, allow me to repeat myself. We lost our main base camp. If this goes on, our retreat path would get cut off. Please order the retreat.¡± ¡°¡­ Is Lord Osborne alright?¡± ¡°¡­ Some of the enemy soldiers are saying Lord Osborne had died in battle. We can¡¯t verify that, but the attacks of the Seventh Army had gotten stronger.¡± ¡°I see¡­ I thought they were just a gathering of mobs, so this is the result of underestimating the enemy, huh? The result is the opposite of our fight with the Sixth Army.¡± George muttered with regret. Cyrus felt this was uncharacteristic of George, but didn¡¯t say anything more. He just waited quietly for George¡¯s next words. ¡°¡ª How many of our Full Metal Knights still lives?¡± ¡°We probably lost 30% of our forces¡­ And half of the survivors are in no condition to fight.¡± ¡°Understood. The injured is to stay inside our formation, and deploy the rest around them. Once ready, we will retreat to Kaspar castle.¡± ¡°Yes Sir!¡± Cyrus sigh when he saw a hint of rationality in George¡¯s eyes. After the preparations were completed, their unit retreated towards Kaspar castle. ¡°Stop dallying around! We have to retreat to Kaspar castle!¡± Minits shouted with bloodshot eyes. His attendants were trying to soothe him, while the officers ignored Minits, and swiftly prepared for retreat in an orderly fashion. They weren¡¯t doing this on Minits orders, they just didn¡¯t want to die. There was no chance they would want to die together with a retarded supervising officer. They didn¡¯t state this openly, but their attitude showed this clearly. Minits¡¯ attendants were unhappy about the soldiers, but didn¡¯t dare to vent. They were afraid of drawing their ire if they say anything. They only realized now that Reoness was the one keeping the entire unit together. When the preparations to retreat was done, the incident happened. Historical records state that Major General Minits died in action to a stray arrow from the Royal Army. But the truth was¡ª ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Where is Lord Minits¡¯ horse? Are you planning on letting His Excellency run back by himself?¡± An attendant asked irately, and Mars who was in charge of the retreat replied coldly: ¡°I¡¯m not Lord Minits¡¯ stable boy. If you really need one, why don¡¯t you get a horse yourself, Your Grace?¡± ¡°¡ª¡ª!? How dare you...! What you just said amounts to treason. I will let you off this time, so bring His Grace¡¯s horse here now!¡± ¡°You want to charge me with treason? Go ahead¡ª try me!¡± Mars walked to the attendant and punched him in the guts. That attendent collapsed onto the ground and groaned with his hands on his stomach. The other attendant swung his fist in retaliation, but he was too slow. Mars turned to dodge, tripped him, and kicked him so hard that the attendant passed out vomiting. Minits¡¯ attendants were just civil officers, and were no match for Mars who was a military officer. Minits finally noticed the uproar and yelled: ¡°You imbecile! What are you doing to my attendants!? I will cut off your head!¡± ¡°I doubt you can do that, Lord Minits?¡± In response to Minits who drew his sword, the Officers in the tent all aimed their bows at him. ¡°What!? You filthy plebeians, how dare you point your arrows at me, who has royal blood in my veins!? What is the meaning of this!?¡± Minits lashed out, while Mars gave a measured response. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to explain. Because of your foolish command, our beloved Major Reoness fell in battle. And he did so to let scum like you escape.¡± ¡°So what!? His plan almost killed me! Of course he should die! What nonsense!¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t even understand this, then die.¡± Mars shot his arrow without any hesitation, and hit Minits right between the brows. Minits fell backwards and died on the spot. ¡°W-What a horrible¡ª¡± ¡°Do it!!¡± On Mars¡¯ orders, the officers shot the two attendants. Their maws gasped like fish out of the water, and died painfully. ¡°¡­ It¡¯s unfortunate, but Lord Minits and his attendants died honorably to the arrows from the Royal Army. Let¡¯s hurry back to Kaspar castle and report this.¡± ¡°¡°¡°Yes Sir!!¡±¡±¡± Mars got on his warhorse, and retreated with the surviving soldiers. George and his Full Metal Knights fought a horrible retreating battle. While they were pulling out of the Iris plains, they beat off their pursuers more than twenty times. Historian of the Dubedirica continent rated the hardships faced by the Full Metal Knights as one of the worst on the battlefield. ¡°¡ª After passing through this rocky area, we will reach an elevated plain¡­ We should be able to rest there for a while.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, you are wrong.¡± As if they were mocking George¡¯s words, a new group of enemy appeared before them. ¡°What a persistent bunch.¡± ¡°Y-Your Grace, look at that!¡± Cyrus pointed to the front angrily. There was a girl mounted on a dark horse there, and to the girl¡¯s side, Osborne¡¯s head was stuck on top of a spear and raised up high. ¡°I see, they are the sneak attack unit that overrun the main base camp¡­¡± George grit his teeth in anger, and could taste iron in his mouth because he used too much strength. ¡°Shall we exterminate them?¡± When he heard Cyrus, George couldn¡¯t help smiling wryly. They had less than 2,000 men left, and everyone was injured and exhausted. But despite all that, their fighting spirit was at its peak. ¡°Adjutant Cyrus, when did you start talking like that? That isn¡¯t something an adjutant should say.¡± ¡°I probably got influenced by Your Excellency. And there is no way I can stand seeing Lord Osborne like this.¡± With that, Cyrus drew his sword that had already been stained black. The other riders braced their lances, ready to charge. ¡°Hmmp, fools¡ª but well, as expected of my subordinates.¡± George raised the corners of his lips, and charged at the Royal Army soldiers that appeared. With that as the signal, Cyrus and the 2,000 Full Metal Knights followed his lead. Their teamwork and neat formation made it look like the movements of one single being. George spurred his horse towards the girl at the center of the enemy formation. Normally, he would jeer at the weak Royal Army for sending a girl onto the battlefield, but his instincts told him the girl on the black horse was dangerous. George trusted his guts, and thrust his lance at the head of the dark horse to strip the girl¡¯s mobility. ¡°What!?¡± ¡°It¡¯s too pitiful for the horse to die.¡± His lance was knocked into the ground by the dark sword. His grip on the lance was loose because of her enormous strength. His instinct was right. This girl was¡ª ¡°Are you the one who killed Lord Osborne?¡± ¡°Lord Osborne...? Yes, that¡¯s right. I killed him.¡± The girl glanced towards Osborne¡¯s head and answered with a smile. ¡°As I thought¡­ What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Me? I¡¯m Olivia.¡± ¡°Olivia¡­ I will remember your name. So¡ª go to the other world in peace!!¡± George drew his sword and slashed at Olivia. Vertical cut, horizontal swing, thrusting strikes, she evaded all the attacks deftly. George pulled away to catch his breath. ¡°Huff, huff, this is ridiculous. She dodged my blade so easily¡­¡± ¡°Had enough¡ª? No, let me rephrase that. I¡¯m going for the killing blow now.¡± ¡°In your dreams!¡± George charge Olivia with his horse, and swung his sword diagonally up to the left with all his might. ¡°¡ª H-How is this possible!?¡± George looked up in the sky. Olivia jumped off the back of her horse to evade this blow. The last thing George saw was Olivia thrusting her sword vertically down from the air. ¡°Your Grace!? Damn you!!¡± Cyrus turned around and slashed with his sword. Olivia snatched George¡¯s sword and threw it at Cyrus. The sword cut through the air and stab Cyrus in the face, pinning him to the stone cliff. ¡ª¡ª An hour later. The renowned Full Metal Knights were wiped out. On the fourth day of the battle. The rain that started at dawn had stopped, and the sun shone onto the ground through the gaps in the clouds. Chapter 4: Fated Encounter ¢ñ The detachment unit completed their mission of killing the enemy commander-in-chief Osborne splendidly, and followed it up by decimating the Full Metal Knights. Olivia who received new orders headed west as she swept up the remnants of the enemy forces. Mars who murdered Minits was amongst the retreating enemy forces, but Olivia had no way of knowing that. And now, the detachment unit had passed through the Iris plains, and arrived at the highlands before Kaspar castle. The detachment unit linked up with Otto¡¯s supply unit there, and restocked their food, medicine and weapons supply. ¡°So we will be the vanguard to attack the Kaspar castle. What an honor.¡± Claudia squatted on the ground and said while she looked up in the sky. Her parents would be proud. The thought of that filled her with an incredible sense of accomplishment. ¡°Is it really such an honor...? I don¡¯t feel anything at all. I prefer books and good food over fame.¡± Olivia laid on the grass and said with furrowed brows. Ashton who was preparing her meals complained: ¡°By the way, why does it feel like I have become Olivia¡¯s chef?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because Ashton¡¯s special mustard taste too good. So I can¡¯t help asking you to make sandwiches for me~¡± Olivia was all smiles. Ashton stopped his hands at the sight of that. ¡°Hmm¡ª well, preparing two instead of one portion isn¡¯t too much trouble, so it¡¯s fine.¡± Ashton¡¯s expression relaxed, and he started slicing the black bread. This youth was good natured, and too easy to read. With that in mind, Claudia raised her index finger and said: ¡°Hey, Ashton. Can you make one for me too?¡± ¡°Ehh...? Did you like the one I made for you last time?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, it¡¯s delicious. Your mustard is so amazing that I very much want to learn how to make them from you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s true! So Claudia thinks so too, huh!¡± Olivia found a kindred spirit and became noisy, and Claudia smiled at her. In contrast, Ashton looked surprised. ¡°Hmm? Did I say something strange?¡± ¡°Not really. Pardon me, but Lady Claudia is a knight, correct?¡± ¡°I do have the title of a knight, but what does that have to do with our discussion?¡± The title of a knight is bestowed to nobles with great martial prowess. Claudia didn¡¯t see how that would matter, and tilted her head slightly. ¡°Well, I thought knights have plenty of chances to eat tasty food¡­¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s true that I have more chance of eating better tasting food compared to commoners. But Ashton¡¯s mustard taste better than that, you know?¡± ¡°Ehehe~ Is that so¡­? Hold on, I will make some for you.¡± Ashton¡¯s face relaxed even more after that. He took out a bottle of mustard from his backpack with a hum. This youth was just too easy to read. After stuffing the bread she received into her mouth, Claudia thought about Paul¡¯s orders. They were tasked with being the vanguard, but the detachment unit only numbered 2,000. Compared to the estimated 5,000 men in Kaspar castle, there was no way they could capture it. Normally, you would need three times the numbers to overwhelm the defenders of a castle. However, the mission of the detachment unit wasn¡¯t to seize the castle, but to tire out the defenders with constant attacks. So they had to grind away at the enemy¡¯s defences before the main force arrives. Paul had no expectation of the detachment unit seizing Kaspar castle. ¡°By the way, what are your thoughts on attacking Kaspar Castle, Second Lieutenant Olivia?¡± ¡°Emem? tac ta gnimaercs ydal?¡± ¡°Drink some water first. Then you can talk.¡± Ashton retorted, and Olivia nodded. ¡°¡ª¡ªPhew. I don¡¯t have any ideas though. I will think about it after I see the enemy. What about you, Claudia?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to contribute¡­ We have the honor of being the vanguard, but our mission is to weaken the enemy¡¯s forces as much as possible before the main force arrives. So my take is to minimize our losses.¡± Claudia said as she watched the soldiers who were eating lunch peacefully. Ashton nodded firmly in agreement. ¡°Hmm~ that feels too passive¡­ Oh right! I have an idea, why don¡¯t we take Kaspar castle by ourselves?¡± Olivia smiled brilliantly as she said something shocking. Claudia felt she was kidding, but as usual, Olivia¡¯s eyes showed no ¡®colours¡¯ that indicated Olivia was jesting. Claudia sighed, and said with a cautionary tone: ¡°Even for Second Lieutenant Olivia, that would be a mission impossible. We don¡¯t even have siege weapons.¡± Without a battering ram, there was no way to destroy the tightly shut castle gates. Even if they did have, they didn¡¯t have soldiers who were trained to use them. And the enemy wouldn¡¯t just watch idly, and would take measures to resist. With that in mind, their chance of success was at best 50%. ¡°Is that so? I think there are many methods we can use even without siege weapons¡­ Ashton, do you have any tactics we can use to seize Kaspar castle?¡± ¡°Ehh!? Why are you asking me all of a sudden?¡± He was surprised, but Ashton still crossed his arms and fell into deep thought. Claudia smiled wryly, since this was way above the paygrade of a mere trooper. ¡°Hmm~ If I remember correctly, Kaspar castle was erected during the beginning of the warring era, right?¡± ¡°Is that so? I only know it has a long history.¡± ¡°If I¡¯m right, then this tactic might work¡ª¡± Claudia was shocked by what Ashton proposed. Olivia who was listening quietly to Ashton showed a brilliant smile and said proudly with her chest puffed out: ¡°Well? Didn¡¯t I tell you that Ashton is suited to being a strategist?¡± Imperial Army, Kaspar castle The commander of Kaspar castle¡¯s defences, Colonel Bloom, received news that the Royal Army was marching on them. ¡°Is it true?¡± ¡°There is no doubt, we have confirmation from the guards at several sentry posts.¡± The Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) replied without hesitation, which made Bloom break out in cold sweat. The implication of this bad news flashed across his mind. ¡°What are the enemy¡¯s numbers?¡± ¡°Around 2,000.¡± ¡°Two thousand¡ª? They are probably the vanguards. What about the follow up units?¡± ¡°F-Follow up?¡± The NCO¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°Why are you so shaken? Answer me.¡± ¡°My apologies, this is too sudden, so my investigation isn¡¯t so detailed¡­¡± The NCO¡¯s voice got softer and softer. Bloom was enraged, and slammed his table with a shout: ¡°Imbecile! You think that excuse is acceptable?!? Go and find out now!¡± ¡°Y-Yes Sir! I will work on it right away!¡± Bloom glared at the NCO that left the room in a panic, and shook the bell on his desk. A door nearby opened, and his deputy, Major Lanchester, appeared. ¡°Colonel, you called for me?¡± ¡°Yes. Informed the troops that the Royal Army has invaded, and make the preparations to engage.¡± Lanchester frowned and answered immediately: ¡°Yes Sir¡­ Did our main force in the southern war theatre fell in just a week? That¡¯s unbelievable.¡± ¡°I have no idea. But I don¡¯t think Lord Osborne will¡­¡± Osborne had the elite Full Metal Knights under his command. What Lanchester said made sense and Bloom would very much like to dismiss the news he had just received too. ¡°What are their numbers?¡± ¡°For now, at least 2,000 of them had been sighted.¡± Lanchester¡¯s gaze sharpened when he heard that. ¡°Two thousand, huh¡­ I will make the preparations right away.¡± Lanchester clicked his shoes with a textbook salute, and left the room briskly. Some time later, the intel Bloom received confused him. The scouts didn¡¯t find any signs of a follow up forces to support the initial 2,000 men they first detected. (What¡¯s going on? Are they planning to take Kaspar castle with just 2,000 troops? Maybe the Royal Army had been decimated, and the remnants are making a last ditch effort to assault the castle¡ª? There¡¯s too little intel.) ¡ª Two hours after this. The garrison forces in the Kaspar castle engaged Olivia¡¯s detachment unit. ¢ò The battle between the Kaspar castle garrison and the detachment unit had started. As horns and war drums echoed out, the detachment unit launched an attack from range with their bows. However¡ª ¡°Hey, don¡¯t they even know the range of their bow? They might be scared, but are they seriously shooting at us from so far away?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, maybe they are a mob of fresh recruits?¡± ¡°Hahaha, but they are skilled at blowing their horns and beating their drums.¡± ¡°Sigh, it can¡¯t be helped. Me, a skilled veteran, shall teach you a good lesson!¡± ¡°What can you even teach them!¡± The soldiers laughed out loud. Their faces were tense before the battle commenced, but their nervousness were gone when they witness the terrible attack by the Royal Army. Their commander, Second Lieutenant Shisiru felt the same, but he didn¡¯t laugh like his men. ¡°Enough. They are within range of our ballistae, hurry up with the counter attack!¡± After Shisiru shouted at them, the troops hurried to the ballistae mounted on the castle walls. On the other end, for the detachment unit that was being mocked by their enemies. ¡°All units, pull back!¡± The unit defended against the ballistae with large shields, and retreated slowly. A short while later, they advanced again to attack with arrows despite being out of range. They did this repeatedly. ¡°Hey Ashton, will this really work? We aren¡¯t suffering any losses, but won¡¯t the Imperial Army treat us like fools?¡± Claudia asked Ashton as she observed the situation through her telescope. ¡°Well, it¡¯s true that they would laugh at us, but he who laughs last, laughs hardest. So it¡¯s fine for them to mock us for now?¡± Ashton paid no heed to the enemy¡¯s mocking. Ashton who was temporarily elevated to the post of strategist by Olivia had to command the frontlines together with Claudia. ¡°You might be right, but for a knight, this battle is really¡­ I¡¯m impressed that you thought up such a plan!¡± Ashton¡¯s tactic was as follows: During the early days of the warring era, the castles erected would definitely have a hidden escape route. The entrance was always situated in a dried well near the castle. That also meant the dried well was a shortcut to infiltrate the Kaspar castle. So they could split into two infiltration teams, with one infiltrating to disrupt the enemy from within, while the other would use this chance to attack the city gates and remove the latches. After opening the gate, the main bulk of the detachment unit could then charge into the castle. And right now, the detachment unit was just attracting the attention of the enemy. ¡°This isn¡¯t much of a plan. At best, this is just a reckless attempt based on Olivia¡¯s overwhelming martial prowess.¡± Olivia was already gone. After waving her hand as if to say ¡°I will be gone for a while¡±, she led a hundred elite soldiers towards the dried well, with a stroll-like pace. ¡°Even if you say that, the plan stems from your knowledge of the castle¡¯s structure. The Empire that captured Kaspar castle will never imagine that there is such a hidden passageway. We forgot about it too.¡± ¡°Despite how I looked, I have read through all the history books. It will be great if this raises the chance of our survival. After all, I don¡¯t want to die.¡± Ashton said awkwardly. Claudia tensed up a little when she saw his face. Death was inevitable in war after all. The people fighting by your side today might be dead tomorrow. Ashton understood that, and it motivated him to think of the best way to minimize their losses. He did so despite the looming fear hanging over him. ¡°¡ª¡ªThat¡¯s right. We made it this far, so we can¡¯t just die so easily.¡± Claudia gestured smoothly to order the retreat. As the detachment unit drew the attention of the Imperial Army, Olivia¡¯s group found the dried well easily and infiltrated the Kaspar castle. ¡°Commander Olivia, honestly speaking, I never thought we really infiltrated so easily.¡± A one eyed man with muscular arms ¡ª the vice-commander for this infiltration mission, Gauss, commented to Olivia. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s thanks to Ashton predicting the spot so accurately.¡± Olivia nodded satisfactory, and stomped on a gutter rat that was scampering around. The soldiers behind her all winced and groaned at that. Olivia¡¯s group held torches and were walking along a dark passageway made of stones. It was an escape route, so it was cramped and the air was still. The way was blocked by loads of spider webs, which meant the Imperial Army had not discovered this hidden passage yet. ¡°So, how should we split our forces? To be safe, should we divide ourselves equally?¡± Gauss asked as he swiped a spiderweb aside. Olivia shook her head immediately. ¡°I have already decided. I will create the distraction alone, everyone else will seize the gate and let Claudia¡¯s group in.¡± ¡°You alone!? Commander, I know you are formidable, but how about taking ten men with you?¡± The soldiers around them nodded in agreement with Gauss. Olivia smiled at them, and patted Gauss¡¯ back gently: ¡°Ahaha, don¡¯t worry about me. It will be easier for me to swing my sword without holding back too. I don¡¯t think I will hurt you guys by mistake, but it¡¯s better to be safe.¡± Olivia caressed the sheath on her waist with a smile. Gauss could only smile awkwardly in return and nodded. After witnessing Olivia¡¯s exploits on the Iris plains, Gauss knew very well how tough she was. Volume 1, 5 Volume 1, Chapter 5 Translator: Skythewood Editor: Hiiro ¡ª An hour after Olivia¡¯s group infiltrated Kaspar castle. ¡°Commander, we have reached our goal.¡± Gauss pointed his torch ahead, where a door was. The dim passageway ended here, which means the group had arrived at their destination. ¡°Gauss, you guys wait here for 30 minutes. Proceed with your mission after that.¡± ¡°Understood¡ª Commander, please be careful.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you. I will head out for a while.¡± Olivia waved and pushed the door open. With a gush of warm air, a small path appeared. It was narrow, just wide enough for one person to squeeze through. Casting her gaze ahead, she could see a faint light ahead. After going to the wall at the end, she pushed the stone wall hard, and it spun around, leading Olivia outside. ¡°This is just like a secret chamber mentioned in books, how interesting!¡± Olivia looked around her, and could tell this was an abandoned storage room, which was covered in dust. She quickly left the room, and met an Imperial Soldier along the corridor. ¡°Hey, where is the commander-in-chief?¡± Olivia asked calmly. The soldier looked confused: ¡°Hah? What are you talking about? Lord Osborne is at the Iris plains and battling the Royal Army. Are you right in the head?¡± ¡°You are the one who is confused. Mr Osborne is dead. I¡¯m asking for the ranking commander in this castle right now.¡± ¡°Lord Osborne is dead? How dare you¡ª wait, which unit are you from?¡± Changing his tone, the soldier cast a sharp gaze towards Olivia. ¡°Well, I¡¯m from the detachment unit.¡± ¡°Detachment¡­ Wait!¡± The soldier looked at Olivia¡¯s epaulette. On it was the emblem of a grail and two lions. ¡°What!? You are from the Kingdom¡ª¡ª¡± ¡°Ahaha, no, I can¡¯t let you make a scene yet.¡± Olivia crushed the jaw of that soldier, and stabbed him through the chest with her sword. After tossing the spasming soldier aside, he crashed into the wall with a thud. ¡°¡ª Stop playing around here¡­ W-What are you doing!?¡± The soldiers who appeared from around the corner were shocked. Olivia sighed heavily at that. ¡°Sigh~ I wanted to start killing from the highest ranking officer, but that is not meant to be.¡± With that, Olivia walked casually towards the enemy soldiers flooding her way, as a dark mist covered the black sword in her hand. Half an hour after Olivia wrecked havoc in the castle by herself. Gauss¡¯ team left the storage room in order to unlock the gate. Hearing screams coming from afar, they advanced cautiously. ¡°T-This is¡­¡± Before Gauss¡¯ eyes were blood and gore splattered all over the wall, and heaps of corpses lining up the passageway. None of the corpses were in one piece, and all of them had at least one missing body parts. Some were even bisected vertically. Gauss¡¯ group was elite veterans, but they still gasped at this gruesome scene. Gauss felt relieved by this. He was really glad that Olivia was an ally. ¡°Vice-commander Gauss, the screams from the distance is¡­¡± ¡°The commander must be causing chaos over there. Let¡¯s use this chance to head for the main gate!¡± ¡°¡°¡°Yes Sir!!¡±¡±¡± The group nodded in agreement, and charged towards the main gate. Bloom¡¯s roar echoed through his office. ¡°It¡¯s just one soldier, how long do you need!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not a mere soldier! Colonel Bloom, you heard about her, right? About the monster wielding a dark sword!?¡± Major Paduin argued with a pale face, and Bloom turned stiff when he heard that. Rumours of the monster girl did spread to Bloom, but he dismissed it with a laugh. If a girl could kill Samuel, then pigs could fly. ¡°How absurd. I don¡¯t care if she is a monster, there are many ways to kill her. Just get the archers to shoot a volley from a distance.¡± By drawing the battle from the open outdoors to a constrained space, seal off the retreat road, and mass fire arrows at her. When Bloom stated his idea, Paduin scoffed at it: ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me, I already tried that. But before we can even shoot, she closed right in and cut off the heads of three allies. That¡¯s how horrifying a monster she is!¡± Paduin slammed the desk angrily, and Bloom said with a sigh: ¡°You think I will believe that nonsense? Is that a character from a novel?¡± ¡°You are free to believe whatever you want, Colonel Bloom. I already gave you my report, and will wash my hands off this matter..¡± After saying that, Paduin tried to leave the office quickly. And of course, Bloom wouldn¡¯t tolerate such insolence from his subordinate. ¡°You fool, are you going to give up on your duties at this juncture? Major, you understand the consequences, right?¡± ¡°Haha, you want to execute me for defying orders? Whatever, I¡¯m dead either way.¡± The pale faced Paduin grumbled as he left the room. ¡°¡­Lanchester. We will deal with him later, but what do you think about what he said?¡± Lanchester who had been listening quietly beside Bloom said slowly: ¡°It¡¯s hard to believe, but in my humble opinion, we should take action on the assumption that his report is true.¡± ¡°You really think so?¡± The unexpected answer made Bloom stare at Lanchester. Bloom thought Lanchester would scoff at that report, but he was treating it seriously instead. ¡°Yes, she is probably something like a walking catastrophe, impossible for mere mortals to handle. A good example would be Sorcerers.¡± ¡°What!? You are saying that lone soldier something akin with a Sorcerer¡­? How is that possible¡­ If that is true, what should we do?¡± ¡°Well¡­ Please wait a moment.¡± Lanchester then walked to the room next door, and placed a bow like weapon on the desk. ¡°¡ª What is this?¡± ¡°This is a prototype that the Imperial Army Research Department sent to us. Simply put, it¡¯s a simplified version of a ballista. They say its speed and power is far better than the arrows of an archer.¡± After hearing Lanchester¡¯s introduction, Bloom picked up the weapon. It did have a similar shape with a ballista, but instead of pulling a bowstring, it uses a metallic mechanism instead. It didn¡¯t look as heavy as it looked, and was easy to operate. ¡°You are saying I should kill that monster with this?¡± ¡°Exactly. The Royal Army are outside the castle, if this problem continues, our unit will break down from the inside.¡± ¡°It¡¯s true that we are pressed for time¡ª hmm?¡± Bloom could hear frantic footsteps outside his office. The footsteps stopped right outside, and a panting soldier barged in through the door. ¡°Knock before you enter!¡± Lanchester shouted. ¡°M-My apologies! But it¡¯s an emergency!¡± ¡°Never mind, speak.¡± ¡°Yes Sir! The Royal Army forces broke through the main gate, and is flooding into the castle!¡± ¡°What did you say!?¡± Bloom stood up from his chair, and cast his gaze at Lanchester, who has turned stiff from surprise. ¡°What happened!? Did the Royal Army used siege weapons!?¡± This stronghold might be old, but it was still a castle. Unless the enemy had siege weapons, the main gate wouldn¡¯t fall so easily. But what the soldier said was beyond Bloom¡¯s expectations. ¡°They didn¡¯t use siege weapons! A group of Royal soldiers appeared out of nowhere, and took off the latch before we even noticed!¡± Bloom was shocked. He then realized that the monster girl was just a diversion, and the enemy¡¯s real goal was to open the main gate amidst all that confusion. At the same time, a question occurred to him. Just how did that monster girl and the Royal soldiers infiltrated the castle? Agents from the Heat Haze could slip past the sentries, but their numbers were limited. From what he had heard, quite a large number of Royal soldiers had infiltrated the castle. The security net in Kaspar castle wasn¡¯t so relaxed that so many people could slip through. With his troubles piling up, Bloom held his head. ¡°Colonel, we haven¡¯t lost yet. We have an overwhelming advantage in numbers. I will command from the front too.¡± ¡°Lanchester¡­¡­¡± Lanchester who never showed his feelings on his face looked grim and resigned. This fact told Bloom how desperate the situation was. A terrible monster running amok inside the castle, the main gate fell without a fight, and morale was nonexistent. Numbers was less of a deciding factor now. Seeing the main gate was open, Claudia gave the order: ¡°First, Second and Third Company move in! Suppress the key facilities within the castle!¡± ¡°Alright! It¡¯s time for the captain of Olivia¡¯s personal guards, the great Guile to shine! You guys, don¡¯t sully the name of our Valkyrie!¡± ¡°¡°¡°Understood!!¡±¡±¡± The vanguard of the First Company was saying something outlandish. ¡°¡ª¡ªAshton, when did that man became the captain of Second Lieutenant Olivia¡¯s personal guards?¡± Claudia looked at Ashton with questioning eyes. ¡°W-Who knows? It¡¯s probably self proclaimed¡­ I¡¯m not sure, but I''m sorry.¡± Ashton apologized with a sheepish face. It was out of line for them to call themselves personal guards, but morale was high because of that, so Claudia pretends that she didn¡¯t hear anything. ¡ª An hour after that. The detachment unit successfully suppressed the key installations within the Kaspar castle. When the unit charged in, the castle was already in chaos, and the Imperial Soldiers lay down their arms and surrender without putting up any resistance. The strange thing was, they seemed relieved after becoming prisoners. Second Lieutenant Shisiru was so moved that he even cried. ¡°Seems like Ashton¡¯s plan worked.¡± Claudia said with a light mood, since a heavy load has been taken off her shoulders. When Ashton heard that, he said with a wry smile: ¡°That¡¯s not how I see it. From how the Imperial Soldiers are behaving, the credit belongs to whatever Olivia did.¡± They broke through the main gate, but the Empire still had a big advantage in numbers, and normally, they wouldn¡¯t surrender so easily. Things turned out this way because their morale had been completely crushed. Ashton could guess what happened, but couldn¡¯t bring himself to say it. Claudia didn¡¯t ask either, and just took off her helmet and flicked her hair: ¡°Well, it¡¯s almost over. This must be Second Lieutenant Olivia¡¯s doing.¡± With that, the two of them looked up at Kaspar castle. ¡°¡­ So you are that rumoured monster?¡± Bloom sat quietly in his chair and asked the girl who was holding Paduin¡¯s head in her hand. ¡°I¡¯m not a monster, I¡¯m Olivia. You are Mr Bloom, the commander here, right? This human kindly told me your location.¡± With that, Olivia tossed the head to the table, where it landed and spun. Just as Paduin said, he died at the hands of the monster. ¡°Hmmp. You wreck havoc in the entire castle by yourself, so what else can you be but a monster?¡± Bloom immediately regretted saying that. He scoffed at Paduin who said these very words, and Bloom was now repeating them. ¡°Well, Mr Bloom is an enemy, so you can call me whatever you want. That aside, what do you plan to do? The castle had fallen to Claudia¡¯s group, all your base are belong to us. You have no chance to survive, so make your time.¡± ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s our complete loss. But¡ª¡± Bloom took out the crossbow under his desk in a flash, and pulled the trigger at Olivia. ¡°¡ª Hahaha, you really are a monster.¡± The next instant, Bloom saw Olivia grabbing a bolt in her left hand. Olivia snapped the projectile and tossed it aside, then looked at Bloom¡¯s crossbow with curious eyes. ¡°Ehh~ this thing is much more powerful than a bow. That surprised me. Hey, can I have it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s useless to me now. You can take it if you want.¡± Bloom tossed the crossbow at Olivia, and at the same time, drew his sword and launched a jumping slash. ¡°¡­ Ughh, I expected as much¡­¡± ¡°Thank you for giving this to me, I will cherish it.¡± Olivia pulled out her sword from Bloom¡¯s chest as she thanked him. However Bloom couldn¡¯t hear the latter part of her words anymore. ¡°Ehehe~ After getting the Pocket Watch, I got something good again. I should hurry up and show this to Ashton and Claudia.¡± Olivia held the crossbow in her arms preciously, and left the room with a skip. ¢ó The battle on the Iris plains had drawn to a close. Major General Heit Bonner who commanded the left flank of the Empire forces put up a stubborn resistance after the death of the commander-in-chief Osborne, George, Minits and others. He organized the remnants of the Imperial forces to save as many soldiers as he could. Paul left the clean up to Lambert, and led the main force to assault Kaspar castle. On his way there, a messenger from the detachment unit arrived with a shocking report. ¡°How is that possible!? You are saying that Kaspar castle had fallen!?¡± ¡°Yes Sir, our unit had seized control of Kaspar castle.¡± Otto sound agitated, while the messenger looked proud. Paul asked for more details, and the messenger revealed even more stunning facts. During the battle to take Kaspar castle, they only had eight casualties. Most of the Imperial Soldiers surrendered without any resistance. Attacking a castle and suffering only a single digit casualty was unheard of. Paul assigned Olivia to be the vanguard because he thought she could thin the enemy numbers despite having a smaller force. But he never imagined her seizing Kaspar castle in one day. Even Paul who used to be called a demon god felt a chill when he heard this news. ¡°¡ª I understand now. Inform Second Lieutenant Olivia to keep her guard up.¡± ¡°Yes Sir!¡± The messenger got on his horse in high spirits, and rode for Kaspar castle. As he watched the messenger go, Paul said to Otto gleefully: ¡°Second Lieutenant Olivia¡¯s performance is marvelous. What should we do, Otto? We can¡¯t just dismiss her with just cake this time.¡± ¡°Surely you jest¡­ instead of that...¡± ¡°Are you more interested in the recruit Ashton who formulated the plan as the temporary strategist? Otto, does that name ring any bells?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the first time I¡­ Please wait a moment.¡± Otto stroked his chin as he looked up and said: ¡°¡ª I remember now. I heard the Second Lieutenant mention that name in the interrogation room.¡± It wasn¡¯t a pleasant memory, so Otto¡¯s face became stern. The term ¡®interrogation room¡¯ reminded Paul of that incident with the spy. He was there too, and after churning his degrading memory, Paul finally recalled what happened. ¡°¡ª Oh, I remember now. Second Lieutenant Olivia mentioned that name when she said she wanted to eat the delicious bread from the capital.¡± ¡°That reminds me of Second Lieutenant¡¯s unpleasant words. I really don¡¯t want to remember them.¡± Otto scrowled, and Paul laughed out loud. When they reached Kaspar castle, Otto was overloaded with work. They captured Kaspar castle, but they couldn¡¯t relax before figuring out what Fort Kiel would do. Soldiers were sent to guard the vital points, and a surveillance network was set up. They also need to regain control of the towns and villages around Kaspar castle, and deal with the 4,000 prisoners. There were a load of problems. Especially the problem with the prisoners, which was a headache for Otto. They had never captured so many prisoners before. 4,000 of them would consume plenty of food every day. There were plenty of food stored in the castle¡¯s warehouse, but those would be better served to feed their own soldiers. But they couldn¡¯t kill the prisoners, and even if Otto wanted to put them to penal work, there wasn¡¯t any mines around Kaspar castle. Otto wanted to complain to Olivia who created this problem, but he knew that was just being unreasonable. And so, two weeks passed without incident. Olivia, Claudia and Ashton arrived at the door before the commander¡¯s office. ¡°Hey Olivia, why are you staring at your Pocket Watch all this while?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know, Ashton? Adjutant Otto is really anal about punctuality. He will show a demon-like face even if you are a little late.¡± ¡°No, this is the first time I heard that. And isn¡¯t being punctual to be expected in the army?¡± ¡°Second Lieutenant Olivia, and Ashton, keep it down. We are in front of the commander¡¯s office.¡± Claudia cautioned, and Ashton shut up. Olivia then knocked nonchalantly: ¡°Second Lieutenant Olivia, Warrant Officer Claudia, Ashton¡­ Hey Ashton, what¡¯s your rank?¡± ¡°Private, I¡¯m a Private.¡± Ashton answered softly, and Olivia answered: ¡°Right, you¡¯re a private.¡± She then knocked again: ¡°Second Lieutenant Olivia, Warrant Officer Claudia and Private Ashton, reporting on time¡ª¡± ¡°Enough, I already heard you. Enter.¡± Otto¡¯s exasperated voice came from inside, and Olivia opened the door as instructed. Before them was the smiling Paul who was sitting comfortably in his chair, and Otto who was shaking his head. Olivia¡¯s group saluted, and Paul return the salute with narrowed eyes. Ashton who was facing the commander from close up was tense. ¡°Very good. We called you here today for¡ª¡± ¡°The cake you prepared for me as a reward?¡± Otto who got cut off by Olivia stared daggers at her. He knew that glare wasn¡¯t directed his way, but Ashton couldn¡¯t help breaking out in cold sweat. ¡°Second Lieutenant, is cake the only thing on your mind?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true, I like books too.¡± Olivia thought nothing of Otto¡¯s glare, and replied in a carefree manner. Ashton thought: ¡°Please read the mood.¡± ¡°Oh~ reading books and expanding your knowledge is a good thing, but I didn¡¯t summon you to learn about your hobbies.¡± Claudia kept her head low apologetically all this while, but Paul just laughed heartily: ¡°You are still the same as always, Second Lieutenant Olivia. Unfortunately, the cake will have to wait until we return to Fort Gallia. We called you here for a different matter.¡± ¡°¡­ Yes Sir, understood¡­¡± Olivia slouched her shoulders, showing her sadness clearly. Paul showed a troubled smile at that, and then cast his gaze towards Ashton. ¡°Private Ashton Senefelder.¡± ¡°Y-Yiss!¡± Ashton was so nervous to be called so suddenly, that he couldn¡¯t even speak properly. Paul relaxed his face at that, and then said: ¡°Relax, you don¡¯t have to be so tense. I heard from Warrant Officer Claudia that you contributed greatly to the capture of Kaspar castle.¡± ¡°Y-Yes Sir! Thank you very much! But that was only possible because Second Lieutenant Olivia was there, so I didn¡¯t really¡ª¡± Ashton started rambling on and on. The sight of his panicking face made Paul smile awkwardly. Paul then raised his hand to stop Ashton: ¡°It¡¯s true that without Second Lieutenant Olivia, we couldn¡¯t have taken Kaspar castle so easily. But I heard Private Ashton formulated the plan¡ª Is that true, Second Lieutenant Olivia?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s thanks to Ashton that we seized Kaspar castle so easily.¡± Olivia puffed out her chest and said proudly. ¡°H-Hey! Second Lieutenant Olivia!¡± ¡°Ehh? But that¡¯s the truth. Oh right, you better use honorifics with me when Adjutant Otto is present. If not, he will scold you.¡± ¡°Wait, you are telling me that now?¡± ¡°Enough, both of you. Lord Paul isn¡¯t finished yet!¡± Otto¡¯s admonishment made Ashton cough fearfully. ¡°My apologies, Lord Paul!¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. That aside, you were assigned by Second Lieutenant Olivia to be her strategist, how was it? Would you like to continue serving Second Lieutenant Olivia as her strategist?¡± Ashton was dumbfounded by Paul¡¯s unexpected proposal. He only took on the post of strategist because Olivia forced him into it. He never thought that he would be officially promoted to the position of strategist. (A joke¡­ Doesn¡¯t seem like one.) Paul looked serious, which made it even harder for Ashton to respond. He only gave the suggestion because he happened to read about the historical wars. Ashton wasn¡¯t confident enough to formulate a suitable plan under any situation. With that in mind, Ashton looked at Olivia beside him. She showed him a charming smile. (Ahh, damn it! That smile is foul play.) Ashton felt his cheeks burning up, and looked at Paul again. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can live up to your expectations, but I will give everything I have.¡± ¡°Well said¡ª Alright then, without further ado, I want to borrow your wisdom on a certain matter.¡± ¡°Y-Yes Sir...! May I know what it is?¡± Ashton shouted in his heart: ¡°That¡¯s too soon!¡± But he tried to not let it show, and asked with a calm attitude. However, he didn¡¯t fool anyone. It was clear from Paul and Otto¡¯s wryly smile that Ashton didn¡¯t look calm at all. ¡°Now, don¡¯t be so tense. I will let Lieutenant Colonel Otto explain the problem.¡± Otto walked to the front of Olivia¡¯s group, and explained the problem of housing the 4,000 prisoners and assigning them to labour work. Olivia yawned from boredom midway, which made Claudia bow and apologize profusely. ¡°¡ª How about it, Private Ashton? If you have a good solution, I¡¯m all ears. You don¡¯t have to worry.¡± Otto¡¯s face seemed to suggest that Ashton couldn¡¯t take it easy. Ashton racked his brains, and came up with an answer: ¡°How about proposing a prisoners exchange with the Imperial Army? We get two advantage out of that.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ Tell me more.¡± Otto looked at him with sharp eyes, which made Ashton back away. He wasn¡¯t used to the intimidating aura of soldiers. ¡°Y-Yes Sir. If the negotiations goes through, we can solve the food problems we are facing, and the soldiers we get in return can bolster our forces.¡± ¡°¡­ I get what you mean. I agree with you on the food supply, but the Empire will bolster their forces with this too, correct?¡± Otto pressed him. He understood the issue about food, but couldn¡¯t see how the getting their soldiers back gives them an advantage over the Empire. To Ashton, this would be a win for them. ¡°You are right, but if we consider the entire Royal Army as a whole, this exchange will benefit us more. After all, we have been forced to conscript someone like me who can¡¯t even use weapons properly.¡± Paul and Otto grimaced when Ashton pointed that out. ¡°Considering the humanitarian factors, The Imperial Army will have to accept our proposal. If they turn us down, they will lose support from their citizens.¡± Ashton added that the fame of the Benevolent Emperor Ramza was renowned throughout the continent, so he wouldn¡¯t do anything that would damage his reputation. ¡°I see¡­ Private Ashton, you might not know, but prisoners exchange is usually limited to those of high standing, such as those related to the Royal family. There has been no precedents of prisoners exchange involving ordinary soldiers. But your opinion is worth considering.¡± Otto stroked his chin and looked at Paul. ¡°Yes, we will need to hold an emergency meeting to discuss this plan. It is a valuable input. I will be expecting more from you in the future too, Private Ashton.¡± ¡°Y-Yes Sir!¡± After the trio left, Paul took out a cigar from his chest pocket and started smoking. ¡°¡ª Well? I think he will be of use.¡± ¡°I agree. It seems that his strategic acumen that captured the Kaspar castle isn¡¯t a fluke. I would have never thought about a prisoners exchange with foot soldiers.¡± ¡°If such an incredible performance is just a coincidence, then our positions will be precarious. Furthermore, he is just a mere grunt.¡± ¡°Indeed¡ª I will work on a draft then.¡± ¡°Yes, please.¡± After seeing Otto out, Paul puffed out the cigar smoke in his mouth. ¢ô Imperial Capital Orsted, Listerine Castle, Felixus¡¯ Office ¡°Your Excellency, may I trouble you for a moment?¡± Second Lieutenant Theresa placed a cup of tea on the desk, and sounded a little hesitant. Felixus put down his pen, and looked up: ¡°From your expression, this doesn¡¯t seem like good news.¡± ¡°¡­ Yes Sir.¡± Theresa gave him a report. Felixus took it quietly and started reading it. It was about the fall of Kaspar castle, and the death of General Osborne and the commanders under him. On top of that, 45,000 men lost their lives. This was the most devastating lost since the battle of Berkeley. The death of Osborne, a grand noble of the Empire, made this defeat even more bitter. ¡°¡ª¡ªSecond Lieutenant Theresa. I should have pushed harder for His Majesty to approve the attack on Fort Gallia. Even if he admonishes me.¡± Theresa¡¯s face turned bitter when she heard Felixus say that. Osborne lost a great opportunity to push his advantage, and lost to the Royal Army who was given time to recuperate. In a sense, the Empire helped the Kingdom win this battle. It was pointless to cry over spilled milk, but if the Emperor gave his approval back then, they would have won easily. Osborne¡¯s plans looked flawless to Felixus. Felixus took a sip of tea, sighed, then stood up. He put on his blue cape that had the insignia of crossed swords on it, and said to Theresa: ¡°I will report this to the Lord Chancellor. We have to make plans for the future.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but there will be a Tri-General meeting to address this issue soon.¡± Theresa said quickly. ¡°Tri-General meeting?¡± ¡°Yes Sir. Lord Chancellor Dalmes asked you to gather at the Second Conference room in two hours.¡± When he heard the term Tri-General meeting, Felixus furrowed his brows. There was no point in holding a Tri-General meeting if the other two Generals weren¡¯t present. Theresa could guess what was troubling Felixus, and added: ¡°Lord Graden and Lady Rosenmarie returned to the capital yesterday to make their reports.¡± ¡°I see¡­ Understood.¡± Felixus returned to his seat and continued reading the reports. ¡ª Two hours later. The three generals summoned by Dalmes gathered in the Second Conference Room. They sat around an ebony table that could accommodate 30 people. ¡°Well, is it true that General Osborne died in battle?¡± The moment the meeting started, General Rosenmarie pushed all the reports off the table. Field Marshal Graden glared at her and replied: ¡°Osborne is certainly dead. The soldiers who fled to Fort Kiel confirmed it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking if they had made a mistake!¡± Rosenmarie refused to accept that Osborne was dead. Unhappy about her tone, Graden scowled his brows: ¡°Watch your tongue. There are many soldiers who saw Osborne¡¯s head stuck on top of a spear. This is an undeniable fact.¡± After Graden cautioned her, Rosenmarie¡¯s cheeks turned flush. She was so persistent because she was formerly Osborne¡¯s subordinate. The atmosphere in the Conference Room grew tense, and Rosenmarie muttered: ¡°¡­ I want to go to the Southern War Front.¡± ¡°¡ª hah? Sorry, but what did you just say?¡± Felixus couldn¡¯t help asking. Rosenmarie stood up angrily and shouted: ¡°I said I want to go to the Southern War Front! I don¡¯t care whether it¡¯s the seventh or whatever army, I will crush them with my Crimson Knights!¡± ¡°If you go to the frontline in the south, then what will happen to the Northern War Theatre? They will be lost without their leader.¡± Felixus¡¯ question was to be expected. After all, abandoning your war front and heading to another was unreasonable. But what Rosenmarie said next was beyond everyone¡¯s expectations. ¡°Felixus, you can just take over me. You are just idling in the capital anyway, right?¡± Rosenmarie sound like she was stating an agreed arrangement. It was Felixus turn to be dumbfounded, and Graden shouted angrily in response: ¡°You imbecile! What is this drivel!? Felixus is tasked with the important duty of garrisoning the capital, how can he shift his base so easily!?¡± After hearing that, Rosenmarie scoffed coldly: ¡°Hah! Garrison the capital? You think the Royal Army is capable of attacking the capital now? With us surrounding them on all fronts? If you really think that is possible, then you have grown senile, Field Marshal Graden.¡± ¡°Y-You wench! How impudent!¡± Felixus tried his best to soothe the both of them and ease the mood, as he smiled awkwardly in his heart. Rosenmarie was right, the current Royal Army posed no threat to the Imperial capital. Even if the Azure Knights head to the Northern front, the capital would remain safe. However, having the most elite Azure Knights garrisoned in the capital would put the citizens at ease, and also acted as a strong threat to the other nations. Without the Emperor¡¯s edict, the Azure Knights would never be sent out. ¡°Leaving what Rosenmarie said aside for now, the fall of Kaspar castle means we have lost control of the south of the Kingdom. I think we need to come up with countermeasures quickly.¡± ¡°¡ª Regarding that, can I interrupt for a moment?¡± Dalmes who had been quiet all this while suddenly interjected, and the trio cast their eyes his way. ¡°Of course. Do you have a good plan in mind, Lord Chancellor?¡± Graden spoke on behalf of the generals. Dalmes then proposed something unexpected: ¡°It¡¯s not really a great plan though. I just think it will be fine to give the southern part of the Kingdom back to them.¡± ¡°¡­ May I ask your reasons?¡± Graden was clearly baffled. For better or for worse, Dalmes emotions had been unnaturally volatile, making it hard to understand what he was thinking. Felixus couldn¡¯t fathom what his goal was. ¡°I mean what I said literally. The Southern War Theatre was already at an impasse. I don¡¯t see any point in stubbornly holding on to it. As long as Fort Kiel remains in our hands, the Royal Army would think twice before they try to invade the Empire.¡± ¡°Well¡­ That is true.¡± Graden reluctantly concurred with him. ¡°Furthermore, around 45,000 Imperial Soldiers lost their lives in this battle. That is heartbreaking, we should mourn their sacrifices.¡± Despite what Dalmes said, the corners of lips were raised. He looked really suspicious. ¡°Does His Majesty know that Kaspar castle had fallen?¡± ¡°Yes, I already reported that to His Majesty. By the way, the Emperor feels the same way as me, and think we should give up on the south of the Kingdom.¡± When she heard that, Rosenmarie turned agitated: ¡°H-How can we do that! How can I avenge General Osborne like this!?¡± ¡°Rosenmarie! Now isn¡¯t the time to worry about such a low level matter!¡± ¡°¡ª What!? Say that again! You think avenging General Osborne is low level!?¡± Rosenmarie was furious, and shouted at Graden, her flame red vermillion hair flailing about. Graden¡¯s words might be cold, but Felixus agreed with him. The priority right now was their strategy for the future. The air in the Conference Room turned treacherous again, and at this moment Dalmes said to Rosenmarie: ¡°Rosenmarie. Your chance to avenge Osborne will come soon..¡± ¡°W-What do you mean?¡± Rosenmarie was a little rattled, while a faint smile appeared on Dalmes¡¯ thin face: ¡°After taking Kaspar castle, the Royal Army won¡¯t be tied down at Fort Gallia. They will build their new defensive lines centered around Kaspar castle.¡± ¡°What has that got to do with me avenging General Osborne?¡± Dalmes¡¯ roundabout words made Rosenmarie tilt her head bafflingly. Felixus sighed quietly in his heart as he listened in. It seems like Dalmes wanted to coerce Rosenmarie to do something. ¡°This is just my speculation, but after they shore up the defences in the southern part of the Kingdom, they will start to support the central and northern war theatres, correct? After all, the Royal Army couldn¡¯t afford to let their forces standby and idle.¡± Rosenmarie crossed her arms and fell into deep thought, trying to decipher Dalmes¡¯ intent. A moment later, she said with a faint smile: ¡°Chancellor Dalmes, I understand what you mean. I just need to force them to come over and support the Northern War Theatre, correct?¡± ¡°As expected of Rosenmarie, that¡¯s exactly it.¡± Three days after the meeting ended. On the orders of Emperor Ramza, the Imperial Army withdrew completely from the south of the Kingdom. ¢õ A month after the detachment unit seized Kaspar castle. The Royal Army solidify their defences with Kaspar castle as their stronghold, and negotiated secretly with the Empire for the prisoners exchange. As Ashton predicted, the Empire accepted the proposal for the prisoners exchange. However, when they learned that the signing ceremony would be held in Fort Kiel, some of the officers strongly opposes it, and even barged into the commander¡¯s office to protest. ¡°Your Excellency, why should we go to the enemy camp? We won this time, and proposed the prisoners exchange. So it¡¯s only logical for the ceremony to be held in Kaspar castle!¡± Paul listened to the officers haplessly. Their reasoning might sound logical, but in the end, they just couldn¡¯t get over their pride. Otto just happen to be out to inspect the recovered towns on Paul¡¯s orders, so Paul couldn¡¯t complain either. ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to visit Fort Kiel though?¡± Paul said with a sigh. The officers became more agitated. ¡°Please don¡¯t divert the topic! They are only allowing one hundred soldiers as escorts, they have got to be kidding us!¡± For the signing ceremony, the Empire imposed the terms that only one hundred escorts were permitted. That really upset them. ¡°Is that so? If I was in their shoes, I would ask for the same. Having too many escorts will just invite unnecessary suspicion.¡± Considering the problem they might encounter on the way there, one hundred seemed like an adequate number. This was a large enough group to deter bandit attacks, but not enough to create a disturbance on enemy grounds. It made a compromise between the Kingdom¡¯s safety and the security of the Empire. A brilliant arrangement. After explaining the details, the officers started to waver, but still protest relentlessly. ¡°E-Even so, we can¡¯t accept the signing ceremony to be held in Fort Kiel! Asking us to attend a signing in a fort that used to belong to the Kingdom is humiliating!¡± ¡°Then, let me hear your alternatives. Don¡¯t tell me you came to me without a back up plan, and is just here to grumble like children?¡± Paul looked at the crowd with a sharp gaze, silencing them. Paul intentionally asked that, knowing that they didn¡¯t have an alternative plan. He just couldn¡¯t be bothered to waste his breath on them. ¡°B-But¡­ What if something happens to you, Your Excellency!?!¡± ¡°I can promise you that there won¡¯t be no danger.¡± Paul¡¯s word made the officers furrow their brows. ¡°How can you be so sure? The fame of the Demon God is known throughout the entire Empire.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, they might think this is a great opportunity to assassinate you.¡± Having found a chink in the armour, the officers started building their argument based on the possibility of an assassination. They were correct, this was a good chance to carry our an assassination. Paul was wary of assassinations too, but this worry was unfounded. ¡°The Empire still has an overwhelming advantage, so there is no need for them to resort to such tricks.¡± ¡°B-But...!¡± ¡°My escort for this expedition will be Second Lieutenant Olivia. Are there any more questions?¡± Everyone turned pale when Olivia¡¯s name was brought up. After the Iris plains battle, everyone in the Seventh Army revered Olivia. ¡°N-No Sir. Since Second Lieutenant Olivia will be accompanying, then we have no objections.¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s true. There will be no problem with her around.¡± ¡°We are sorry to disturb your busy schedule!¡± The Officers saluted as one, then fled the Commander¡¯s office. Paul sighed, and reached for his chest pocket. ¡ª One week after that. Paul¡¯s group set off from Kaspar castle, and headed north for Fort Kiel. To remain ready for any emergencies, Paul stayed in the center of the group. Olivia and Claudia stayed beside him as his escorts. Surrounding the three of them were the detachment team that infiltrated Kaspar castle together with Olivia. Olivia chatted with Paul along the way, and the contents always wreck Claudia¡¯s nerves. She felt the urge to rein Olivia back, but Claudia was hesitant when she saw Paul¡¯s refreshing smile. In the end, she pretended that she didn¡¯t see anything. (This is such a torture. I would rather fight with the enemy.) Claudia sighed in her heart as she watched the two of them chat. Finally, the group arrived safely at Fort Kiel without encountering any bandits. They had already left Kasper for four days. Fort Kiel had three sets of heavy city walls, a stronghold that made full use of its complicated and treacherous terrain. The rows of crossed swords banners filled the hearts of the group with a sense of defeat. They looked at Fort Kiel that was famous for being impregnable with complicated feelings. Only Olivia looked relaxed. ¡°Lieutenant General Paul. Fort Kiel looks more majestic than Fort Gallia!¡± ¡°S-Second Lieutenant Olivia!¡± Claudia couldn¡¯t watch idly by any longer. ¡°It¡¯s fine¡ª Second Lieutenant Olivia, you do know that this fort used to be part of the Royal Army, correct?¡± ¡°Yes, I know. The Imperial Army captured it, right?¡± Olivia said without a second thought, and Paul smiled awkwardly/ ¡°Indeed, our army didn¡¯t perform up to expectations.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, Lieutenant General Paul. We can just snatch it back. It¡¯s the same for Kaspar castle, right?¡± ¡°Fufu. When Second Lieutenant Olivia says that, it sounds so easy. How strange.¡± The two of them chatted as the arc shape city gate opened slowly. A gallant lady in a black military uniform appeared with some soldiers in azure colored full body armour. The soldiers stood beside the lady as her guards. The fort sentries probably saw them way ahead of time, so the reception came just at the right time. Paul ordered the group to dismount, and stood before the lady. ¡°Lieutenant General Paul of the Royal Army, I presume?¡± ¡°You¡¯re correct.¡± ¡°The name of the demon god has spread throughout the Imperial Army. It¡¯s an honour to meet you. I¡¯m Second Lieutenant Theresa, your guide for today. You must be tired after your long journey, allow me to show you to your rooms.¡± ¡°Thank you for your kind hospitality, we will be in your care then.¡± After exchanging salutes, Theresa turned and started walking. Paul and the others followed behind silently. Theresa seemed to be curious about Olivia, and would glance her way from time to time. After walking for about thirty minutes and passing through three city walls, they arrived before a familiar main gate. Theresa stopped there, then turned around and said with an apologetic tone: ¡°My apologies, due to security concerns, only two of your escorts may follow you inside. I have prepared rooms for the rest of your security detail, they may rest there.¡± ¡°Wait, that¡¯s too sudden!¡± Claudia couldn¡¯t help protesting this forceful arrangement. Even for enemies, there was a limit to how imposterous they could act. But Paul just tapped Claudia¡¯s shoulder to calm her down. ¡°Warrant Officer Claudia, it¡¯s fine. Second Lieutenant Theresa, I understand what you are saying. Well then, Second Lieutenant Olivia and Warrant Officer Claudia will accompany me.¡± When she heard what Paul said, Theresa looked at Olivia with surprise. On the other hand, Olivia didn¡¯t mind and was looking around curiously. ¡°Second Lieutenant Theresa, is there a problem?¡± ¡°N-None Sir. Pardon me, this way please.¡± Theresa quickly ordered the soldiers to open the gates. After the heavy gates opened slowly, the trio continued onwards. ¡ª¡ª The next day. In the main hall filled with Imperial officers, the signing ceremony for the prisoners exchange was held. After Felixus and Paul signed on the contract, they shook hands. As the officers whispered ¡°So he is that demon god¡±, Felixus said: ¡°It¡¯s an honour to meet you, Lord Paul. I¡¯m sorry to say this, but being in the presence of the famed demon god send chills down my back.¡± ¡°The pleasure is all mine, Lord Felixus, the renowned commander of the Azure Knights. Frankly speaking, I never thought you would be so young.¡± ¡°People often tell me that.¡± Paul and Felixus smiled at each other. The signing ceremony continued without a hitch, and on the surface, it ended peacefully. ¡°¡ª Have they left?¡± Felixus looked out the window and asked Theresa. ¡°Yes Sir, they just left moments ago. They sent you their regards¡ª Your Excellency? Are you alright? You look ill.¡± Theresa looked at him worriedly when she said that. Felixus felt guilty that he worried his subordinate, and shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Instead of that, Second Lieutenant Theresa, have you spoken to Lord Paul¡¯s two escorts?¡± ¡°Not really¡­ But one of them is really young. I was surprised when I heard she was a Second Lieutenant like me.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± ¡°Your Excellency?¡± During the signing ceremony, he could see the silver haired girl behind Paul who was observing him. Her presence was even stronger than Paul who was known to others as the demon god. It was so strong that Felixus felt a chill run down his back. (What an incredible aura of blood and death. She is the very personification of ¡®death¡¯. That girl is probably a great threat to the Imperial Army.) Olivia and Felixus. It would be a long time before the two of them meet again. Side Story: Claudia¡¯s secret The rays from the morning sun was just shining through the mountains and onto the Kaspar castle. Olivia and Claudia were facing each other with swords in their hands. ¡°Second Lieutenant Olivia, this might just be training, but allow me to go all out.¡± ¡°Yes, got it. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t injure you.¡± ¡ª She was being taken lightly. And of course, Claudia didn¡¯t feel that way. She had always devoted herself to the way of the sword, which was why she could understand the overwhelming difference in power between them. Even when she was facing her father, who was one of the ¡¶Ten Swords of the Kingdom¡·, she had never felt such a big gulf in abilities. She already saw how terrifying Olivia¡¯s swordsmanship was during the Battle of Iris. Despite that, Claudia felt Olivia had not shown all that she had got yet. ¡°Alright, here I go.¡± Claudia made the first move. Her right foot shot out like an arrow as she thrust her sword, but Olivia evaded it by tilting to the side. She used the momentum to slash horizontally, and was parried. She already knew it, but Claudia¡¯s swordsmanship was just child¡¯s play to Olivia. Olivia not moving her feet was proof of her strength. Claudia continued her relentless assault, but all her attacks were fended off easily by Olivia. Claudia was exhausted, but Olivia didn¡¯t even break a sweat. (Hah, hah, calling her strong isn¡¯t cutting it. Even my father couldn¡¯t hold a candle to her. This is the first time we sparred, but our levels are completely different. She is comparable to the heroes from legends.) Claudia steadied her ragged breathing, and put some distance between her and Olivia. ¡°Well then, it¡¯s my turn.¡± Olivia said with a smile, and suddenly appeared before Claudia. Claudia couldn¡¯t react immediately, and barely manage to twist and dodge the thrust. Olivia¡¯s smile turned into surprise, and Claudia used this chance to kick at her flank. They were too close for Olivia to evade. But Olivia caught Claudia¡¯s right leg, as if she knew the kick was coming. Her immense strength prevented Claudia from pulling her leg back. Instead, Claudia got kicked in the stomach instead, and she collapsed onto the ground. It was so strong that Claudia didn¡¯t feel that Olivia was holding back at all. ¡°Hmm~ Claudia, you got good eyes. That¡¯s so convenient.¡± With that, Olivia looked at Claudia¡¯s eyes intriguely. Claudia forgot about the pain in her abdomen, and looked right at Olivia. After a falling out with her close friend when she was young because of her eyes, she had never let anyone know her secret. She was shocked that Olivia saw through her. However, Olivia didn¡¯t ask further, and simply said: ¡°You want to continue?¡± ¡°Yes, I will be in your care.¡± Claudia stood back up. She pushed the pain out of her mind, and stood ready with her sword in a high guard stance. ¡°Understood. Here I come.¡± Olivia suddenly disappeared, in a completely different way from before. Claudia quickly unleashed the power of her eyes to track Olivia. It was just an instant, but Claudia caught a glimpse of Olivia going around to the right, but Claudia pretended to not notice. At the moment her opponent¡¯s wooden sword swung towards her shoulder, Claudia launch a fierce vertical counter slash. She thought she evened up the score with this, however¡­ (She¡¯s gone again!?) Her sword slashed through empty space. Claudia scanned the area again, but couldn¡¯t find Olivia. Her eyes were getting strained. (Oh no! My eyes can¡¯t keep up!) As Claudia was feeling anxious, a shadow appeared overhead. She looked up, and saw Olivia swinging down with the sun behind her¡ª ¡°I-It¡¯s my lost.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t swing all the way through, and stopped with a paper thin margin. If this was a real fight, Claudia would be dead. ¡°Claudia has great moves, you must have trained relentlessly in the past. But you should avoid overusing your eyes. It¡¯s tiring, right?¡± Olivia was a little concerned. She seemed to understand this mysterious power that Claudia didn¡¯t even understand. ¡°Y-Yes, you are right. It puts a big strain on me. Second Lieutenant Olivia, you know what this power is?¡± ¡°Well, I was taught a lot of things. My ¡¶Fleet Footed Rush¡· from earlier will tire me out if I overuse it too.¡± Olivia smiled as she patted her legs. Claudia asked who Olivia¡¯s teacher was, but Olivia only said she would tell when it was time. Olivia had no intention of saying it right now. ¡°Speaking of which, that vanishing movement is called Fleet Footed Rush?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I think Claudia can master it too.¡± Claudia felt agitated when she heard that. If she could master Fleet Footed Rush, her abilities as a knight would improve by another level. Her thinking was always revolving around her swordsmanship. ¡°R-Really? If it¡¯s possible, please teach me next time!¡± ¡°Yes, got it. Let¡¯s have breakfast, I¡¯m famished.¡± Olivia said with a smile as she rubbed her belly. ¡°I will treat you to the special breakfast set then, Second Lieutenant Olivia.¡± ¡°Ehh? Is that fine? Wouldn¡¯t you need to pay for that, and quite a big sum of money too?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s my treat in return for you accompanying me for my training.¡± ¡°Aha! That¡¯s great!¡± Olivia started walking happily. Claudia stared at her back for a moment, and Olivia turned back to wave at Claudia: ¡°Claudia, what are you doing? Let¡¯s go to the mess hall~¡± ¡°I will be right there, Second Lieutenant!¡± With that, Claudia rushed over in high spirits. Epilogue: After the Award Ceremony... One month after the prisoners exchange. After leaving the task of garrisoning Kaspar castle to Major General Elman and 8,000 men, the combined unit returned to Fort Gallia. Fort Kiel showed no signs of movements, so they formed a new defence line centered around Kaspar castle. At the same time, Lambert and Neinhart returned directly from Fort Gallia back to the capital. They left Fort Gallia quite some time ago, so there were piles of work to be done, and Otto was so busy that his sense of time became a blur. Ashton who had officially started his career as a strategist assisted Otto. He would deal with military issues as Otto¡¯s assistant. On the other hand, Olivia and Claudia¡ª (Fufu. I wonder what kind of face the Second Lieutenant will make when she hears this news.) Claudia tried to relax her face as much as possible, cleared her throat, and knocked on the door. ¡°Claudia, right? Come in.¡± Claudia didn¡¯t state her name, but Olivia could tell it was her. Claudia wondered if her knocking was unique in some way, and opened the door. Inside the room, Olivia laid prone on her bed and read books as usual. She glanced towards Claudia and made a mean observation: ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Your face looks funny.¡± She probably relaxed her face without realizing it, and Claudia quickly refuted: ¡°I-It¡¯s not funny! Forget about that, there¡¯s good news! Don¡¯t be surprised when you hear it.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s just a hunch, but I think I won¡¯t be surprised at all.¡± Olivia said seriously. ¡°Fufu, wait till you hear this. The higher ups have decided to award you with the ¡®Medal of the Golden Lion¡¯! Are you surprised!!¡± ¡°¡­ Hmm~¡± Olivia responded disinterestedly, and continued reading her book. The place was quiet, except for the sound of the pages of her book being flipped. (Ehh!? That¡¯s all!?) Her unexpected reaction made Claudia stand stiffly in place. It was exactly as Olivia said. Something similar happened in the past too. (Back then, I thought I was dumped with a troublesome package, however¡­) Claudia smiled wryly, and approached Olivia who was lying prone in bed: ¡°Second Lieutenant! Do you really understand? This is the Medal of the Golden Lion. Medal of the Golden Lion! Only three people in history had received this award. This is a great honor!¡± The first was Chief Minister Leonheart V¨¢rquez, who swept out the corruption in the Kingdom in the 7th century of the Lunar Calendar, and saved the flailing country with reforms. The second was Major General Tristan Wrenchings. In the 8th century of the Lunar Calendar, Lord Dioter raised an army in an attempt to usurp the Kingdom, and the event was dubbed by historians as the ¡¶Dioter Uprising¡·. Major General Tristan put down the rebellion with 2,000 men within two days, earning him this medal. The third was Field Marshal Cornelius Wym Curling, who earned numerous war merits during the later half of the warring era in the 9th Century, the famous ¡¶Ever Victorious General¡·. Every one of them were great heroes. Furthermore, Olivia was the first woman to earn this honor, and with this, a new hero would rise in the Kingdom. But Olivia¡¯s reaction was¡ª ¡°¡­¡­Claudia, you really like honor, huh. Like I said, I prefer books and tasty food.¡± Olivia tapped on her book as she said that. Claudia was dumbfounded by this, and glanced at the book¡¯s cover. It was a book that she really liked when she was young, ¡¶Comet, the fairy that loves to play pranks¡·. ¡°Second Lieutenant, do you like Comet, the prankster fairy.¡± ¡°Yes. Comet is afraid of humans, but still insist on pranking them, that¡¯s so interesting. Claudia, have you read her stories too?¡± In response to Olivia¡¯s curious gaze, Claudia puffed out her chest proudly, and replied with a tone that suggest the answer was obvious: ¡°I don¡¯t mean to boost, but I have the entire Comet book series¡­ And this is a little embarrassing, but when I was young, I believe that Comet really existed, and even tried to catch her.¡± Claudia thought back about her childhood, and scratched her face a little bashfully. Olivia jumped up from her bed, and grabbed Claudia¡¯s shoulders. Her eyes were sparkling like a predator who had found her prey. Claudia was taken aback by her aggressiveness and asked in surprise: ¡°W-What is it!?¡± ¡°Me too! I did the same thing! I tried to catch Comet too!¡± Olivia said as she breathed heavily. Olivia was excited because she found a comrade, and Claudia was relieved after realizing that. She didn¡¯t have any friends who shared this interest, so Claudia suggested: ¡°What a coincidence. If you like it so much, why don¡¯t I give all of them to you? The entire series is still back in my house.¡± ¡°Ehh!? Really?¡± Olivia was smiling like a flower in full bloom, and any man who saw this would probably fall for her right on the spot. The heir of a grand noble would probably gift her a couple hundred books without any hesitation. Even though her shoulders were aching from Olivia¡¯s grip, Claudia couldn¡¯t help thinking about such meaningless things. ¡°Of course it¡¯s fine. But there are twenty odd books in the series. Well¡­ Can you manage them?¡± Claudia asked as she looked at the mountain of books in the room. Olivia patted her chest confidently and said: ¡°I will be alright. I will let Ashton tidy things up for me.¡± She had no intentions of tidying up herself. Claudia sympathized a little with Ashton who had been designated as the miscellaneous chore boy. ¡°I will send a letter back home and ask them to post the books over.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you very much! Claudia and Ashton are both good humans!¡± ¡°Hah. Thank you for your compliment.¡± She was confused by Olivia¡¯s odd choice of words as usual, but Claudia still thanked Olivia sincerely. (I told her about the Golden Lion Medal. Next, I have to ask her if she needs this.) Claudia glanced at the white crate under her armpit and asked Olivia: ¡°By the way, do you have a formal attire, Second Lieutenant?¡± ¡°Formal attire? No I don¡¯t.¡± Olivia asked in surprise. Claudia smiled, glad that she brought her attire with her. ¡°That would be a problem. You need to wear formal attire for the award ceremony.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t I just wear my uniform?¡± Olivia poked at the uniform she was wearing. Her uniform would be fine for most places, but an award ceremony was an exception. ¡°Regrettably, no.¡± ¡°Ehh~ Then can I not attend the award ceremony?¡± Claudia grabbed Olivia¡¯s hand as she was flipping the pages of her book. Olivia opened her eyes wide in surprise. ¡°C-Claudia!?¡± ¡°How can the star of the show not attend¡­!? Really now, I thought this will happen, so I brought my formal attire along. Fortunately, you are around my size, so you can probably wear mine.¡± ¡°Ehh~ That will be imposing on you too much, Claudia~ So don''t mind me~.¡± Olivia averted her eyes and said monotonously. Claudia tightened her grip on Olivia¡¯s hand, before Olivia could slip away. ¡°If you really feel that way, then put more emotion into your tone. Okay, try it on. Don¡¯t hesitate to tell me if anything doesn¡¯t feel right. I will get it tailored for you.¡± Claudia then handed a white formal wear to Olivia. On the shoulders were an embroidery of a grail and two lions, which represents the Kingdom. It was kept deep in storage inside a crate, so Claudia was glad that it still looked fine. ¡°Ehh~ Claudia seems really forceful recently.¡± Olivia complained, but still took off her uniform reluctantly. The formal wear had the same designs as the military uniform, so it was easy to put on. A moment later, Olivia looked just like a female military officer from the story books. ¡°Just as I thought, it suits you really well.¡± Claudia complimented her, but Olivia tilted her head and seemed a little dissatisfied. ¡°How is it?¡± The size seemed alright, and Claudia felt there wasn¡¯t any need to tailor the clothes. ¡°Hmm~ the chest is a bit tight and stuffling. And the waist is loose¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Claudia, are you listening?¡± ¡°That¡¯s how it¡¯s designed. So please bear with it.¡± ¡°Ehh? But you said you will tailor it if it doesn¡¯t fit¡­¡± ¡°There is no need to tailor it.¡± ¡°But you just¡ª¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°¡­ I-I see. I think you are right, Claudia.¡± Olivia nodded, and took off the formal wear under Claudia¡¯s icy glare. Fort Gallia, Main Hall The main hall that was normally not in use was crowded. Sparkling light shone from the extravagant chandelier hanging from the ceiling, and the Kingdom¡¯s banners of a grail with two lions covered the walls. In the middle of the main hall was Paul who was in formal attire and a purple cape. The military and civil officers stood in two neat columns. Otto who was also in formal attire stood beside Paul. On the pedestal was a shiny golden medal that had the emblems of a lion on it. ¡°Well then, let the award ceremony begin.¡± With that signal, the trumpets blew and the guards opened the heavy doors. Olivia who was in a white formal attire appeared. With the officers watching her, Olivia walked down the hall graciously. Many of the civil officers who only heard about Olivia before looked surprised. Some even took off their glasses and started wiping them. (They probably thought she was too swole to control.) Otto deduced, and heard one of the civil officers whisper: ¡°Who¡¯s the one who said she must be really buffed?¡± Olivia came before Paul, and knelt on one knee with her hand on her chest in one smooth motion. Otto was surprised by her galliant demeanour. There wasn¡¯t time to teach her etiquette before this, so he thought she would act a little unglamourously. Otto looked to Claudia standing on the right column, who shook her head. (It wasn¡¯t Warrant Officer Claudia who taught her¡ª? The mystery around the girl deepens again.) Otto felt confused, and Paul¡¯s eyes were shining like a boy who found a gem. ¡°Second Lieutenant Olivia. In recognition of your outstanding performance, I hereby bestow you with the Medal of the Golden Lion.¡± ¡°Yes Sir, I¡¯m deeply honored.¡± Otto pinned the medal on Olivia¡¯s breast as she knelt before him. Olivia got up, took one step back before bowing. She then turned with her red cape embedded with the emblem of the Kingdom twirling in the air, and walked off smartly. Many of the officers were in awe, and¡ª ¡°P-Pardon my intrusion!¡± The soldier barging in spoiled the mood. All the officers present furrowed their brows, and Otto admonished him harshly: ¡°The ceremony isn¡¯t over yet! Can¡¯t you wait!?¡± ¡°P-Pardon me, but¡ª¡± Paul said to the panicking soldier: ¡°It¡¯s fine. What¡¯s the matter?.¡± ¡°Yes, an urgent report came from the capital! The Third and Fourth Army defending the northern war theatre has been destroyed!¡± Lunar Calendar Year 999. The clouds over the Kingdom grew darker. Volume 2, Prologue: The Isolated Second Army Volume 2, Prologue: The Isolated Second Army Translator: Skythewood Editor: Hiiro Farnesse Kingdom, Central War Theatre The Kingdom shared its borders with three countries in the center of the Dubedirica continent, namely the minor states of Swaran Kingdom and the Principality of Stonia, as while as the Arsbelt Empire. And the central war theatre was where the fighting was most intense in this war. With the fall of the supposedly impregnable Fort Kiel and the decimation of the Fifth Army, a group of Kingdom soldiers were fighting desperately in this dire situation¡ª ¡°Your Excellency, there¡¯s an emergency report from the capital.¡± When he heard his adjutant say that, the man who was observing the battle through his telescope sighed softly. He could tell it was bad news from his adjutant¡¯s bitter tone. For this man, emergency communications from the capital were nothing but trouble. ¡°Can I choose to ignore it?¡± The man asked with a sense of resignation, and his adjutant responded flusteredly: ¡°O-Of course you can¡¯t! What are you¡ª¡± ¡°Sigh. I get it, I get it, don¡¯t yell.¡± The man kept his telescope back to his waist, and turned to the person speaking with him¡ª the stern faced Captain Liz Ploise. He gestured with his chin for her to continue, and Liz said with a melancholic face: ¡°According to the reports, the Third and Fourth Armies defending the northern frontlines had been destroyed. Lieutenant General Ritz Smith and Lieutenant General Linz Baltic died fighting for our Kingdom.¡± Liz¡¯s report was completely unexpected, and for an instant, time seemed to have stopped for a moment. ¡°¡­ Are there any doubts on the accuracy of this report?¡± Just to be sure, the man asked again. Liz shook her head firmly. At that moment, the images of the times he spent with the other two people in the Military Academy flashed across his mind. For him, these times were fulfilling, and seemed so far away. ¡°I see. Ritz and Linz are gone, huh¡­¡± Unable to hide the wavering in his heart, the man ignored the other officers with him, and lit a crumpled cigarette and started smoking. Mourning in silence wasn¡¯t his style, he still offered a silent prayer to the souls of his two comrades. The man was Brad Enfield. The commander of the Second Army, the last line of defence in the Central War Theatre, and what was stopping the enemy from marching on the capital. ¡°My condolences, but there¡¯s more.¡± Liz said reluctantly, and Brad ruffled his hair and urged her to continue. He was upset, since he knew it was definitely not good news. ¡°Orders from the capital, Lieutenant General Brad is to defend the Central War Theatre, and also keep the Imperial forces from the north at bay.¡± ¡°¡­ Excuse me, can you say that again?¡± Brad was wondering if his hearing was going because of his age. With that in mind, Brad asked again, however... ¡°Lieutenant General Brad is to defend the Central War Theatre, and also keep the Imperial forces from the north at bay.¡± Liz¡¯s reply was exactly the same as before. So his ears seemed to be fine. Brad then looked up slowly, and the sky was so blue and clear, that it didn¡¯t sound like a joke at all. A few grey birds soared in the air, mocking the foolish humans on the ground sloughing through a war. If this wasn¡¯t a battlefield, resting in this plains would definitely be a treat. ¡°¡­ Sigh¡­ What a pain. I should just pack my bags and run.¡± ¡°Your Excellency!!¡± Liz¡¯s angry shout made Brad shirked away. Brad then explained his reasons: ¡°Well, this is impossible, right? It takes everything we have just to hold on to this war theatre. And they want us to fend off the attacks from the north on top of that? Captain Liz, I think you understand how unreasonable the brass¡¯ orders are.¡± ¡°W-Well¡­¡± Liz lowered her gaze, unable to refute him. Once the Imperial forces that destroyed Ritz and Linz head down south, the Second Army would be surrounded. When that happens, Brad would join Ritz and Linz in the other world soon. The image of those two welcoming Brad with sheepish faces flashed across Brad¡¯s mind. He wasn¡¯t kidding just now. Brad had no intentions of dying in vain, or letting the Second Army be destroyed. He was more than half serious, and didn¡¯t care what the brass thought. £¨Enough. Let¡¯s see what are the escape routes¡­£© As Brad was drawing a route in his mind, he locked eyes with Liz. ¡°¡­¡­¡± She was staring at him, as if she had something to say. ¡°If there¡¯s more, can you say everything in one go?¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t be so obtuse. I forgot to add that the Seventh Army vanquished an Imperial Army of 50,000 on the Iris Plains, and succeeded in retaking Kasper Castle.¡± ¡°What!? Is that true!?¡± Brad asked in surprised, and Liz finally smiled. ¡°It is. The Seventh Army won a great and splendid victory.¡± ¡°A great victory¡­¡± It had been ages since Brad heard any good news. And this wasn¡¯t just winning a battle, but a great victory. The first since Fort Kiel fell. When Brad heard from Liz that they only suffered casualties in the single digits when retaking Kasper Castle, he laughed and fist pumped excitedly: ¡°Haha! As expected of Paul, that old geezer. To score an incredible victory in such a dire situation, no wonder they call him a demon god. ¡ªwait, in that case¡­¡± Brad thought for a moment with his hand on his chin, then ordered Liz to take out the map of the Kingdom¡¯s south with haste. When she brought it out, Brad impatiently laid it out on his table. ¡°If we set up a defense line over here¡­¡± Liz quietly watched as Brad busied himself in front of the map, letting him think without any disturbance. Be it for better or worse, he was thinking about things desperately¡ª ¡°¡ª This should work.¡± A while later, Brad shifted his gaze away from the map, and took a puff of smoke smugly. ¡°Your Excellency, did you think of a good idea. If so, may you share it with me?¡± Liz looked at him and asked. The other officers all cast hopeful gazes towards Brad. ¡°¡ª Hm? Well¡­ aside from running away, the only other option is for the Seventh Army to deal with the Imperial Army from the north. There¡¯s no other way.¡± Brad said confidently. Most of the officers were confounded by Brad, including Liz who asked with a frown: ¡°Sending the Seventh Army to engage the Imperial Army? Not the Sixth?¡± ¡°The Sixth Army? That¡¯s not possible.¡± After suffering terrible losses to the Full Metal Knights in the Southern War Theatre, the Sixth Army consolidated their forces and was now garrisoned in Vegeta Fort. Liz felt bashful when Brad reminded her of that. ¡°Indeed, that was thoughtless of me.¡± ¡°Even if the Sixth Army is available, I don¡¯t want to ask Lieutenant General Sara for aid. I¡¯m not good with the likes of Princesses.¡± Sara¡¯s cryptic smile flashed across Brad¡¯s mind. ¡°Leaving Your Excellency¡¯s personal preference aside, the Sixth Army is bogged down right now. But isn¡¯t the Seventh Army pinned down in the south too? And just as much as the Sixth Army too.¡± Liz still refuted his point, and was confident of it. The other officers all nodded in agreement. ¡°The Seventh Army is pinned down? Why do you think that?¡± Brad couldn¡¯t understand why his subordinates couldn¡¯t accept his views, and answered seriously. Liz was dumbstruck, and her face seems to say: ¡°You can¡¯t even figure that out?¡±. ¡°You are seriously asking why? We retook Kasper Castle, but Fort Kiel is still a threat, so we can¡¯t move recklessly.¡± ¡°Which means?¡± ¡°It means the Seventh Army can¡¯t leave Kasper Castle easily.¡± Liz said as she pointed out Kasper Castle and Fort Kiel on the map, adding her analysis on why the Seventh Army couldn¡¯t be moved. After hearing her out, Brad smiled proudly. ¡°Wrong. You are wrong, it¡¯s the opposite, the Seventh Army have broken loose of their shackles.¡± ¡°Broken loose of their shackles? What do you mean by that?¡± Liz¡¯s blue eyes were filled with confusion. ¡°I mean that literally. The importance of Kasper Castle lies in the solid defence line that can be set around it.¡± ¡°A solid defence line¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. The terrain there is complicated, and if we made good use of that, we can hold off a large army with a small number of men. However, that will only be true if an excellent commander is in charge. That is a mandatory condition.¡± War couldn¡¯t be easily won by a smaller force by using the advantage of terrain. It would be pointless if the commander couldn¡¯t make full use of their advantage. This was basically true whenever you were fighting an enemy superior in numbers. After listening to Brad¡¯s explanation, Liz looked at the map and muttered to herself, pushing her glasses up from time to time: ¡°¡ª I see. The river flowing eastwest serves as a natural moat, and the cliffs to the south is very treacherous. The paths are narrow and not ideal for deploying a large army. It¡¯s a great defensive position for us. But it is as you said, Your Excellency, an excellent commander will be necessary.¡± Liz raised her head enlightened. £¨She is quick on her feet, as expected of the top graduate from the Royal Military Academy. She will be perfect if she is more flexible¡­£© Brad thought as he watched Liz say all that as easily as a flick of her finger. ¡°If I remember correctly, that baldie Elman is in the Seventh Army. Give him 10,000 men, and the south would be safe and secure.¡± ¡°I concur. Major General Elman is known for his defensive abilities, and can repel an Imperial Army.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. And so, we don¡¯t have to place too much attention to Fort Galia. In other words¡ª¡± ¡°In other words, the Seventh Army will be free to move.¡± Liz finished Brad¡¯s sentences. Brad smiled awkwardly, and nodded gently. ¡°That¡¯s how it is.¡± ¡°Understood, I will send an urgent message to the capital.¡± As he watched Liz leave with brisk steps, Brad bit onto another cigarette. To be honest, he was hoping for the First Army to move out and assist immediately. But he didn¡¯t list that as a possibility because he knew Alphonse wouldn¡¯t give permission to send out the First Army. After the demise of the Fifth Army, the Third and Fourth Army had fallen too. The Empire was fully capable of attacking the capital now. Brad didn¡¯t see Alphonse as a man wise and decisive enough to send the First Army out to the frontlines. £¨Even though I¡¯m the one who brought it up, I don¡¯t want to owe any favours to the Seventh Army either. Old geezer Paul is really scary.£© Brad puffed out smoke along with a sigh, which vanished into the air along with the dust. Chapter 1: The Girl Known Both as a Hero and a Monster ¢ñ Lunar Calendar 999. The capital bid farewell to Spring, and ushered in the warmth of the early Summer days. Normally, this would be the period where commercial activities were at its peak, however¡ª ¡°The Royal Army in the north has been destroyed.¡± ¡°Ehh? Won¡¯t the capital be in danger?¡± ¡°The First Army led by the Ever Victorious General, Lord Cornelius is here, so it will be safe. However¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no telling how things might turn out. If the worst happens, they might abandon us and flee on their own.¡± News of the Third and Fourth Armies¡¯ demise weighed heavily in the hearts of the capital¡¯s citizens. The two armies won recently in the Battle of Berkerley, and was even poised to invade the Empire too, so this sudden turn of events were even more disappointing. And of course, this meant the north of the Kingdom had fallen into the hands of the Empire. Merchants who were sharp concluded that the fate of the Kingdom had been sealed, and rushed to move their family to the Confederation of Sutherland in the south of the continent. This would accentuate the pressing matter of food supply. The loss of merchants would cause the stagnation of supplies, which was just common sense. Fizz was the Royal capital, and had plenty of food stored in warehouses. And with the First Army garrisoned here, there weren''t any riots, unlike other cities. But it was clear that the situation would only get worse with time. Royal Capital Fizz, Leticia Palace, Audience Hall When news of the Seventh Army recovering Kasper Castle arrived, the King of Farnesse, Alphonse Sem Garmund, was having his meal. Even so, he still waved his arms around in joy. It wasn¡¯t just happiness from winning a battle after such a long time, he also saw the hope of retaking Fort Kiel. However, the situation was turned on its head in just two months. When he received news of the Third and Fourth Armies¡¯ demise, Alphonse fell into despair. The recapturing of Fort Kiel was built on the condition that the Third and Fourth Armies were still intact, and he knew that attacking Fort Kiel with the First Army would be foolish. Bad news kept coming. The ¡¶Lloyds Merchants¡· that had close dealings with the Farnesse Royal family for generations had vanished. When he heard this report, Alphonse could almost hear his standings crack literally. This meant the future of the Farnesse Kingdom had been completely dismissed¡ª As if to hint the future of the Kingdom, the Audience Hall was dyed red by the setting sun. The sentries that always stood guard by the door were nowhere to be found. £¨This war had gone on for four years¡­ Compared to the past, it had grown much quieter.£© Cornelius who was here to seek an audience with Alphonse looked up at the vast empty space up above, and smiled awkwardly. There were no signs of frequent visitors seeking audiences, and the doors engraved with lions did not open and close repeatedly as it once did. The place were still cleaned, but even the decorations adorning the Audience Hall seemed lonesome. Cornelius was feeling sentimental when he heard faint footsteps. It came from inside the hall, and there was a hint of haste in the even pacing. A sound Cornelius was already familiar with. £¨Well well, he is finally here¡­£© Cornelius knelt down and genuflected before his liege. Shortly after, the door opened and Alphonse entered with a few escorts. After glancing at Cornelius, Alphonse got onto the throne as if he was falling down into it. ¡°Gramps. What¡­ What should I do? I don¡¯t know what I should do now¡­ No, I didn¡¯t know what I should do from the very start¡­¡± Alphonse sighed deeply, and said depressingly. His words lacked dignity, and his face was as pale as ash. According to the servants, Alphonse had lost his appetite, and was much skinnier now. Such a weak demeanour was unfitting for the King of Farnesse, and he only appeared like a King because of his lavish dressing and silver crown. Cornelius was pained by this scene, and advised: ¡°Your Majesty, please don¡¯t blame yourself. We have repelled the Imperial Army in the south, and it will just be a matter of time before we recover the north. Pardon my impudence, but the First Army will gladly take on this task.¡± In response to Cornelius¡¯ hopeful words, Alphonse answered sternly: ¡°A-Absolutely not! The First Army just have to guard the capital and the central territories!¡± Alphonse¡¯s agitated response made Cornelius shrug and sigh. The central territory was the capital Fizz and the surrounding cities that were prosperous from commerce. The movement of people was worlds apart from the northern and southern areas, and was a financial hub. The Kingdom had fallen on hard times in recent years, but it was still the backbone that supports the entire Kingdom. Alphonse¡¯s military acumen was mediocre, but he had an eye for economics matters. He objected to the plan to retake Kasper Castle in the past, but the complication of this issue was on an entirely different level. Hence Cornelius, didn¡¯t insist on deploying the First Army. ¡°Then are we going with the current standing orders, and let the Second Army in the Central War Theatre fight alone? Once the Imperial Army in the north march southwards, the Second Army would be surrounded and destroyed.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right...! I know it¡¯s difficult, but there¡¯s no other way¡­¡± Alphonse said as he held his head in resignation. Cornelius was speechless when he saw that. He watched Alphonse grew up, and had never seen Alphonse act so dejected before. At the same time, he felt relieved that Alphonse understood how much of a pinch the Second Army was in. ¡°Your Majesty, the Second Army had requested for the Seventh Army to engage the Imperial forces in the north. May I have your permission to proceed with this request?¡± Surprised by what Cornelius said, Alphonse raised his head, and brushed his neat brows: ¡°The Seventh Army...? Don¡¯t they need to garrison Kasper Castle and Fort Galia?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. We have built a solid defense line around Kasper Castle, so the Seventh Army is free to move.¡± ¡°¡­ You are not lying to me, right?¡± Alphonse looked at Cornelius with suspicious eyes. To ease his suspicions, Cornelius looked right back at him: ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare lie to you, Your Majesty.¡± Alphonse asked what would they do if Fort Kiel sent in a large army to invade. He was afraid of the fort that was recovered after so much effort falling into enemy hands again. It might sound pessimistic for a ruler, but as one in charge of the military, he had the responsibility of considering that possibility. ¡°Kasper Castle will be garrisoned by the best defensive General in the Seventh Army. We have the advantage in terrain, and will be secured even if the Empire attacks with huge numbers.¡± Seeing Cornelius answer so firmly, Alphonse closed his eyes and started to think. Five minutes passed, ten minutes, maybe even longer. Cornelius waited quietly all this while. Finally, Alphonse opened his eyes, and sighed heavily: ¡°¡ªAlright then, I will trust you. Send the Seventh Army to the north as reinforcements. But in exchange, the First Army have to focus on defending the central area around the Royal Capital from now on. How about it?¡± ¡°Yes my liege! Thank you for accepting my proposal!¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid of you threatening to resign again.¡± After saying that in jest, Alphonse left the Audience Hall. As his footsteps grew distant, the Audience Hall fell silent once again. Cornelius who was left behind stood up slowly and let out a deep sigh. £¨That¡¯s all I can do for now. The rest will be up to the Seventh Army and Paul¡­£© ¢ò Royal Army, Fort Galia War Room Paul who had been promoted to General for winning the Battle of the Iris Plains gathered the key officers under him for a war conference. Alphonse issued an edict, ordering the Seventh Army to engage the Imperial Army that crushed the Third and Fourth Armies in the north. Major Olivia who was exceptionally promoted three ranks were amongst the officers gathered, together with the First Lieutenant Claudia who was promoted two grades, and an uneasy youth. He was recognized for the success of his plan to seize Kasper Castle, and was fast tracked from Private all the way up to Warrant Officer. ¡°¡ª As you have already heard, we will be engaging the Imperial forces to the north on the King¡¯s orders.¡± Similarly, Otto had been promoted to Senior Colonel. All the officers nodded tensely when they heard that. £¨Except Olivia who was staring at the ceiling with a bored expression, and supporting her cheeks with her palm£©. Otto suppressed the urge for his fists to tremble, and explained the situation. As the officers shared their views and opinions, one man raised his hand. He was Major General Hosmund Chrysler who commanded the right flank during the Battle of Iris. ¡°Since the Second Army is in peril, then we should make haste. I volunteer to lead 3,000 troops as an advance party, and also use this chance to scout out the situation?¡± When Hosmund said that, there were mainly two types of reactions. Those who agreed and nodded, and those with lukewarm expressions. The reaction of the former was obvious to Otto, but those in the latter group appeared to have seen through Hosmund¡¯s eagerness to earn war merits. And that was the truth, Hosmund was very anxious. He didn¡¯t achieve great results in the Battle of Iris, and wanted to make up for it during the siege of Kasper Castle. But Olivia captured the Castle before he even reached the place. Elman who was a commoner getting promoted to Lieutenant General made him even more anxious. ¡°Your Excellency, what do you think about Major General Hosmund¡¯s proposal?¡± He handed the buck over to Paul, but Otto had his reservations about this. Scouts would be more than enough for reconnaissance. He could understand that Hosmund wants to earn war merits, but their mission was to vanquish the forward elements of the enemy that might be marching onto the central territory. And of course, they need to take into consideration the plans to recover the northern zone too. To Otto, 3,000 men wasn¡¯t a small number, and he wanted to avoid as much risk as possible. ¡°Major General Hosmund, if we want to conduct reconnaissance, can¡¯t we just send out scouts? I don¡¯t see any point in spreading our forces out.¡± Paul felt the same way too, and Hosmund stood up agitatedly and refuted loudly: ¡°Lord Paul, even as we are deliberating here, there is a chance that the Imperial Army is already marching down south. In my humble opinion, our biggest enemy right now is time. If we move too slowly, we might lose the Second Army too. We can¡¯t afford to send out scouts and wait leisurely for intel!¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ You do have a point.¡± When Paul said that, most of the officers nodded in agreement. The exception would be Olivia who asked loudly: ¡°Another cup of tea!¡± as well as Claudia and Ashton who were hanging their heads sheepishly beside her. Otto forced a cough, and asked Olivia: ¡°Major Olivia, what¡¯s your opinion on this?¡± ¡°Me¡ª? I will think about it when I meet the enemy.¡± As she said that, Olivia added the expensive sugar into her tea without any reservations, and started sipping it. Otto felt speechless about her attitude, and looked to Ashton to her right. ¡°What about you, Warrant Officer Ashton?¡± ¡°Y-Yes Sir! I¡ª in my humble opinion, I don¡¯t see the need to send out an advance party!¡± Right after saying that, Ashton¡¯s face started to cramp. All the officers looked at him with surprise, since he had obviously misspoken. £¨It¡¯s only natural for them to react that way, but we are discussing whether to send out scouts, or for Major General Hosmund to lead the advance party personally. Both options includes sending men out in advance. It is ridiculous to deny the need to perform recconaisance.£© Otto thought, and Hosmund asked Ashton impatiently: ¡°I have heard of your outstanding performance during the assault on Kasper Castle. It is truly impressive and beyond me. Hence, I¡¯m very interested in the reason why you refute my proposal. I still have much to learn, and I hope you can enlighten me.¡± The Conference Room grew tense, and the subject who caused this scene looked to Otto for help. Otto gestured with his lips for Ashton to go on, because he was interested in the opinion of this youth who looked unreliable at first glance. Ashton jerked his shoulders, and stuttered his opinion with a pained expression¡ª ¡ª The day after the War Conference in Fort Galia. Major General Hosmund led a Cavalry Regiment of 3,000 men and set off for the largest city in the north of the Kingdom, the Fortress City Emreed. The War Conference concluded that if the Imperial Army was to march south, they would definitely seize Emreed. In short, Ashton¡¯s opinion was rejected, and Hosmund¡¯s proposal was accepted. On top of that, Olivia¡¯s Cavalry Regiment would set off one week later as the second wave, while the main force would move out two weeks later. As Fort Galia were busy preparing for war, Claudia who was walking down the passageway with a document in hand saw Olivia exit the archives room. £¨Hmm? Why is the Major going to the archives room? There isn¡¯t any books she likes in there¡­£© With that in mind, Claudia called out to her from behind, and Olivia turned around lethargically. ¡°Oh, Claudia.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t look good, are you feeling unwell?¡± Normally, Olivia was the very sign of vitality, but she looked depressed now. ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m on my way to the mess hall.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Olivia feeling depressed over something other than food was rare. ¡°Well, I can¡¯t find any clues¡­¡± Olivia smiled weakly. Speaking of which, Claudia would lose sight of Olivia at times. She thought Olivia had gone to the mess, but it seems that she was searching for something. ¡°May I help?¡± She didn¡¯t know what Olivia was searching for, but two would be better than one. Olivia patted Claudia¡¯s shoulder, and said: ¡°Okay, I will be counting on you next time. Let¡¯s go eat something for now.¡± Even though she said that, Claudia had the feeling she had been rejected. £¨Since she isn¡¯t feeling unwell, then it should be fine. I might be her Executive Officer, but I shouldn¡¯t interfere too much into her private matters.£© With that in mind, Claudia headed to the mess together with Olivia. At the mess, the two of them found Ashton sitting by himself in a corner. He was drinking soup with a bitter expression. £¨Speaking of which, I should ask him about what he said yesterday.£© Claudia swiftly took the bread and bowlful of soup from the busy lunch lady, and sat down opposite Ashton. ¡°Hey, why did you say all that yesterday? Isn¡¯t that too fantastical? I was surprised.¡± When Claudia said that to him, Ashton¡¯s right hand that was holding a spoon turned stiff, and he raised his head timidly. He looked like a child who got caught in the middle of a prank, and was very apologetic. ¡°I really thought that way at that time. Well, it¡¯s true that sounded rather fantastical¡­¡± ¡°Halb halb edicius nietspe?¡± Olivia who sat down beside Claudia stuffed bread into her mouth and supported Ashton¡¯s opinion. ¡°Major, please swallow before you talk. This is unsightly.¡± Claudia advised Olivia quietly. Olivia nodded docilely, and Ashton¡¯s expression relaxed after seeing their sisterly interaction. The sight of the blonde Claudia and the silver haired Olivia reminded Ashton of the golden and silver lions on the Kingdom¡¯s coat of arms. Then the cup between them would be the grail on the coat of arms. Ashton¡¯s thoughts started to wander. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s impossible. Like Ashton said, isn¡¯t that too much of a coincidence? Just two months after we capture Kasper Castle, and the Third and Fourth Armies got crushed. It should be fine to think of that as a taunt towards the Seventh Army.¡± Olivia concurred with Ashton again. Why didn¡¯t she do so during the war conference? Claudia thought suddenly, and then remembered that Olivia was mesmerized with her tea back then, which answered her own question. ¡°However, this is still too large a leap in logic. Why would the Imperial forces in the north want to lure the Seventh Army there?¡± ¡ªWhat Ashton said was as follows: ¡ºIn my humble opinion, the Imperial forces deployed in the north are waiting for the Seventh Army, so we don¡¯t need to rush.¡» The moment he said that, most of the officers cast sympathetic gazes his way. Paul and Otto remained silent, but still showed a troubled face as the other officers were watching. As for Hosmund, he said: ¡ºAs expected of the strategist of Major Olivia, your thinking is really unique.¡», and showed a condescending smile. He was also taking pot shots at Olivia, so Claudia was furious. However, she couldn¡¯t rebuke a general, and just scolded him in her heart. Rank was everything here. In this world, what your superiors said was law. But that aside, Ashton¡¯s words were too strange. Claudia thought of herself as Ashton¡¯s supporter, but she couldn¡¯t find the reason and courage to defend him. £¨But the Major understood what Ashton said. Am I unable to gauge Ashton¡¯s capabilities as a strategist?£© With that in mind, Claudia looked right at Ashton: ¡°W-Well, actually, I said that without thinking. And my opinion was rejected, so don¡¯t pay it any mind.¡± Ashton said as if the matter didn¡¯t concern him, and started drinking soup to avoid Claudia¡¯s gaze. He needed to be disciplined. ¡°You fool! Then don¡¯t say that in the first place!¡± ¡°E-Even if you say that, but that demon¡ª Senior Colonel Otto suddenly put me on the spot, and I was really nervous¡­¡± Ashton scratched the back of his head sheepishly, and Claudia sighed in response. He was just commissioned recently, so it was understandable that he felt uneasy, but that wasn¡¯t a reason why he couldn¡¯t get out of the mindset of a foot soldier. ¡°Really now¡­ It is only natural for the higher ups to seek your opinions during such occasions. And you are the Major¡¯s strategist. Ashton you need to be more firm in your attitude.¡± ¡°Haha, Ashton is getting scolded.¡± Olivia looked at Ashton gleefully. ¡°You...!? Sigh, I¡¯m very sorry.¡± Ashton slouched his shoulders depressedly. To console him, Olivia gently stroked his back and said: ¡°Don¡¯t take it too hard.¡± She looked like an older sister soothing her brother, although Ashton was four years older than Olivia. Claudia smiled wryly at them in her heart, and said to Olivia: ¡°You too, Major, now isn¡¯t the time to laugh at others. Please choose your family name by today, you can¡¯t drag it on any longer.¡± She spent four hours catching Olivia last time, and two hours for the day before. When Olivia saw the smiling Claudia drew near, she protested quietly: ¡°Family names are unnecessary. I don¡¯t want to be a noble either. And I already have the wonderful name Olivia.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t. Since the Major has been officially appointed as a Chevalier of the Kingdom, then you will need a family name. Senior Colonel Otto is also urging you to decide quickly?¡± Peerage in the Farnesse Kingdom were hereditary. Scions of nobles were nobles, while commoners would always be commoners. However, there were exceptions. For example, a noble man taking a commoner wife, and the wife would then be a noble. Many wealthy merchants marry their daughters to nobles to gain all sorts of benefits, while the nobles would join the family of merchants in maritony to secure funds and wealth. There was another exception. Those who achieved remarkable feats, and was bestowed with the title of Chevalier. This was the law set by the founder of the Farnesse Kingdom, Julius Zu Farnesse, and how Olivia received her peerage. As Claudia said all that, Olivia covered her ears defiantly. She even pressed her head down onto the table. Claudia was at a loss, and Ashton gently tapped Olivia¡¯s shoulder: ¡°Olivia, you should decide quickly. The de¡ª Senior Colonel Otto can be really scary.¡± Ashton trembled when he said that, as these words resonated with him. Olivia slowly raised her head and agreed reluctantly. He then drank all the soup and said. ¡°¡ª I¡¯m going back to work.¡± Ashton who had eyes like a dead fish returned to Otto¡¯s office. After seeing him off, the two of them headed to Claudia¡¯s room. ¡°Oh~ Claudia¡¯s room is so tidy, unlike mine.¡± Olivia surveyed the room curiously. A plain bed, desk and shelf, without any decorations. Claudia thought Olivia¡¯s room was messy, but couldn¡¯t bring herself to say it. ¡°It¡¯s only natural since I only used this room to rest.¡± With that, Claudia took a thick book off the shelf. It has the records of all the noble clans that had been discontinued for all sorts of reasons. She urged Olivia to sit on the bed, and flipped the pages after sitting down beside her. ¡°¡ª Wait, Major! What are you doing!?¡± ¡°I want to sleep after my meal.¡± Claudia dragged Olivia out of her blanket, and shoved a book before her. If Olivia didn¡¯t decide on a family name soon, Otto would start banging tables again. ¡°Enough, choose.¡± ¡°Claudia, you are so forceful.¡± Olivia grumbled as she took the book, and flipped the pages disinterestedly. She couldn¡¯t sit still just one minute later, and asked Claudia: ¡°¡­ Hey, why don¡¯t we play tag instead¡ª¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°What about hide and seek¡ª¡± ¡°Absolutely not.¡± ¡°¡­Claudia is so wilful.¡± Olivia said with a serious face: ¡°That¡¯s my line!¡± Claudia shouted angrily, and at this moment, Olivia stopped flipping the pages randomly. ¡°This coat of arms¡­¡± ¡°Hmm? Which one?¡± Something finally caught Olivia¡¯s interest, so Claudia looked at the page. What she saw was a skull surrounded by crimson roses. On the forehead of the skull was a diamond-shaped ruby, with two black scythes crossed behind the skull. £¨What an ominous coat of arms.£© Claudia thought. She checked the year the clan was discontinued, and saw it was Year 840 of the Lunar Calendar. A clan that died out more than 150 years ago, but the reason wasn¡¯t recorded. ¡°The Valedstorm clan, huh¡­ How strange, the reason for its discontinuation should be recorded, but there¡¯s nothing written here¡­?¡± Beside Claudia who was tilting her head bafflingly, Olivia stared at the coat of arms on the book with an incredibly serious face. Her usual carefree expression was nowhere to be found. Claudia wanted to observe such a rare sight for a little longer, but Olivia slowly raised her head. ¡°¡ªI have decided. This will be my family name.¡± ¡°Ehh!? It¡¯s urgent, but you don¡¯t have to be so sloppy about it. There¡¯s plenty of other clans too.¡± Why did she have to choose this one out of all Coat of arms? Claudia snatched the book from her, flipped to another page and said: ¡°What do you think about this one? It matches your hair colour, I think it suits you.¡± It was a little forceful, but Claudia still pointed to a coat of arms which was a silver moon decorated with Salsasou flowers. But Olivia didn¡¯t even look at it. ¡°No need. From henceforth, I¡¯m Olivia Valedstorm.¡± ¡°But¡­ I see, understood.¡± Claudia could tell Olivia¡¯s resolve from her eyes, and gave up. ¡°By the way, is it possible to find the reason why is this clan discontinued?¡± ¡°The reason, huh¡­¡± Claudia touched the book gently as she thought about Olivia¡¯s question. This aristocratic family had been gone for more than 150 years, so it wouldn¡¯t be easy to investigate. With that in mind, Claudia raised her face and saw Olivia was very serious. ¡°Well¡­ I think we can find out if we visit the Royal Library in the capital.¡± ¡°Royal Library?¡± Olivia tilted her head. ¡°Don¡¯t you know? It has the records of the entire history of the Kingdom. The Farnesse Kingdom is the country with the longest history in the entire Dubedirica continent. It is not a stretch to call this country as history itself. We should be able to find out anything if we go there.¡± ¡°The place that holds all of history¡­¡± Olivia muttered with a face stiffer than ever. This made her delicate face look even more unreal. ¡°Major?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Major!¡± ¡°Ah, sorry.¡± Olivia finally came back to her senses, and forced a smile. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing, don¡¯t mind me. Speaking of which, Adjutant Otto wants me to decide on a name quickly, right?¡± ¡°Ehh? Yes, that¡¯s true¡­¡± ¡°Then you should hurry up and tell him then, Claudia.¡± ¡°Ehh? Wait, don¡¯t push me! I will go, I will go!¡± Olivia pushed her with her superhuman strength, and Claudia reluctantly left the room. When Claudia turned back, the door was already locked. There was no going back now. £¨But that¡¯s my room¡­ But what¡¯s wrong with the Major?£© She was puzzled by the sudden change in events, but Claudia still headed towards Otto¡¯s office¡ª Olivia listened to Claudia¡¯s footsteps that grew distant as she picked up the book that fell on the bed. She then took out a large gem. It was a crimson gem that was left for her along with that dark sword. She flipped to the page with the Valedstorm clan¡¯s coat of arms again, and compared it with her gem. £¨¡­ As I thought, the shape and color are an exact match.£© With that confirmed, Olivia looked at the two scythes behind the skull. The corners of her lips raised gradually, before she laughed out loud in glee: ¡°Ahaha! I finally found a clue on Z! Wait for me, Z!¡± ¢ó Olivia Valedstorm, who was known in the future as the Dark Hero, was said to have made her debut in the Dubedirica continent in the Lunar Calendar Year 999. Chronicles of the Dubedirica Hero was set during a war, and describe the exploits of the silver haired girl Olivia who wields a dark sword. It was so popular that a picture book for children was published too. But unlike the other chronicles about heroes, one part was completely different. Compared to other chronicles where the story starts from the protagonist¡¯s childhood, the Chronicles of the Dubedirica Hero begun with Olivia¡¯s exploits as a 15 years old girl in the Royal Army. In other words, there were no earlier records. The drawing books did mentioned her childhood, but that was just fiction made up by the author for his target audience who were children. Her origins were shrouded in mystery, but the biggest mystery was about her being raised by a Death God. Death God had always been a fictional existence, and most people would scoff at any suggestion that a Death God exists. Even if one did exist, why would it raise Olivia? No one could answer this question. However, stories about the Death God that was supposedly said by Olivia sounded really convincing. That was what baffled many researchers. Most scholars thought the Death God was a euphemism for the person who raised Olivia, but there were some who really believed that the Death God exists. They based this on a letter discovered in recent years. More accurately speaking, it seemed to be a letter. It was found between a book that was believed to belong to Olivia, and was discovered by chance by an administrator. It might be a letter written to Olivia by the Death God, but there are many curious points. One of the reasons this was said to be a letter from a Death God was the words on it. Through the entire history of the continent, they couldn¡¯t find a language that matches that of the letter. And as to collaborate this evidence, Olivia would at times speak in an indecipherable language. The scholars would debate over this intensely. Even now, there still wasn¡¯t any conclusion to this argument. Olivia Valedstorm had always been shrouded in mystery, which was one of the reasons why people were drawn to her. Imperial Army, Windsam Castle Commander¡¯s Office Windsam Castle was now the base of one of the three generals of the Empire, Rosenmarie, commander of the Crimson Knights. The beautiful white walls built along the hill were pristine and untarnished by the fires of war. It was clear that Windsam Castle was seized without a fight. After the landlords ruling the territories around Windsam Castle surrendered the stronghold, they used the excuse of ¡°greeting¡± her and offer tributes of famous paintings, swords and bags of gold in an obnoxious display of currying favour. The reason was simple, they were the first to learn of the Third and Fourth Armies¡¯ demise, and quickly submit to the Imperial forces. As a result, Rosenmarie gained control of the northern part of the Kingdom easily. To those landlords, the Kingdom was doomed. To give a good impression to their new overlords, they showed no regards for their reputation¡ª £¨Really now, this must be what they mean by slackjawed from surprise¡­£© Rosenmarie¡¯s adjutant, Colonel Gaier Neurat looked at the pile of documents on her desk, and sighed: ¡°I can¡¯t believe this is the famous Kingdom that was known as the Lion State. Especially that man who surrendered this castle unconditionally. It might sound strange for me to say this, but he is so ready to butter up to us, the invaders, that it makes me sick. Don¡¯t they have any shame?¡± ¡°The results speak for themselves. They are more bark than bite.¡± Rosenmarie scoffed. ¡°Never mind, thanks to that, it saves us a lot of trouble.¡± ¡°Instead of that, what about the movements of the Seventh Army that killed General Osborne? It¡¯s about time for the Heat Haze to submit their report, right?¡± Rosenmarie looked impatient when she asked that. Gaier shook his head silently on response. They already despatched Heat Haze agents to scout out the movements of the Seventh Army, but had not gotten any useful intel yet. ¡°Tch! Heat Haze is so useless sometimes¡­ Hmm? What¡¯s wrong? Something worrying you?¡± When he saw Rosenmarie looking at him with probing eyes, Gaier clicked his tongue in his heart. £¨Shit, did I show it on my face¡­ Sigh, looks like I still have a ways to go.£© Adjutants had to appear calm and composed at all times. Even more so for the adjutant of someone as feisty as Rosenmarie. But it would seem unnatural if he still held back, which would make Rosenmarie unhappy. With that in mind, Gaier made his resolve and answered: ¡°Your Excellency, have you heard about the rumour that the Seventh Army has a monster girl amongst their ranks?¡± Before he even finished, there was a loud moan from Rosenmarie¡¯s chair. From her reaction, Gaier could tell Rosenmarie had heard about them. After the prisoners exchange, the repatriated Imperial soldiers mentioned about a beautiful girl who was a monster in disguise, which had spread amongst the troops. She couldn¡¯t be harmed by blades. Arrows was rendered useless. Death awaits all who dare challenge her. This wasn¡¯t the first time such rumours spread. When the fear of an opponent passed a limit, it wasn¡¯t strange for people to view that opponent as being superhuman. Gaier felt this was no different from the characters of a fictional work. However, there were too many delusional victims this time. This single monster girl managed to send thousands of soldiers into hysteria. Many of the soldiers who engaged with her lost their minds. It was difficult for Gaier to dismiss all this as just delusions. He felt a sense of unease on the prospect of fighting the Seventh Army. It wasn¡¯t clear if she understood how he felt, but Rosenmarie said with a smile: ¡°Monster girl? Hah! So what? No matter who my foe might be, I will make them pay for murdering General Osborne. With this thing I have just gotten!¡± Rosenmarie stood up and took one of the swords hanging on the wall behind her. The blade she drew out was dyed red, as if it was heated. Gaier wasn¡¯t sure if he was imagining things, but the temperature seemed to be rising too. ¡°¡­ What a curious sword. Is this done with the miracle of the goddess, ¡®Sorcery¡¯?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know the details, since Felixus is the one who gave this to me. But one thing is for certain, it will give a taste of hell to anyone it cuts. Even the monster.¡± Rosenmarie took a stance and rose the corners of her lips. Compared to winning the war against the Kingdom, obliterating the Seventh Army that killed Osborne was more important to her. That was understandable, but she was still one of the Tri-General of the Empire. Rosenmary had an obligation and duty to the troops and citizens of the Empire. Gaier felt it was necessary to caution her, and said: ¡°Avenging Lord Osborne is important, but Your Excellency, you are still the Commander-in-Chief of the Crimson Knights, and the important post as one of the Tri-Generals of the Empire. Please don¡¯t forget that.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to remind me. That¡¯s why I¡¯m dealing with the administrative works right now.¡± Rosenmarie tapped on the documents on her table, and looked away unhappily. Because of her position, she had to govern the northern territories of the Kingdom that she had seized. Since the landlords surrendered to Rosenmarie, she decided to exploit them, so the unhappiness towards the Empire would be directed to those landlords instead. Right now, they would impose policies that would be detrimental to the residents through these landlords. When the unhappiness of the people reached its peak, she would have the mandate to replace the landlords with bureaucrats from the Empire, and let the residents execute those landlords themselves. That was Rosenmarie¡¯s plan. Rosenmarie was well known for her martial prowess, but she was also an outstanding administrator too. Although her governance methods were incredibly sly. £¨It would take a lot of time to control the northern territories of the Kingdom. Looks like we will need to shore up the foundations first¡­£© Their war with the Royal Army was still ongoing, and they would need to be perfectly prepared in order to destroy the Seventh Army. After all, they had a monster girl working under them. Chapter 2: The Autonomous Cavalry Regiment, Begins ¢ñ ¡°Z, is it fine now?¡± ¡°No. You won¡¯t hit your target like this.¡± ¡°But why? It has already stopped.¡± In the sights of the girl who had drawn her bow¡¯s string fully, was a grey fox. Grey foxes could be found throughout the Dubedirica continent, and its ears that had some patches of black were twitching. ¡°Grey foxes are timid creatures. Its ears are always listening. Something like a sonar.¡± ¡°What¡¯s a sonar?¡± ¡°A complicated machine that uses soundwaves to detect objects.¡± ¡°Soundwave? Complicated machine?¡± Z would sometimes use difficult words. The girl tilted her head bafflingly. ¡°¡­ Don¡¯t mind what I just said. You just need to know that at your level, you won¡¯t hit your target if you shoot now.¡± ¡°What should I do then?¡± ¡°I always told you the same thing. Observe your opponents carefully.¡± The girl put down her bow, and stared at the grey fox as Z instructed. A while later, the fox¡¯s fidgeting ears suddenly pointed in the same direction. ¡°Z.¡± ¡°It seems to have found a prey. Follow the grey fox¡¯s sights.¡± Z leaned close to the girl¡¯s face and pointed forward. The girl felt bashful, but still looked as instructed. ¡°Oh, a spotted hare.¡± As its name implies, it was a hare with spots in its fur. It had blended into the background, and changed its fur into a shade of light green. Because of its abilities, it was also called a mimic hare. ¡°Remember. No matter how wary the fox might be, it is a different matter when it hunts. Since they are alive, they have to eat to survive. When its attention is on the prey before, it will let down its guard. So this is a good chance.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± The girl drew her bow fully again. She aimed at the fox, but Z shifted her aim towards the spotted hare instead. ¡°You have to aim for the moment the grey fox pounces on the hare. Even at your level, you will find your mark.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± The motionless grey fox started getting ready to strike. It suddenly pounced forward at the hare, and at the same time, the girl released her arrow, which hit the fox right in the neck. The girl and Z sat under a campfire in this starry night. The girl¡¯s eyes were shining as she placed skewers of her dinner around the fire. ¡°¡ª You have improved your skills with the bow a lot.¡± Z mumbled as it watched the pile of prey to the side. The girl looked at the white sword leaning against the tree and said: ¡°Yes, but I prefer using the sword.¡± ¡°That might be so, but your opponent might not give you the chance to fight up close. You have nothing to lose from mastering this weapon.¡± With that, Z snapped its fingers, summoning a dark mist in mid air. As the girl watched intriguely, Z tossed the bow and arrow into the mist. The weapons vanished, and the scenery reverted back to normal, as if nothing happened. ¡°Is that Magic? Can I do that too?¡± This was like the ¡°mysterious box¡± in stories that could hold anything. The girl looked at Z with great expectations, however... ¡°This isn¡¯t Magic, so you can¡¯t do this.¡± It was a devastating no. The girl shrugged depressingly. ¡°I see¡­ that¡¯s a pity. By the way, it¡¯s almost done and ready to eat. This ¡®Blood sucking bird¡¯ is really tender and tasty.¡± The girl quickly got over her depression, and bit into the golden bird meat. The juice spread in her mouth, and she looked absolutely blissed. Z shook its head as it flicked a branch into the campfire. ¡°Ehh? Aren¡¯t you eating? Why not?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no point in eating. I can¡¯t taste it, and it won¡¯t satiate me. My diet is fundamentally different from humans.¡± ¡°I see¡­ then what do you eat, Z?¡± The girl stopped eating and asked. Now that she thought about it, she had never seen Z ate before. Z looked at the girl for a while, and answered slowly: ¡°Human souls.¡± ¡°Hmm~ are souls tasty?¡± The girl wanted to try some if it tasted good. ¡°¡­ The question is, whether the quality is good. Recently, the ¡®Odic force¡¯ of humans are diminishing. Good quality souls are hard to find.¡± Z¡¯s face got gloomier as it spoke. However, Z¡¯s face was just a shadow, so that was just how the girl felt. ¡°So it¡¯s not very tasty?¡± Z nodded. ¡°In human terms, that is correct. Recently, there aren¡¯t any wars, and humans don¡¯t die that easy now. Thanks to the advance in technology, the average lifespan has been lengthened. The future seems grim.¡± ¡°Z, can¡¯t you just kill the humans and eat their soul?¡± Instead of waiting patiently for the humans to die, killing and eating them will be more direct. The girl asked with that in mind, and then¡­ ¡°I can¡¯t kill humans.¡± Z rejected this idea. Z then tossed branches into the campfire, and continued speaking: ¡°More specifically speaking, except for a small people, I can¡¯t kill people. Like I told you, I can only set my hands on humans who had died recently, or babies who don¡¯t have a sense of self. I can harvest the souls of babies, but there¡¯s not much point since their vessel is too small.¡± The girl thought about what Z said, and then asked: ¡°So it¡¯s not filling enough?¡± ¡°Yes, that analogy makes sense.¡± After that, Z taught the girl a lot about souls. What surprised the girl the most was that the soul would persist shortly after the body of a human dies. That soul possess all the experience of that human¡¯s life, which garnishes the soul. The girl thought that unlike beasts, dead humans that couldn¡¯t be eaten was just garbage. But she learned something new now, so studying was really important. By the way, souls not eaten by Z would drift to a place called ¡®zero realm¡¯, where it would linger until it reincarnates. ¡°¡ª Thank you for teaching me so much. Eating souls sound so tedious. Want me to help you kill some humans? There are plenty of humans if we pass through the forest, right? How many do you need to fill your stomach, Z? Ten? Twenty?¡± When it heard the girl say that, Z observed her carefully. ¡°You are really worthy of observation. Don¡¯t you want to return to the world of humans at all?¡± ¡°Why should I go back? I never thought that at all. Although I want to try the dessert I read in books.¡± After the girl expressed her bewilderment, Z tossed the last branch into the campfire. The fire crackled and pretty flicks of fire danced in the night sky. ¡°I see¡­ it seems that I have worried you, but there¡¯s no need for that. I have been eating properly.¡± ¡°Hmm. That¡¯s great.¡± The girl smiled brilliantly in relief, and started eating the bird again. ¡°¡­ After you finish this meal, let¡¯s prepare more variety of food next time. You are about to reach your growth spurt.¡± ¡°What¡¯s a growth spurt?¡± ¡°Simply put, your bones and physique will grow bigger. If you are picky about your food, it will affect your growth. You can¡¯t just eat meat, you have to eat vegetables too.¡± ¡°Ehehe, I got it. You really know a lot, Z!¡± In response to the girl¡¯s innocent smile, Z thought about the times it spent with her and looked up at the stars. ¡°Well, my meaningless existence has persisted in purgatory all this time¡­¡± ¡°¡ª¡ª It¡¯s already morning, huh¡­¡± She turned to the open windows, and the sun shone into her eyes. A wind that had the scent of the green grass gently caressed Olivia¡¯s cheeks. £¨I think I overslept. By the way, it has been a while since I dreamed about my childhood. I wonder what Z is doing now. I want to find Z soon.£© As she thought about it, Olivia reached for the silver pocket watch by her pillow. She opened it, and realized it was 9 am. Breakfast was over, so there was no point in using Fleet Foot Dash to rush to the mess hall. £¨Ahh. I missed breakfast¡­ Never mind, I will get Ashton to make mustard bread for me. I want ten!£© Olivia jumped up from bed, then put one leg perpendicularly on the wall, before stretching herself. A while later Claudia asked with an exasperated voice: ¡°Major, are you still asleep?¡± as she knocked. Olivia quickly put on the uniform hanging on the wall and opened the door. She finally remembered that they would be setting off for the Fortress City Emreed today. ¡ª Two hours later, Training Field The expedition to the Fortress City Emreed was starting soon, and the soldiers were mustering in the training field. As Claudia organized the troops into four ranks with sweat in her brows, beside her was¡­ ¡°Mr Ant~ and Mr Ant. Fight~¡± Olivia was humming and playing happily with ants. Not just that, she was muttering something dangerous: ¡°It¡¯s been a while, should I try eating one~¡± Claudia was worried that Olivia would really eat the ants, and called out to her hastily: ¡°Major, stop playing with the ants. The preparations are done, please give your speech.¡± ¡°Yes, got it.¡± Olivia dusted off her hands, and walked up the podium briskly on Claudia¡¯s urging. Before her were the soldiers from the former detachment unit, and recently recruited soldiers. This was a newly set up 3,000 strong Autonomous Cavalry Regiment. Unlike normal Cavalry Regiments, Regiment Commander Olivia had been given much more autonomy. This was Paul¡¯s way of showing how much he valued Olivia. The former detachment unit troops waited for Olivia to speak with serious faces. On the other hand, the recruits reacted mostly in two ways when they saw her. ¡°This is the first time I have seen such a beauty. Is she really human like us?¡± Some were mesmerized, while others¡­ ¡°That little girl is the Regiment Commander? Are we really entrusting our lives in her hands?¡± Looked at Olivia with dubious gazes. £¨There would be some objections to this. A young girl leading a regiment was completely unheard of. Well, they will understand after seeing her on the battlefield.£© As she thought about Olivia¡¯s gallantry on the battlefield, Claudia said loudly: ¡°Next, the Regiment Commander Olivia will say a few words! Attention!¡± All eyes fell on Olivia on the podium. Olivia cleared her throat, then put her arms on her hips: ¡°People die easily in a war. If you die, you can¡¯t eat yummy food, or sweet desserts. So don¡¯t die so easily. Me, Claudia, and the strategist Ashton will formulate the battle plans. Everyone, work hard to survive, for the sake of eating yummy food and desserts.¡± With that, Olivia turned and left the stage with skips and hops. Ashton who was beside the podium facepalmed himself in despair. Most of the new soldiers looked lost and slack jawed. Guile then shouted: ¡°I¡¯m in tears! Commander Olivia¡¯s words are so moving! As expected of the silver haired Valkyrie!¡± Claudia quickly rushed up to the stage and yelled: ¡°A-Actually, what Regiment Commander Olivia meant is that we will come up with the plans for everyone to survive, so don¡¯t worry and focus on the fighting! Autonomous Cavalry Regiment, prepare to move out!¡± On Claudia¡¯s orders, those who were formerly from the detachment unit mounted their warhorses. When they saw that, the confused new soldiers snapped out of it and started moving. Olivia caressed her black horse gently, and rode forth in a gallant manner. The black horse wagged its tail and neigh happily. ¡°¡ªMajor, the preparations are done. Please give the orders to move out.¡± Claudia rode over and reminded Olivia, who then raised her fist up high: ¡°Alright, let¡¯s set off for Fortress City Emreed. Move~ Out~!¡± At the same time, the horns signalling the unit to advance blasted through the air. Olivia¡¯s Autonomous Cavalry Regiment started their journey towards Fortress City Emreed. Volume 2, 1 Volume 2, Chapter 1 ¡ª The day after the War Conference in Fort Galia. Major General Hosmund led a Cavalry Regiment of 3,000 men and set off for the largest city in the north of the Kingdom, the Fortress City Emreed. The War Conference concludes that if the Imperial Army was to march south, they would definitely seize Emreed. In short, Ashton¡¯s opinion was rejected, and Hosmund¡¯s proposal was accepted. On top of that, Olivia¡¯s Cavalry Regiment would set off one week later as the second wave, while the main force would move out two weeks later. As Fort Galia were busy preparing for war, Claudia who was walking down the passageway with a document in hand saw Olivia exit the archives room. £¨Hmm? Why is the Major going to the archives room? There isn¡¯t any books she likes in there¡­£© With that in mind, Claudia called out to her from behind, and Olivia turned around lethargically. ¡°Oh, Claudia.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t look good, are you feeling unwell?¡± Normally, Olivia was the very sign of vitality, but she looked depressed now. ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m on my way to the mess hall.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Olivia feeling depressed over something other than food was rare. ¡°Well, I can¡¯t find any clues¡­¡± Olivia smiled weakly. Speaking of which, Claudia would lose sight of Olivia at times. She thought Olivia had gone to the mess, but it seems that she was searching for something. ¡°May I help?¡± She didn¡¯t know what Olivia was searching for, but two would be better than one. Olivia patted Claudia¡¯s shoulder, and said: ¡°Okay, I will be counting on you next time. Let¡¯s go eat something for now.¡± Even though she said that, Claudia had the feeling she had been rejected. £¨Since she isn¡¯t feeling unwell, then it should be fine. I might be her Executive Officer, but I shouldn¡¯t interfere too much into her private matters.£© With that in mind, Claudia headed to the mess together with Olivia. At the mess, the two of them found Ashton sitting by himself in a corner. He was drinking soup with a bitter expression. £¨Speaking of which, I should ask him about what he said yesterday.£© Claudia swiftly took the bread and bowlful of soup from the busy lunch lady, and sat down opposite Ashton. ¡°Hey, why did you say all that yesterday? Isn¡¯t that too fantastical? I was surprised.¡± When Claudia said that to him, Ashton¡¯s right hand that was holding a spoon turned stiff, and he raised his head timidly. He looked like a child who got caught in the middle of a prank, and was very apologetic. ¡°I really thought that way at that time. Well, it¡¯s true that sounded rather fantastical¡­¡± ¡°Halb halb edicius nietspe?¡± Olivia who sat down beside Claudia stuffed bread into her mouth and supported Ashton¡¯s opinion. ¡°Major, please swallow before you talk. This is unsightly.¡± Claudia advised Olivia quietly. Olivia nodded docilely, and Ashton¡¯s expression relaxed after seeing their sisterly interaction. The sight of the blonde Claudia and the silver haired Olivia reminded Ashton of the golden and silver lions on the Kingdom¡¯s coat of arms. Then the cup between them would be the grail on the coat of arms. Ashton¡¯s thoughts started to wander. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s impossible. Like Ashton said, isn¡¯t that too much of a coincidence? Just two months after we capture Kasper Castle, and the Third and Fourth Armies got crushed. It should be fine to think of that as a taunt towards the Seventh Army.¡± Olivia concurred with Ashton again. Why didn¡¯t she do so during the war conference? Claudia thought suddenly, and then remembered that Olivia was mesmerized with her tea back then, which answered her own question. ¡°However, this is still too large a leap in logic. Why would the Imperial forces in the north want to lure the Seventh Army there?¡± ¡ªWhat Ashton said was as follows: ¡ºIn my humble opinion, the Imperial forces deployed in the north is waiting for the Seventh Army, so we don¡¯t need to rush.¡» The moment he said that, most of the officers cast sympathetic gazes his way. Paul and Otto remained silent, but still showed a troubled face as the other officers were watching. As for Hosmund, he said: ¡ºAs expected of the strategist of Major Olivia, your thinking is really unique.¡», and showed a condescending smile. He was also taking pot shots at Olivia, so Claudia was furious. However, she couldn¡¯t rebuke a general, and just scold him in her heart. Rank was everything here. In this world, what your superiors said was law. But that aside, Ashton¡¯s words were too strange. Claudia thought of herself as Ashton¡¯s supporter, but she couldn¡¯t find the reason and courage to defend him. £¨But the Major understood what Ashton said. Am I unable to gauge Ashton¡¯s capabilities as a strategist?£© With that in mind, Claudia looked right at Ashton: ¡°W-Well, actually, I said that without thinking. And my opinion was rejected, so don¡¯t pay it any mind.¡± Ashton said as if the matter didn¡¯t concern him, and started drinking soup to avoid Claudia¡¯s gaze. He needed to be disciplined. ¡°You fool! Then don¡¯t say that in the first place!¡± ¡°E-Even if you say that, but that demon¡ª Senior Colonel Otto suddenly put me on the spot, and I was really nervous¡­¡± Ashton scratched the back of his head sheepishly, and Claudia sighed in response. He was just commissioned recently, so it was understandable that he felt uneasy, but that wasn¡¯t a reason why he couldn¡¯t get out of the mindset of a foot soldier. ¡°Really now¡­ It is only natural for the higher ups to seek your opinions during such occasions. And you are the Major¡¯s strategist. Ashton you need to be more firm in your attitude.¡± ¡°Haha, Ashton is getting scolded.¡± Olivia looked at Ashton gleefully. ¡°You...!? Sigh, I¡¯m very sorry.¡± Ashton slouched his shoulders depressedly. To console him, Olivia gently stroked his back and said: ¡°Don¡¯t take it too hard.¡± She looked like an older sister soothing her brother, although Ashton was four years older than Olivia. Claudia smiled wryly at them in her heart, and said to Olivia: ¡°You too, Major, now isn¡¯t the time to laugh at others. Please choose your family name by today, you can¡¯t drag it on any longer.¡± She spent four hours catching Olivia last time, and two hours for the day before. When Olivia saw the smiling Claudia drew near, she protested quietly: ¡°Family names are unnecessary. I don¡¯t want to be a noble either. And I already have the wonderful name Olivia.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t. Since the Major has been officially appointed as a Chevalier of the Kingdom, then you will need a family name. Senior Colonel Otto is also urging you to decide quickly?¡± Peerage in the Farnesse Kingdom were hereditary. Scions of nobles were nobles, while commoners would always be commoners. However, there were exceptions. For example, a noble man taking a commoner wife, and the wife would then be a noble. Many wealthy merchants marry their daughters to nobles to gain all sorts of benefits, while the nobles would join the family of merchants in maritony to secure funds and wealth. There was another exception. Those who achieved remarkable feats, and was bestowed with the title of Chevalier. This was the law set by the founder of the Farnesse Kingdom, Julius Zu Farnesse, and how Olivia received her peerage. As Claudia said all that, Olivia covered her ears defiantly. She even pressed her head down onto the table. Claudia was at a loss, and Ashton gently tapped Olivia¡¯s shoulder: ¡°Olivia, you should decide quickly. The de¡ª Senior Colonel Otto can be really scary.¡± Ashton trembled when he said that, as these words resonated with him. Olivia slowly raised her head and agreed reluctantly. He then drank all the soup and said. ¡°¡ª I¡¯m going back to work.¡± Ashton who had eyes like a dead fish returned to Otto¡¯s office. After seeing him off, the two of them headed to Claudia¡¯s room. ¡°Oh~ Claudia¡¯s room is so tidy, unlike mine.¡± Olivia surveyed the room curiously. A plain bed, desk and shelf, without any decorations. Claudia thought Olivia¡¯s room was messy, but couldn¡¯t bring herself to say it. ¡°It¡¯s only natural since I only used this room to rest.¡± With that, Claudia took a thick book off the shelf. It has the records of all the noble clans that had been discontinued for all sorts of reasons. She urged Olivia to sit on the bed, and flipped the pages after sitting down beside her. ¡°¡ª Wait, Major! What are you doing!?¡± ¡°I want to sleep after my meal.¡± Claudia dragged Olivia out of her blanket, and shoved a book before her. If Olivia didn¡¯t decide on a family name soon, Otto would start banging tables again. ¡°Enough, choose.¡± ¡°Claudia, you are so forceful.¡± Olivia grumbled as she took the book, and flipped the pages disinterestedly. She couldn¡¯t sit still just one minute later, and asked Claudia: ¡°¡­ Hey, why don¡¯t we play tag instead¡ª¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°What about hide and seek¡ª¡± ¡°Absolutely not.¡± ¡°¡­Claudia is so wilful.¡± Olivia said with a serious face: ¡°That¡¯s my line!¡± Claudia shouted angrily, and at this moment, Olivia stopped flipping the pages randomly. ¡°This coat of arms¡­¡± ¡°Hmm? Which one?¡± Something finally caught Olivia¡¯s interest, so Claudia looked at the page. What she saw was a skull surrounded by crimson roses. On the forehead of the skull was a diamond-shaped ruby, with two black scythes crossed behind the skull. £¨What an ominous coat of arms.£© Claudia thought. She checked the year the clan was discontinued, and saw it was Year 840 of the Lunar Calendar. A clan that died out more than 150 years ago, but the reason wasn¡¯t recorded. ¡°The Valedstorm clan, huh¡­ How strange, the reason for its discontinuation should be recorded, but there¡¯s nothing written here¡­?¡± Beside Claudia who was tilting her head bafflingly, Olivia stared at the coat of arms on the book with an incredibly serious face. Her usual carefree expression was nowhere to be found. Claudia wanted to observe such a rare sight for a little longer, but Olivia slowly raised her head. ¡°¡ªI have decided. This will be my family name.¡± ¡°Ehh!? It¡¯s urgent, but you don¡¯t have to be so sloppy about it. There¡¯s plenty of other clans too.¡± Why did she have to choose this one out of all Coat of arms? Claudia snatched the book from her, flipped to another page and said: ¡°What do you think about this one? It matches your hair colour, I think it suits you.¡± It was a little forceful, but Claudia still pointed to a coat of arms which was a silver moon decorated with Salsasou flowers. But Olivia didn¡¯t even look at it. ¡°No need. From henceforth, I¡¯m Olivia Valedstorm.¡± ¡°But¡­ I see, understood.¡± Claudia could tell Olivia¡¯s resolve from her eyes, and gave up. ¡°By the way, is it possible to find the reason why is this clan discontinued?¡± ¡°The reason, huh¡­¡± Claudia touched the book gently as she thought about Olivia¡¯s question. This aristocratic family had been gone for more than 150 years, so it wouldn¡¯t be easy to investigate. With that in mind, Claudia raised her face and saw Olivia was very serious. ¡°Well¡­ I think we can find out if we visit the Royal Library in the capital.¡± ¡°Royal Library?¡± Olivia tilted her head. ¡°Don¡¯t you know? It has the records of the entire history of the Kingdom. The Farnesse Kingdom is the country with the longest history in the entire Dubedirica continent. It is not a stretch to call this country as history itself. We should be able to find out anything if we go there.¡± ¡°The place that holds all of history¡­¡± Olivia muttered with a face stiffer than ever. This made her delicate face look even more unreal. ¡°Major?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Major!¡± ¡°Ah, sorry.¡± Olivia finally came back to her senses, and forced a smile. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing, don¡¯t mind me. Speaking of which, Adjutant Otto wants me to decide on a name quickly, right?¡± ¡°Ehh? Yes, that¡¯s true¡­¡± ¡°Then you should hurry up and tell him then, Claudia.¡± ¡°Ehh? Wait, don¡¯t push me! I will go, I will go!¡± Olivia pushed her with her superhuman strength, and Claudia reluctantly left the room. When Claudia turned back, the door was already locked. There was no going back now. £¨But that¡¯s my room¡­ But what¡¯s wrong with the Major?£© She was puzzled by the sudden change in events, but Claudia still headed towards Otto¡¯s office¡ª Olivia listened to Claudia¡¯s footsteps that grew distant as she picked up the book that fell on the bed. She then took out a large gem. It was a crimson gem that was left for her along with that dark sword. She flipped to the page with the Valedstorm clan¡¯s coat of arms again, and compared it with her gem. £¨¡­ As I thought, the shape and color are an exact match.£© With that confirmed, Olivia looked at the two scythes behind the skull. The corners of her lips raised gradually, before she laughed out loud in glee: ¡°Ahaha! I finally found a clue on Z! Wait for me, Z!¡± ¢ó Olivia Valedstorm, who was known in the future as the Dark Hero, was said to have made her debut in the Dubedirica continent in the Lunar Calendar Year 999. Chronicles of the Dubedirica Hero was set during a war, and describe the exploits of the silver haired girl Olivia who wields a dark sword. It was so popular that a picture book for children was published too. But unlike the other chronicles about heroes, one part was completely different. Compared to other chronicles where the story starts from the protagonist¡¯s childhood, the Chronicles of the Dubedirica Hero begun with Olivia¡¯s exploits as a 15 years old girl in the Royal Army. In other words, there were no earlier records. The drawing books did mentioned her childhood, but that was just fiction made up by the author for his target audience who were children. Her origins were shrouded in mystery, but the biggest mystery was about her being raised by a Death God. Death God had always been a fictional existence, and most people would scoff at any suggestion that a Death God exists. Even if one did exist, why would it raise Olivia? No one could answer this question. However, stories about the Death God that was supposedly said by Olivia sounded really convincing. That was what baffled many researchers. Most scholars thought the Death God was a euphemism for the person who raised Olivia, but there were some who really believed that the Death God exists. They based this on a letter discovered in recent years. More accurately speaking, it seemed to be a letter. It was found between a book that was believed to belong to Olivia, and was discovered by chance by an administrator. It might be a letter written to Olivia by the Death God, but there are many curious points. One of the reasons this was said to be a letter from a Death God was the words on it. Through the entire history of the continent, they couldn¡¯t find a language that matches that of the letter. And as to collaborate this evidence, Olivia would at times speak in an indecipherable language. The scholars would debate over this intensely. Even now, there still wasn¡¯t any conclusion to this argument. Olivia Valedstorm had always been shrouded in mystery, which was one of the reasons why people were drawn to her. Imperial Army, Windsam Castle Commander¡¯s Office Windsam Castle was now the base of one of the three generals of the Empire, Rosenmary, commander of the Crimson Knights. The beautiful white walls built along the hill was pristine and untarnished by the fires of war. It was clear that Windsam Castle was seized without a fight. After the landlords ruling the territories around Windsam Castle surrendered the stronghold, they used the excuse of ¡°greeting¡± her and offer tributes of famous paintings, swords and bags of gold in an obnoxious display of currying favour. The reason was simple, they were the first to learn of the Third and Fourth Armies¡¯ demise, and quickly submit to the Imperial forces. As a result, Rosenmary gained control of the northern part of the Kingdom easily. To those landlords, the Kingdom was doomed. To give a good impression to their new overlords, they showed no regards for their reputation¡ª £¨Really now, this must be what they mean by slackjawed from surprise¡­£© Rosenmary¡¯s adjutant, Colonel Gaier Neurat looked at the pile of documents on her desk, and sighed: ¡°I can¡¯t believe this is the famous Kingdom that was known as the Lion State. Especially that man who surrendered this castle unconditionally. It might sound strange for me to say this, but he is so ready to butter up to us, the invaders, that it makes me sick. Don¡¯t they have any shame?¡± ¡°The results speak for themselves. They are more bark than bite.¡± Rosenmary scoffed. ¡°Never mind, thanks to that, it saves us a lot of trouble.¡± ¡°Instead of that, what about the movements of the Seventh Army that killed General Osborne? It¡¯s about time for the Heat Haze to submit their report, right?¡± Rosenmary looked impatient when she asked that. Gaier shook her head silently in response. They already despatched Heat Haze agents to scout out the movements of the Seventh Army, but had not gotten any useful intel yet. ¡°Tch! Heat Haze is so useless sometimes¡­ Hmm? What¡¯s wrong? Something worrying you?¡± When he saw Rosenmary looking at him with probing eyes, Gaier clicked his tongue in his heart. £¨Shit, did I show it on my face¡­ Sigh, looks like I still have a ways to go.£© Adjutants had to appear calm and composed at all times. Even more so for the adjutant of someone as feisty as Rosenmary. But it would seem unnatural if he still held back, which would make Rosenmary unhappy. With that in mind, Gaier made his resolve and answered: ¡°Your Excellency, have you heard about the rumour that the Seventh Army has a monster girl amongst their ranks?¡± Before he even finished, there was a loud moan from Rosenmary¡¯s chair. From her reaction, Gaier could tell Rosenmary had heard about them. After the prisoners exchange, the repatriated Imperial soldiers mentioned about a beautiful girl who was a monster in disguise, which had spread amongst the troops. She couldn¡¯t be harmed by blades. Arrows was rendered useless. Death awaits all who dare challenge her. This wasn¡¯t the first time such rumours spread. When the fear of an opponent passed a limit, it wasn¡¯t strange for people to view that opponent as being superhuman. Gaier felt this was no different from the characters of a fictional work. However, there were too many delusional victims this time. This single monster girl managed to send thousands of soldiers into hysteria. Many of the soldiers who engaged with her lost their minds. It was difficult for Gaier to dismiss all this as just delusions. He felt a sense of unease on the prospect of fighting the Seventh Army. It wasn¡¯t clear if she understood how he felt, but Rosenmary said with a smile: ¡°Monster girl? Hah! So what? No matter who my foe might be, I will make them pay for murdering General Osborne. With this thing I have just gotten!¡± Rosenmary stood up and took one of the swords hanging on the wall behind her. The blade she drew out was dyed red, as if it was heated. Gaier wasn¡¯t sure if he was imagining things, but the temperature seemed to be rising too. ¡°¡­ What a curious sword. Is this done with the miracle of the goddess, ¡®Sorcery¡¯?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know the details, since Felixus is the one who gave this to me. But one thing is for certain, it will give a taste of hell to anyone it cuts. Even the monster.¡± Rosenmary took a stance and rose the corners of her lips. Compared to winning the war against the Kingdom, obliterating the Seventh Army that killed Osborne was more important to her. That was understandable, but she was still one of the Tri-General of the Empire. Rosenmary had an obligation and duty to the troops and citizens of the Empire. Gaier felt it was necessary to caution her, and said: ¡°Avenging Lord Osborne is important, but Your Excellency, you are still the Commander-in-Chief of the Crimson Knights, and the important post as one of the Tri-Generals of the Empire. Please don¡¯t forget that.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to remind me. That¡¯s why I¡¯m dealing with the administrative works right now.¡± Rosenmary tapped on the documents on her table, and looked away unhappily. Because of her position, she had to govern the northern territories of the Kingdom that she had seized. Since the landlords surrendered to Rosenmary, she decided to exploit them, so the unhappiness towards the Empire would be directed to those landlords instead. Right now, they would impose policies that would be detrimental to the residents through these landlords. When the unhappiness of the people reached its peak, she would have the mandate to replace the landlords with bureaucrats from the Empire, and let the residents execute those landlords themselves. That was Rosenmary¡¯s plan. Rosenmary was well known for her martial prowess, but she was also an outstanding administrator too. Although her governance methods were incredibly sly. £¨It would take a lot of time to control the northern territories of the Kingdom. Looks like we will need to shore up the foundations first¡­£© Their war with the Royal Army was still ongoing, and they would need to be perfectly prepared in order to destroy the Seventh Army. After all, they had a monster girl working under them. Chapter 2: The Autonomous Cavalry Regiment, Begins ¢ñ ¡°Z, is it fine now?¡± ¡°No. You won¡¯t hit your target like this.¡± ¡°But why? It has already stopped.¡± In the sights of the girl who had drawn her bow¡¯s string fully, was a grey fox. Grey foxes could be found throughout the Dubedirica continent, and its ears that had some patches of black were twitching. ¡°Grey foxes are timid creatures. Its ears are always listening. Something like a sonar.¡± ¡°What¡¯s a sonar?¡± ¡°A complicated machine that uses soundwaves to detect objects.¡± ¡°Soundwave? Complicated machine?¡± Z would sometimes use difficult words. The girl tilted her head bafflingly. ¡°¡­ Don¡¯t mind what I just said. You just need to know that at your level, you won¡¯t hit your target if you shoot now.¡± ¡°What should I do then?¡± ¡°I always told you the same thing. Observe your opponents carefully.¡± The girl put down her bow, and stared at the grey fox as Z instructed. A while later, the fox¡¯s fidgeting ears suddenly pointed in the same direction. ¡°Z.¡± ¡°It seems to have found a prey. Follow the grey fox¡¯s sights.¡± Z leaned close to the girl¡¯s face and pointed forward. The girl felt bashful, but still looked as instructed. ¡°Oh, a spotted hare.¡± As its name implies, it was a hare with spots in its fur. It had blended into the background, and changed its fur into a shade of light green. Because of its abilities, it was also called a mimic hare. ¡°Remember. No matter how wary the fox might be, it is a different matter when it hunts. Since they are alive, they have to eat to survive. When its attention is on the prey before, it will let down its guard. So this is a good chance.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± The girl drew her bow fully again. She aimed at the fox, but Z shifted her aim towards the spotted hare instead. ¡°You have to aim for the moment the grey fox pounce on the hare. Even at your level, you will find your mark.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± The motionless grey fox started getting ready to strike. It suddenly pounced forward at the hare, and at the same time, the girl released her arrow, which hit the fox right in the neck. The girl and Z sat under a campfire in this starry night. The girl¡¯s eyes were shining as she placed skewers of her dinner around the fire. ¡°¡ª You have improved your skills with the bow a lot.¡± Z mumbled as it watched the pile of prey to the side. The girl looked at the white sword leaning against the tree and said: ¡°Yes, but I prefer using the sword.¡± ¡°That might be so, but your opponent might not give you the chance to fight up close. You have nothing to lose from mastering this weapon.¡± With that, Z snapped its fingers, summoning a dark mist in mid air. As the girl watched intriguely, Z tossed the bow and arrow into the mist. The weapons vanished, and the scenery reverted back to normal, as if nothing happened. ¡°Is that Magic? Can I do that too?¡± This was like the ¡°mysterious box¡± in stories that could hold anything. The girl looked at Z with great expectations, however... ¡°This isn¡¯t Magic, so you can¡¯t do this.¡± It was a devastating no. The girl shrugged depressingly. ¡°I see¡­ that¡¯s a pity. By the way, it¡¯s almost done and ready to eat. This ¡®Blood sucking bird¡¯ is really tender and tasty.¡± The girl quickly got over her depression, and bit into the golden bird meat. The juice spread in her mouth, and she looked absolutely blissed. Z shook its head as it flicked a branch into the campfire. ¡°Ehh? Aren¡¯t you eating? Why not?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no point in eating. I can¡¯t taste it, and it won¡¯t satiate me. My diet is fundamentally different from humans.¡± ¡°I see¡­ then what do you eat, Z?¡± The girl stopped eating and asked. Now that she thought about it, she had never seen Z ate before. Z looked at the girl for a while, and answered slowly: ¡°Human souls.¡± ¡°Hmm~ are souls tasty?¡± The girl wanted to try some if it tasted good. ¡°¡­ The question is, whether the quality is good. Recently, the ¡®Odic force¡¯ of humans are diminishing. Good quality souls are hard to find.¡± Z¡¯s face got gloomier as it spoke. However, Z¡¯s face was just a shadow, so that was just how the girl felt. ¡°So it¡¯s not very tasty?¡± Z nodded. ¡°In human terms, that is correct. Recently, there aren¡¯t any wars, and humans don¡¯t die that easy now. Thanks to the advance in technology, the average lifespan has been lengthened. The future seems grim.¡± ¡°Z, can¡¯t you just kill the humans and eat their soul?¡± Instead of waiting patiently for the humans to die, killing and eating them will be more direct. The girl asked with that in mind, and then¡­ ¡°I can¡¯t kill humans.¡± Z rejected this idea. Z then tossed branches into the campfire, and continued speaking: ¡°More specifically speaking, except for a small people, I can¡¯t kill people. Like I told you, I can only set my hands on humans who had died recently, or babies who don¡¯t have a sense of self. I can harvest the souls of babies, but there¡¯s not much point since their vessel is too small.¡± The girl thought about what Z said, and then asked: ¡°So it¡¯s not filling enough?¡± ¡°Yes, that analogy makes sense.¡± After that, Z taught the girl a lot about souls. What surprised the girl the most was that the soul would persist shortly after the body of a human dies. That soul possess all the experience of that human¡¯s life, which garnishes the soul. The girl thought that unlike beasts, dead humans that couldn¡¯t be eaten was just garbage. But she learned something new now, so studying was really important. By the way, souls not eaten by Z would drift to a place called ¡®zero realm¡¯, where it would linger until it reincarnates. ¡°¡ª Thank you for teaching me so much. Eating souls sound so tedious. Want me to help you kill some humans? There are plenty of humans if we pass through the forest, right? How many do you need to fill your stomach, Z? Ten? Twenty?¡± When it heard the girl say that, Z observed her carefully. ¡°You are really worthy of observation. Don¡¯t you want to return to the world of humans at all?¡± ¡°Why should I go back? I never thought that at all. Although I want to try the dessert I read in books.¡± After the girl expressed her bewilderment, Z tossed the last branch into the campfire. The fire crackled and pretty flicks of fire danced in the night sky. ¡°I see¡­ it seems that I have worried you, but there¡¯s no need for that. I have been eating properly.¡± ¡°Hmm. That¡¯s great.¡± The girl smiled brilliantly in relief, and started eating the bird again. ¡°¡­ After you finish this meal, let¡¯s prepare more variety of food next time. You are about to reach your growth spurt.¡± ¡°What¡¯s a growth spurt?¡± ¡°Simply put, your bones and physique will grow bigger. If you are picky about your food, it will affect your growth. You can¡¯t just eat meat, you have to eat vegetables too.¡± ¡°Ehehe, I got it. You really know a lot, Z!¡± In response to the girl¡¯s innocent smile, Z thought about the times it spent with her and looked up at the stars. ¡°Well, my meaningless existence have persisted in purgatory all this time¡­¡± ¡°¡ª¡ª It¡¯s already morning, huh¡­¡± She turned to the open windows, and the sun shone into her eyes. A wind that had the scent of the green grass gently caressed Olivia¡¯s cheeks. £¨I think I overslept. By the way, it has been a while since I dreamed about my childhood. I wonder what Z is doing now. I want to find Z soon.£© As she thought about it, Olivia reached for the silver pocket watch by her pillow. She opened it, and realized it was 9 am. Breakfast was over, so there was no point in using Fleet Foot Dash to rush to the mess hall. £¨Ahh. I missed breakfast¡­ Never mind, I will get Ashton to make mustard bread for me. I want ten!£© Olivia jumped up from bed, then put one leg perpendicularly on the wall, before stretching herself. A while later Claudia asked with an exasperated voice: ¡°Major, are you still asleep?¡± as she knocked. Olivia quickly put on the uniform hanging on the wall and opened the door. She finally remembered that they would be setting off for the Fortress City Emreed today. ¡ª Two hours later, Training Field The expedition to the Fortress City Emreed was starting soon, and the soldiers were mustering in the training field. As Claudia organized the troops into four ranks with sweat in her brows, beside her was¡­ ¡°Mr Ant~ and Mr Ant. Fight~¡± Olivia was humming and playing happily with ants. Not just that, she was muttering something dangerous: ¡°It¡¯s been a while, should I try eating one~¡± Claudia was worried that Olivia would really eat the ants, and called out to her hastily: ¡°Major, stop playing with the ants. The preparations are done, please give your speech.¡± ¡°Yes, got it.¡± Olivia dusted off her hands, and walked up the podium briskly on Claudia¡¯s urging. Before her was the soldiers from the former detachment unit, and recently recruited soldiers. This was a newly set up 3,000 strong Autonomous Cavalry Regiment. Unlike normal Cavalry Regiments, Regiment Commander Olivia had been given much more autonomy. This was Paul¡¯s way of showing how much he valued Olivia. The former detachment unit troops waited for Olivia to speak with serious faces. On the other hand, the recruits reacted mostly in two ways when they saw her. ¡°This is the first time I have seen such a beauty. Is she really human like us?¡± Some were mesmerized, while others¡­ ¡°That little girl is the Regiment Commander? Are we really entrusting our lives in her hands?¡± Looked at Olivia with dubious gazes. £¨There would be some objections to this. A young girl leading a regiment was completely unheard of. Well, they will understand after seeing her on the battlefield.£© As she thought about Olivia¡¯s gallantry on the battlefield, Claudia said loudly: ¡°Next, the Regiment Commander Olivia will say a few words! Attention!¡± All eyes fell on Olivia on the podium. Olivia cleared her throat, then put her arms on her hips: ¡°People die easily in a war. If you die, you can¡¯t eat yummy food, or sweet desserts. So don¡¯t die so easily. Me, Claudia, and the strategist Ashton will formulate the battle plans. Everyone, work hard to survive, for the sake of eating yummy food and desserts.¡± With that, Olivia turned and left the stage with skips and hops. Ashton who was beside the podium facepalmed himself in despair. Most of the new soldiers looked lost and slack jawed. Guile then shouted: ¡°I¡¯m in tears! Commander Olivia¡¯s words are so moving! As expected of the silver haired Valkyrie!¡± Claudia quickly rushed up to the stage and yelled: ¡°A-Actually, what Regiment Commander Olivia meant is that we will come up with the plans for everyone to survive, so don¡¯t worry and focus on the fighting! Autonomous Cavalry Regiment, prepare to move out!¡± On Claudia¡¯s orders, those who were formerly from the detachment unit mounted their warhorses. When they saw that, the confused new soldiers snapped out of it and started moving. Olivia caressed her black horse gently, and rode forth in a gallant manner. The black horse wagged its tail and neigh happily. ¡°¡ªMajor, the preparations are done. Please give the orders to move out.¡± Claudia rode over and reminded Olivia, who then raised her fist up high: ¡°Alright, let¡¯s set off for Fortress City Emreed. Move~ Out~!¡± At the same time, the horns signalling the unit to advance blasted through the air. Olivia¡¯s Autonomous Cavalry Regiment started their journey towards Fortress City Emreed. Volume 2, 2 Volume 2, Chapter 2 ¢ò The Autonomous Cavalry Regiment headed north from Fort Galia, towards their first waypoint, Canary town. The weather was clear, and with the Est mountain in the distance, a large variety of flowers were blooming. A gentle breeze swept across the grass beneath the horses¡¯ hooves, and Claudia could smell the fragrance in the air. In a fortnight, the flowers would be in full bloom. ¡°Major, please look to your right. It¡¯s getting warmer around here, and the flowers are starting to bloom.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Major, can you hear me?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± No matter what Claudia said, Olivia didn¡¯t respond, and just combed the mane of her black horse with a pout. ¡°Sigh¡­ Major, it¡¯s about time for you to stop throwing a tantrum. It will affect the morale of the troops.¡± ¡°¡­ Can we stop by the capital on our way to Emreed?¡± ¡°Like I told you, no.¡± Claudia rejected her, and Olivia turned her face away with puffed cheeks. For some reason, her dark horse was looking their way with grudging eyes too. Claudia felt so uncomfortable that she thought about moving away, which showed how hateful its eyes were. ¡°Olivia, I will make your favourite mustard jerky bread during our next break, so don¡¯t be so angry, alright?¡± Ashton rode forth and offered a high quality bait to please Olivia. Olivia¡¯s body reacted a little, but her head was still facing the other way. Even the special mustard sauce couldn¡¯t move her. ¡º¡ª Can we stay in the capital for one night tomorrow? ¡» On the way to the Fortress City Emreed, Olivia was excited because she had the chance to head to the capital. However, the one day visit to the capital was rejected, and Olivia showed her obvious displeasure for all to see. There were two very different routes from Fort Galia to the Fortress City Emreed. One would take them pass the capital towards the west, the other would pass through Canary town and up through the desert before turning east. The Autonomous Cavalry Regiment chose the latter. The reason was simple, because Hosmund¡¯s Cavalry Regiment selected the former. Unlike the first wave that had the goal of reaching their destination as soon as possible, Olivia¡¯s unit was focused on learning the movements of the Imperial forces, and naturally went with a different route. Even though Olivia had more autonomy, she was still a soldier, and couldn¡¯t divert from the planned route for personal reasons. (We are in a rut right after setting off.) Claudia sighed in her heart, and continued explaining in an attempt to convince Olivia: ¡°Major, even if we visit the capital, there won¡¯t be time for you to take your time and investigate. Besides, it¡¯s not that easy to visit the Royal Library.¡± ¡°¡­ Why is it hard to visit the Royal Library?¡± Olivia drew close with a frown. Claudia lift two fingers and said: ¡°Firstly, the paperwork to access the library would take two days. You will also need a recommendation from a credible person. This means an aristocrat, and a high ranking one at that. After all, the information inside the Royal Library is very important.¡± ¡°I wanted to go in too, but as a commoner, I don¡¯t have any chance of doing so.¡± Ashton who was beside them mutter enviously. He couldn¡¯t hold a candle to Olivia, but he was still a book lover. The Royal Library was a special place for him. As for Olivia, Ashton¡¯s moan didn¡¯t move her at all. ¡°But I¡¯m already an aristocrat, right? Why can¡¯t I go in then?¡± She protested with a pout. ¡°It¡¯s regrettable, but no. Being a noble is just one of the requirements for visiting the library. Having a recommendation from someone credible is a must.¡± In the end, Olivia¡¯s origins was still a mystery. When she asked Olivia about her hometown, Olivia said it was a shrine deep in a forest. With the help of a map, she figured out that the location was on the western end of the Dubedirica continent. It was commonly known to be a vast forest with a small number of settlements. From Olivia¡¯s dark eyes and silver hair, she wasn¡¯t a native of that place. According to Olivia, she was picked up and raised by a person named Z. As Olivia described her turbulent past with a smile, Claudia couldn¡¯t help being speechless. And that was a problem, since the Royal Library wouldn¡¯t permit entry just because you were a noble. In the end, she would need the intangible trait of ¡®credibility¡¯, which wasn¡¯t something that could be obtained in a short period of time. No matter how grand her achievements might be, Olivia still lacks credibility. However, Claudia couldn¡¯t bring herself to say it so bluntly. But there was an exception. Ashton might not know about this, but if you spend enough money, you could visit the Royal Library. For better or for worse, the power of money could make up for the lack of social standings. However, Claudia felt only a handful of merchants could pull this off. ¡°Claudia, can¡¯t you just give me a recommendation?¡± Olivia looked at Claudia with eyes filled with expectations. ¡°Well, that is hard to tell. The Jung clan has a storied history, but I can¡¯t be certain it will be approved.¡± The Jung clan could be traced back to the reign of the First King, Julius Zu Farnesse, which shows how long its history was. In their 600 years of history, they produced many outstanding knights, and was a clan well known for their martial prowess. The Jung clan even taught the Royal family swordsmanship at their heights. However, they were just one of the nobles in the borders now, and couldn¡¯t even afford a villa in the capital. That was why Claudia couldn¡¯t guarantee that it would work. ¡°Whose recommendation will be rock solid then?¡± The expressionless Olivia leaned even closer as she asked. Claudia quickly racked her brains, and the first person that came to mind in terms of accomplishment, fame and lineage was Paul. If Olivia asked him, Paul would gladly act as her guarantor. However, Paul was a General and commander of the Seventh Army, so it would be unwise for him to get involved in such private matters too much. Claudia decided to not tell Olivia about the option of asking Paul. (In that case, we have to find someone we can ask without any worries, and have the calibre to be a guarantor. How can there be someone so convenient¡­ Wait, there really is one such person.) The person on Claudia¡¯s mind was a man with light blonde hair like her. When Claudia was young, she admired his swordsmanship too. ¡°Neinhart-nii¡ª Ahem, Brigadier General Neinhart will be a good choice. He is well connected, and the two days of paperwork might even be waived.¡± ¡°Brigadier General Neinhart?¡± Seeing Olivia tilt her head in confusion, Claudia smiled awkwardly. The two of them had met several times, but Olivia couldn¡¯t remember him. Ashton knew Olivia had a great memory, but that was only towards things she was interested in. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember? He visited you to offer his thanks to you for killing Violent Thrust Samuel.¡± ¡°Violent Thrust Samuel?¡± Olivia crossed her arms, unable to recall this person. Claudia started describing Neinhart¡¯s appearance in detail, and Olivia finally opened her eyes wide: ¡°Oh, I remember now! It¡¯s that human who is terrible at mimicking a fish!¡± ¡°Pfft!¡± Olivia¡¯s unexpected answer made Claudia laugh. Even though he was her cousin, she felt Neinhart was really handsome. Olivia evaluation about him being terrible at mimicking a fish was a riot. Women who favors Neinhart might even faint on the spot. That only applies to women who likes him though. (Really now, if I get the chance, I will let Neinhart-nii know about this.) Claudia smiled deviously in her heart at the thought of that. In the meantime, Olivia muttered: ¡°Now that you mentioned it, he did give me a fruit called peaches¡±. (He wanted to avenge Florence personally¡­ In any case, Neinhart-nii is really grateful for what the Major did.) Claudia understood how much Neinhart values his relationships. If Olivia asked him for a favor, he would not hesitate to agree. Claudia thought about Florence¡¯s gentle smile, and for the sake of making Olivia focus on the mission, she said in a serious tone: ¡°Major, if you want to ask Brigadier General Neinhart for a favor, then you need to complete this mission properly. If not, he won¡¯t accede to your request.¡± ¡°Yes, you are right, Claudia! I will work hard!!¡± Olivia nodded with clenched fists. From the way she was acting olivia¡¯s mood had gotten better. As expected, being gloomy didn¡¯t suit Olivia. The soldiers around them probably felt the same, and all heaved a sigh of relief. (We can finally focus on carrying out the mission now.) Claudia sighed in relief, and Ashton complemented Claudia for a job well done, which made her a little happy. ¡ª Two days later. The Autonomous Cavalry Regiment reached the Canary town. ¢ó ¡°This¡­ is really a terrible sight.¡± Claudia¡¯s comment described the current state of Canary town adequately. The wooden walls around the town were mostly destroyed. Strong and able bodied men carrying lumber were focused on repairs, but progress was slow. After going over the bridge and destroyed gates with melancholic feelings, what they saw was even more terrible. Debris and broken windows were all over the place, and it was difficult to even find an intact building. There was blood everywhere, which showed what happened to the town back then. The recaptured Canary town was filled with gloom. ¡°Ugh, this smell¡­¡± Claudia¡¯s face cramped. The corpses had probably not been dealt with, and there was a stench of rot in the air. She had gotten used to this on the battlefield, but it was definitely not a good thing. Ashton covered his nose with his sleeve and frowned. On the other hand, Olivia didn¡¯t seem to mind, and watch the town curiously. The citizens of Canary had already gotten used to this stench, as they looked at the Autonomous Cavalry Regiment with tired faces. ¡°¡ª It seems the progress of the restoration works is different from the reports.¡± Ashton muttered in a bitter tone. ¡°Yes, it appears so.¡± Canary town that was built along the river was known for its beautiful sights in the south of the Kingdom. However, that was gone now. Claudia couldn¡¯t imagine how long it would take Canary town to recover from this set back. When they reached the base in the center of the town, Ashton¡¯s group dismounted and greeted the local Platoon Commander. The children who had been observing quietly then gathered around Olivia before they realized it. There was a boy and a girl about 6 or 7 years old, and a 10 years old boy. The children were looking at Olivia with sparkling eyes. Olivia, the exceptional beauty, had drawn the attention of these kids. ¡°Onee-san, you look as cute as my doll.¡± The girl showed her torn up doll to Olivia proudly. ¡°Really¡ª? I¡¯m not too interested in how I look though.¡± Olivia touched her face as if to ascertain that. A few young boys sniffed at Olivia. ¡°Do you smell something?¡± ¡°Yes, something smells good.¡± ¡°Oh, it must be this.¡± Olivia smiled brilliantly, and took out a cookie from her bags proudly. The eyes of the children started to shine. ¡°Uwah! Onee-san, this is a snack, right!?¡± ¡°Yes, it is¡ª Have you tried this before?¡± The boy was taken aback by Olivia¡¯s question, and shook his head with his eyes wide open: ¡°There is no way I could have eaten that before. Only the nobles can eat it, right? That¡¯s what my mother tells me.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Olivia looked at Ashton quizzingly. ¡°Well, it¡¯s more common in the capital, but it is still considered a luxury. Commoners won¡¯t be able to eat it.¡± ¡°But aren¡¯t you a commoner, Ashton? And you had cake in the past. I remember on the way to Fort Lamburg, you told me that you know what cakes are, and have eaten it before.¡± Olivia showed her outstanding memory once again. ¡°Because my family runs quite a big business.¡± ¡°¡ªWhat do you mean?¡± ¡°It means my family is relatively rich¡­ Simply put, we have more money.¡± Olivia lacked common sense. She said she grew up in the forest, but Ashton was still surprised when he heard that she didn¡¯t even know what money was before joining the army. ¡°Hmm~ that¡¯s why Ashton gets to eat cakes¡­¡± Olivia inspected the cookie in her hand, then turned to the children: ¡°Want to try one?¡± When they heard that, the children all blinked, and weren¡¯t sure what to do. They were hesitant to accept this offer. ¡°C-Can we? We don¡¯t have money?¡± A young boy turned out his pockets, which only had dirt and scraps. ¡°Ehh~ I don¡¯t need your money. The books says that your jaw will drop from how sweet it is, but that won¡¯t actually happen. So you can relax and eat it.¡± With that, Olivia gave each of the three children one cookie. After the children took the cookies, they looked at each other, and bit it with big smiles. ¡°Onee-san, this taste great!¡± ¡°It¡¯s yummy!¡± ¡°Uwah! It¡¯s so good! So good!¡± The children shouted their praise. Olivia crossed her arms smugly at the sight of that. The dumbstruck Ashton then said: ¡°Really now, I was wondering why you had that on you. So, how many do you have left?¡± ¡°Hmm, let me see¡­ about ten?¡± Olivia answered after looking into the bag. When Ashton heard that, he looked to the building with a red roof to the west, where some children were watching timidly. ¡°Two, four, six¡­ Oh, the numbers are just right. Then share your cookies with these kids too, alright?¡± ¡°Ehh...!? B-But¡­ I won¡¯t get to eat any¡­¡± Olivia¡¯s face turned into absolute despair. She then lashed out at Ashton like a kid, calling him a demon. Seeing her desperate resistance, Ashton couldn¡¯t help smiling. ¡°Calling me a demon or whatever is fine, but if you give these kids cookies, but don¡¯t give any to those children, won¡¯t you find that pitiful?¡± ¡°But if all the cookies are gone, won¡¯t I become pitiful?¡± Ashton patted the shoulder of Olivia who was puffing her cheeks angrily, and said: ¡°I will treat you to cake next time. And not just your average cake too¡ª Hehe.¡± ¡°W-What kind of cake?¡± Olivia forgot about her anger and gulped. ¡°Actually, there is a cake shop in the capital that only the regulars know about. They say that once you eat there, other cakes won¡¯t satisfy you again.¡± ¡°Once you eat there, other cakes won¡¯t satisfy you again¡­¡± Olivia repeated with a mesmerized face. Ashton used this chance to go for the kill: ¡°That¡¯s right. What this means is¡ª it¡¯s incredibly delicious.¡± ¡ªBut it was just rumours though. ¡°R-Really!? You will bring me to that cakeshop!?¡± ¡°I swear in the name of Ashton Senefelder.¡± Ashton placed his left hand on his chest, and bowed sincerely. ¡°No take backs!¡± Olivia who took the bait leaned in close. Ashton laughed in his heart, and then waved to the children. The children gathered around timidly. ¡°Alright, this lady will now distribute delicious cookies to everyone. It¡¯s free, if you understand, then form a line in front of her¡ª¡± Before Ashton even finished, the children lined up like well trained soldiers. Ashton smiled wryly at this scene, and gestured to Olivia with his eyes. Olivia handed out cookies to the children with a cramped smile. After she gave out the last piece, her hands seemed to be shaking. Ashton decided that he was just seeing things. ¡°You are really gentle.¡± As Ashton watched the interaction between Olivia and the children, he suddenly heard a clear voice from behind. He turned, and saw Claudia whose smile was as warm as the sun during spring. The bashful Ashton scratched his nose. ¡°Well, this is all we can do for them right now. We can only pray that Canary town will recover soon.¡± ¡°¡ªThat¡¯s true.¡± Claudia answered curtly. The two of them looked to the front, where Olivia was smiling innocently as the children surrounded her. ¡ª The next morning. Olivia and company was dining in their temporary quarters, when the local platoon commander visited with a sour face. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? We plan to set off after having breakfast.¡± When he heard Claudia said that, the platoon commander scratched his cheeks troublingly: ¡°Pardon me for disturbing your meal. Actually¡ª¡± ¡°Please! Please, please save Lieutenant General Sara!¡± A man suddenly dashed out from behind the platoon commander and pleaded with his arms on Olivia¡¯s legs. He was covered in dust, but the emblem of six purple stars were still visible on his shoulders. He seemed to be a messenger from the Sixth Army. ¡°Why is a messenger from the Sixth Army here¡­ I remember that the Sixth Army is garrisoning Fort Peshita.¡± In response to Ashton¡¯s question, the man nodded repeatedly. After the Sixth Army lost to the Full Metal Knights in the Southern warfront, they managed to escape the fate of being wiped out. Right now, they should be assigned to Fort Peshita and tasked with the defence of the western part of the central zone. ¡°You are Berhard, right? Let go of the Major¡¯s legs. We will talk after that.¡± Claudia slowly got up from her seat, and applied pressure to Berherd with her gaze from above. ¡°P-Pardon me.¡± Berhard let go of Olivia¡¯s legs in a panic, and prostrated with his forehead to the ground. Claudia sat back down with a grunt. Olivia wasn¡¯t bothered at all, and asked even manneredly: ¡°So, what happened? I heard you asking us to save Lieutenant General Sara or something.¡± ¡°Y-Yes Mdm! Our forces have been surrounded by the Swaran Army! Please save us!¡± Volume 2, 3 Volume 2, Chapter 3 ¢ô Royal Army Peshita Fort ¡°Looks like this is a lost cause.¡± Sara said as she watched the Swaran Army from a corner of the fort. Senior Colonel Roland then pulled her arm with ragged breath. ¡°Your Highness Sara! Please don¡¯t observe the battle from a place like this! What if a stray arrow hits you!?¡± ¡°The worst that can happen is that I will die from that arrow?¡± Sara whose arm was being tugged answered nonchallently. Lieutenant General Sara Sem Livia was a 21 years old beauty with delicate features, and the only female General officer in the Kingdom. ¡ª Aside from that, she had another title. The fourth princess of the Farnesse Kingdom. She was a means of relaying to the commoners that the royals were also fighting on the frontlines. That was the background on how Sara who was less capable than the other Generals ended up leading the Sixth Army. In other words, because of the political standing of the Fourth Princess, and her admiration of Knights that prompted her to learn swordsmanship, made her the perfect propaganda tool for the Farnesse Royal family. ¡°Since you understand, please stay clear of the wall! If the enemy kills you, then the Sixth Army is finished!¡± Roland sighed heavily, then lectured the escort team that arrived one step later, ordering to protect Sara carefully. All this while, soldiers from the Swaran Kingdom was still attacking with siege ladders. The defenders retaliated with spears, dropping rocks and pouring scalding water. The Swaran Kingdom which was the Empire¡¯s vassal state invaded the Peshita Fort one week ago. Because of the vast difference in numbers, Sara had opt for a defensive fort battle, but their food supply that was crucial for defending the fort was lacking. Even an elite army couldn¡¯t win a battle on an empty stomach, and the Sixth Army was in no way an elite force. ¡°Are the reinforcements coming?¡± Sara was forced by her subordinates to sit in a chair, and muttered casually as she hugged her knee. She didn¡¯t make it clear that she was asking Roland, but Roland still answered: ¡°I sent a messenger to seek aid from the Seventh Army¡­¡± Roland stopped mid sentence, and Sara understood what he was implying. He did request for aid, but they already knew that the Seventh Army had been sent to engage the Imperial forces in the north that decimated the Third and Fourth Army. Their request for aid was just a gamble. Would the Seventh Army be willing to assist them¡ª? ¡°From our estimates, the reinforcements would take at least a week to reach here. I don¡¯t think this fort can hold out for that long.¡± Sara sighed deeply, then smiled at Roland. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Roland remained silent, but his face had grown gloomier. This proved that what Sara said was correct. Peshita Fort was built hastily during the final stages of the warring era, and was in no way a sturdy stronghold. With each hit of the battering ram against the main gates, the wooden brace would moan. The defenders were doing all that they could, but they couldn¡¯t win against the enemy¡¯s superior numbers, who could easily reinforce their numbers and continue their assault on the gates. They managed to withdraw after their loss to the Full Metal Knights, but the situation was different here. There was no way to escape a siege. (We can just surrender when all hope is lost. If I offer them my head, they will probably spare my men. I might be on the tail end of the rights of succession, but the head of a Princess still holds some value.) As the battle raged on, Sara made her resolve quietly. After the Autonomous Cavalry Regiment was done resting and resupplying, a group of children saw them leave Canary town with cheers. Olivia waved goodbye to the children, but the moment she left the entrance, she pulled the reins and looked towards the forest. ¡°Major, is there a problem?¡± Seeing Olivia¡¯s face turn serious, Claudia kept her guard up and asked. However, Olivia¡¯s answer was confusing. ¡°I¡¯m just thinking that gutter rats are running around here.¡± ¡°¡­ Hah, gutter rats, huh.¡± Claudia felt the strength went out of her shoulders. What kind of gutter rats made Olivia rein her horse in? Claudia looked around curiously, but saw no signs of any rats. In the first place, it was unlikely for gutter rats to scurrow around in broad daylight. She tried scanning the area with the powers of her eyes (Olivia dubbed them ¡®Celestial Eyes¡¯), but the results were the same. ¡°I don¡¯t see anything though?¡± She told Olivia the truth, and Olivia turned her gaze away from the forest disinterestedly, and started stroking the mane of her black horse. ¡°Pay it no mind. I will stamp on them if they get too close. Let¡¯s hurry to aid the Sixth Army.¡± With that, Olivia rode westwards, which was in the opposite direction of their original destination, the Desert City Keffin. ¡°Is this really fine? We are moving away from our original objective¡­¡± ¡°But we can¡¯t leave them to their doom, right? Even if we send a messenger to inform the main forces, they won¡¯t be able to reach in time.¡± With that, Olivia looked towards Berhard. Berhard lowered his head so low that he almost hit the back of the horse he was riding on. ¡°You are right, but it would be bad if the Second Army falls into danger because of this¡­¡± In terms of urgency, the Sixth Army was in more imminent danger. But from the big picture, the Second Army was far more important. Helping both sides would be arrogant, but that was what Claudia hope they could do. ¡°The Second Army will be fine. Didn¡¯t Ashton already said that? The Imperial forces in the north are waiting for the Seventh Army. So they won¡¯t take any actions before we reach.¡± With that, Olivia looked to the tense faced Ashton beside her. ¡°W-Well, I did say that, but that¡¯s just my gut feeling, and there is no guarantee¡­¡± Ashton alternate his gaze between Olivia and Claudia, and explained a little sheepishly. Olivia patted the back of the deflated Ashton and said: ¡°Ahaha, Ashton, you are really interesting.¡± ¡°What¡¯s interesting!?¡± ¡°The way you answer the question correctly, but lacks the confidence to back it up. That¡¯s why you always loses to me in chess. Being careful is important, but being too careful will backfire on you.¡± Olivia warned him with a serious face. ¡°¡ª!?¡± Ashton wanted to refute¡ª but lowered his head halfway. Olivia locked her palms and stretched her back, then turned to Claudia: ¡°Okay, time is short, let¡¯s make haste and move out.¡± As if it understood what Olivia said, the black horse neighed and galloped on the plains in accordance to its mistress¡¯ wishes. Ashton, Claudia, and the rest of the Autonomous Cavalry Regiment quickly chased after her. (Lieutenant General Sara, please hang on.) Berhard tightened his grasp on the reins, and spurred his horse forward. ¡ª After the Autonomous Cavalry Regiment disappeared into the distance. ¡°Did that girl notice our presence?¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± Two men dressed in black appeared in the forest. They were First Lieutenant Alvin and Sergeant Major Leicester from the Empire¡¯s Intelligence Bureau, ¡°Heat Haze¡±. ¡°No, it is obvious from her movements that she noticed. She actually detected us from so far away. Considering her appearance, she must be that rumored monster¡­?¡± ¡°First Lieutenant Alvin, that can¡¯t be possible. She isn¡¯t using a telescope, so I think this is just a coincidence.¡± Leicester shrugged, and placed the telescope back to his waist. ¡°This is why you are still a Sergeant Major after working for so long. You are bound by common sense, which constrained your vision. There are things in this world are beyond our imagination.¡± ¡°¡­ You mean Sorcerers?¡± Leicester asked in surprised, and Alvin nodded. ¡°Sorcerers are one such example. We can also assume that there are other existence similar to theirs?¡± ¡°Are you saying that girl is such an existence? To be honest, I can¡¯t even imagine her killing a fly.¡± Leicester frowned as he looked at the direction where the Autonomous Cavalry Regiment was headed. ¡°The Royal Army isn¡¯t stupid enough to let an innocent girl command a unit. She is a typical example of a book that shouldn¡¯t be judged by its cover. Sergeant Major Leicester, you must have heard about what happened to Kasper Castle, correct?¡± ¡°You mean the rumours about that girl that can¡¯t be harmed with blades? That¡¯s just rubbish soldiers commonly says.¡± ¡°Your so-called rubbish subdued 4,000 troops, and coerce them to surrender Kasper Castle without a fight. Lord Osborne and Lord George were probably killed by the subject of that rumour too.¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± Leicester was dumbstruck. ¡°We are still gathering ¡®shards¡¯ right now, so I can¡¯t say for certain.¡± ¡°¡­ Have you reported this to Lady Rosenmary?¡± Leicester asked quietly. Alvin shook his head. ¡°Not yet. Like I said, we are still gathering leads.¡± The entire Heat Haze knew that Rosenmary bears a strong grudge towards the Seventh Army that killed Osborne. It was easy to deduce that, since half of Heat Haze¡¯s agents were sent to investigate the movements of the Seventh Army. That was why it was difficult to report this without getting more evidence. Alvin knew that half assed intel would just create chaos. ¡°Do you know? No matter how absurd something sounds, there must be a shard of truth in them. We are Heat Haze of the Intelligence Bureau. Collecting these shards and reporting the intel in its totality is our duty. Fighting is our last resort, don¡¯t forget that.¡± Alvin seemed to be saying that for his own sake. He then tapped Leicester¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Yes, I will keep that in mind¡ª By the way, did you see their banners?¡± ¡°Of course, a lion and seven stars, they are definitely the Seventh Army.¡± Tracking down the Seventh Army after all this while made Alvin sigh in relief. Rosenmary¡¯s constant pressure had risen the tension in his mind. ¡°But this is strange. If they are heading north, shoulding they go towards the east first¡­?¡± Leicester looked at the dust kicked up by the Seventh Army, and tilted his head bafflingly. As he said, if they want to head for the northern part of the Kingdom, they should turn east here. But the Seventh Army unit they spotted was going west. ¡°Maybe they are heading to the Central Frontline?¡± ¡°What should we do then?¡± ¡°¡­ Let¡¯s see, I will lead the rest of the unit to continue tracking them. We must find out goals, or we can¡¯t make a proper report. Sergeant Major Leicester, relay the news that we have spotted the Seventh Army to Lady Rosenmary immediately. Take note, do not mention anything related to Lord Osborne.¡± ¡°Yes Sir!¡± ¡°¡ª One more thing, tell her that the girl might be the rumoured monster.¡± ¡°W-Will that be alright?¡± ¡°We need to warn her, although she might not be interested in that monster.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Alright then, go.¡± Leicester saluted Alvin, and rushed to the east with his orders. Alvin watched him go and thought about a colleague who had gone missing. (Contact with Second Lieutenant Zenon was broken after he infiltrated Fort Galia. That Zenon is the cream of the crop in martial prowess in the Heat Haze. There¡¯s also the issue with the monster, so it¡¯s better to play it safe.) Even through his telescope, he could tell that the girl¡¯s beauty was out of this world. Feeling a chill for some reason, Alvin disappeared deep in the forest. ¢õ Imperial Army Windsam Castle, Gaier¡¯s office The moment Gaier returned to his office, his attendants who had been waiting saluted him. After returning their salute, Gaier slowly sat down. ¡°Colonel Gaier, this is today¡¯s report.¡± Gaier took the report quietly and started browsing it. It was basically the complaints of the landlords who were being used to shield the Empire. (Her Grace¡¯s scheme is working. It seems like we will control the north of the Kingdom faster than expected.) With that in mind, Gaier¡¯s gaze fell on the tail end of the report. (The time has finally come. It just has to be now¡­) Gaier sighed, and got up from his chair that wasn¡¯t even warm yet. ¡°Colonel, will you be leaving?¡± ¡°Where is Her Grace?¡± ¡°The usual spot.¡± ¡°Got it. I will be back in an hour.¡± With that, Gaier marched towards Rosenmary¡¯s office. ¡°Gaier here, seeking an audience with the commander.¡± Gaier said as he pushed open the door of the commander¡¯s office, and felt a heavy air inside the room. The drapes were drawn, but the windows were tightly shut. Gaier opened the window to ventilate the room, walked up to Rosenmary who was writing at her desk and said: ¡°Your Grace, may I have some of your time?¡± ¡°¡ªHuh? It¡¯s Gaier, huh¡­ As you can see, I¡¯m swamped with work.¡± Rosenmary didn¡¯t even look his way, and answered impatiently. She must have ruffled her hair unhappily earlier, since her beautiful red hair was quite messy. The tall Rosenmary who prefer to wear male uniform was popular amongst the noble ladies and the maids, and would be surrounded by them during balls and parties. Rosenmary was quite troubled by that too. (By the way, she seemed to be in a foul mood.) Gaier cast his gaze towards the cause of all this. The piles of documents on her desk. It has been almost a month since they routed the Third and Fourth Armies in the Northern War Theatre. Recently, Rosenmary spent most of her days inside her office. The reason was simple. They gained control of the northern part of the Kingdom too quickly, and the administrative process couldn¡¯t keep up. Most of the administrative works were settled by the horde of civil officers, and the sound of their pens next door could be heard even now. However, there was still too many documents that require vetting from Rosenmary, and the civil officers couldn¡¯t handle in her stead. She had no choice but to work hard on that, but if she needed any help from Gaier, her adjutant, he would be more than happy to help. (Her Grace is brilliant, so I don¡¯t need to tell her that.) Gaier adjusted his sitting posture, and said the words Rosenmary was hoping to hear. ¡°Heat Haze sent in a report.¡± The moment he said that, the pen in Rosenmary¡¯s hand snapped. She then raised her head slowly with a twisted smile. Her unusual expression shocked Gaier, who backed away. ¡°¡ª And?¡± ¡°Y-Yes Mdm. Heat Haze found traces of the Seventh Army in the south of the Kingdom, near Canary town. They are 3,000 strong, and is probably the vanguard doubling as scouts. And also...¡± ¡°Also?¡± Rosenmary repeated intriguely. She seemed so excited that she might start humming a tune, which seemed a little scary. Gaier licked his dry lips, and told her what he was hesitating to say: ¡°¡­ This is just the subjective view of the Heat Haze, and isn¡¯t verified...¡± With that warning, Gaier relayed the intel that the unit was led by a silver-haired girl, and she might be the rumored monster¡ª to Rosenmary. This intel was just speculation, but since it came from Heat Haze, Gaier felt it was very probably true. As for Rosenmary, her smile became more twisted after hearing this intel, and she finally laughed out loud: ¡°Ahahahaha! Good! As expected of Heat Haze, well done!¡± ¡°However, the movements of that unit is a little strange.¡± ¡°Haha¡­ Strange? Why do you say that?¡± Rosenmary¡¯s face turned a little gloomy. ¡°They aren¡¯t heading north, and are turning west.¡± ¡°West? Aren¡¯t they moving away from us?¡± Rosenmary brushed her lips a little seductively, and fell into deep thought. But she was done in no time and said: ¡°Tch! Graden that old fool, making unnecessary troubles again.¡± She criticized the Field Marshal of the Empire loudly. Gaier knew that the two of them were alone, but still couldn¡¯t help looking around the office. ¡°Your Excellency, please mind your words. Criticizing the Lord Field Marshal is going too far.¡± ¡°Hmmp. We are the only ones in this room, so it¡¯s fine.¡± Rosenmary paid it no mind, but Gaier persisted: ¡°Even if that is true, you should still exercise care. There are many people eyeing your position, and what you just said would be excellent material for them to drag you out of your seat.¡± Rosenmary¡¯s lineage and accomplishments were impeccable, but she still had her enemies in the Empire. There were plenty of people who would love to see her fall from grace. Of course, it would be pointless if they didn¡¯t have the capability of a Tri-General, but offering up materials that could be used against you was still unwise. ¡°I get it, I get it. I¡¯m not that fond of the position of an Imperial Tri-General, but I don¡¯t plan to hand it over to incompetent ones either.¡± Rosenmary then scoffed: ¡°It¡¯s great that you can understand the implications¡ª But, is the Seventh Army¡¯s movement really related to the Lord Field Marshal?¡± When she heard Gaier¡¯s question, Rosenmary slowly turned the chair and answered: ¡°Yes, and he played a big part in it too. To the southeast of the Central War Theatre, is Peshita Fort defended by the Sixth Royal Army. If I remember correctly, Field Marshal Graden ordered the Swaran Kingdom to attack that stronghold.¡± Gaier looked at the map hanging on the wall, and nodded. ¡°I see¡­ So their vanguard is rushing over to relief the Sixth Army?¡± ¡°That¡¯s probably it. He is really a nuisance.¡± Rosenmary clicked her tongue again. Gaier suddenly realized he let out a sigh of relief. (Am I scared of the Seventh Army, and that so-called monster¡­?) Gaier thought to himself and continued asking: ¡°So they have no plans of heading north?¡± ¡°In any case, they won¡¯t be stupid enough to leave us alone to do whatever we please. Since the vanguard has already set off, the main force will soon follow.¡± ¡°So the main force will head our way?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Rosenmary nodded in a relaxed manner. Her speculation made sense, and Gaier had no doubt she was right. There was a chance that the Seventh Army main force might rush to aid Peshita Fort in the Central War Theatre, but given the current situation, the chance of that happening was infinitely small. ¡°How should we deal with the enemy¡¯s vanguard?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have to do anything, since we have to be considerate towards the Field Marshal¡¯s reputation. I¡¯m pissed about him getting in my way though.¡± ¡°¡­ And if the monster repel the Swaran Army?¡± Gaier braced himself to open Pandora¡¯s Box, and asked. Rosenmary leaned heavily back in her chair, and her eyes wandered for a moment. ¡°Well¡­ If it comes to that, send Volmar to deal with her.¡± Rosenmary snapped her fingers proudly as she stated her answer. ¡°Lieutenant Colonel Volmar?¡± ¡°Yes, he told me he didn¡¯t get to rampage enough yet. He will be well suited to test the mettle of that monster. But only if they manage to defeat the Swaran Army.¡± Volmar was one of the most powerful fighters in the Crimson Knights. His hobbies and interests might be creepy, but Gaier felt he was the best candidate to cross swords with the monster. Even so, Gaier didn¡¯t expect Rosenmary to say that. He thought Rosenmary would abandon her duties, and rush to fight the monster. He was prepared to stop her at all cost, and felt a little lost that things ended up this way. (Just what is Her Grace planning?) Gaier was baffled by Rosenmary who was smiling gleefully. Gaier was glad that Rosenmary chose to act this way, but he still had lingering doubts about all this. He was sure that Rosenmary was incredibly obsessed with the Seventh Army that killed General Osborne. Even so, she still despatched Volmar to engage the enemy. It was only natural that Gaier was confused by the way Rosenmary was acting. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? You look surprised.¡± ¡°N-No, not really¡­¡± Gaier quickly shook his head. ¡°Hmm¡ª? Did you think that I would cast everything aside and challenge that monster to a duel?¡± ¡°¡ª!? T-That¡¯s¡­¡± What Rosenmary said seemed to have seen right through Gaier¡¯s mind, and rendered him speechless. Intrigued by Gaier¡¯s reaction, Rosenmary explained: ¡°Don¡¯t be so surprised, it¡¯s not that complicated. My goal is to destroy the Seventh Army that killed General Osborne, not to take care of that monster. And a mere mob of 3,000 troops isn¡¯t worth my time to take the field, I will end up becoming the laughingstock of the Empire.¡± Rosenmary laughed out loud. (Her Grace is interested in that monster, but don¡¯t intend to fight her directly. That¡¯s the gist of it¡­) No matter what, it was great that the monster didn¡¯t drew all of Rosenmary¡¯s attention. Before Rosenmary could change her mind, Gaier quickly concurred: ¡°Sending Lieutenant Colonel Volmar is a good choice. Monster or not, it would be unwise for Your Grace to take to the field personally.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that right? It¡¯s fine if Volmar can kill that monster, since that means the monster isn¡¯t worth my attention. But if Volmar dies, then I will crush that monster together with that army. It¡¯s that simple.¡± ¡ª The preparation after this would be handled by Gaier. With that, Rosenmary started working on her papers again. Unlike before, the sound of her pen had more of a rhythm to it. Gaier quickly left the office with his orders. After closing the door, he could hear Rosenmary¡¯s crazed laughter, and felt a chill down his back. Chapter 3: The One Who Spreads Death ¢ñ ¡°It¡¯s just one crumbling fort, how long do you need to seize it!?¡± The Field Marshal of the Swaran Royal Army, Liberal Ertoria, vented his anger at the officers before him. It has been a week since they launched an attack against the Peshita Fort garrisoned by the Sixth Army. They expected to take the fort easily in three days, but in reality, the gates of Peshita Fort remained tightly shut. They tried to attack with siege ladders, but failed to break through. Liberal crushed the papers in his hand and threw it onto the ground. (Graden that old weasel! He wants to strip me of my command if I don¡¯t take the fort within the time limit? He actually sent me this letter so urgently!? What is he trying to do!? Even if the Swaran Kingdom is a vassal state of the Empire, that doesn¡¯t mean he can do whatever he wishes!) ¡ª One year ago. When Farnesse Kingdom¡¯s Fort Kiel fell, the Empire extend its claws towards the Swaran Kingdom. Their young king, Hyde fon Swaran was hot blooded, and tore up the letter sent by an envoy from the Empire. To summarize the long letter, they basically want the Swaran Kingdom to swear fealty to the glorious Arsbelt Empire. It was worded with utmost arrogance. The enraged Hyde executed the Imperial Envoy. He ignored the advice of his vassals, and stubbornly led an army to fight the Imperial Army. The two forces clashed at the northern borders of Swaran, on Lunwhal hill. Historians called this the ¡¶War of Swaran¡·, the Swaran forces lost against the Full Metal Knights led by George. Hyde who was captured was executed three days later, together with his close aides. After that, the Empire didn¡¯t conquer Swaran directly, and pushed the young Allen fon Swaran to take the throne. On the surface, the Swaran Kingdom continued to exist, but Allen held no real power. In the end, Graden had full control as the acting Chancellor of the Swaran Kingdom, and ruled the Kingdom from Fort Kiel. As Liberal continued to rage, one of the officers said timidly: ¡°Your Excellency, the enemy is clearly exhausted. In my humble opinion, the situation will turn to our advantage soon.¡± ¡°Soon, soon, everyone of you keep saying that word¡­ I remember hearing that three days ago. Just how long will that ¡®soon¡¯ of yours take?¡± As Liberal asked furiously, the officers all wiped the cold sweat away from their brows and shirked away. At this point in time, all the Swaran officers, including Liberal, didn¡¯t notice one fact. The Sixth Army was actually forced to the brinks by the Swaran Army¡¯s relentless assault¡ª Peshita Fort, Sara¡¯s Chambers ¡°Your Highness Sara, it¡¯s time to eat.¡± Sara slowly propped her body up on her bed, and looked at the plate Roland placed on the table. On the table half a piece of bread that was turning black, and soup that was almost no different from water. Normally, this wasn¡¯t something that should be served to Sara, who was a Princess. ¡°Thank you, but I¡¯m not hungry.¡± Sara lowered her gaze, and shook her head at the concerned Roland. ¡°Pardon me, but you said the same thing six hours ago. If you don¡¯t eat, it will affect your health.¡± Roland showed no intention of leaving, and insisted that Sara should eat. After a short moment of silence, Sara looked at Roland sternly: ¡°Then I will make myself clear. I¡¯m still a princess, and this coarse dish is not fit for me. It¡¯s obviously stale, if you understand, then take it away!¡± Sara said as she threw her pillow. It hit Roland, and the feathers inside spilled out, and floated in the air. Sara pouted and turned around. ¡°¡­ Your Highness, it¡¯s useless to pretend. Even if others can¡¯t tell, this Roland will still understand.¡± ¡°W-What do you mean¡­¡± Sara stuttered, and Roland smiled a little sadly. ¡°You are just too kind. You are thinking that if you don¡¯t eat, you can give your share to another soldier, right?¡± ¡°Fufufu, that¡¯s just your imagination. Didn¡¯t I make myself clear? This thing is not good enough for a Princess like me.¡± Roland ignored Sara¡¯s false front, and continued with a serious face: ¡°And you are planning to settle this with your death.¡± ¡°¡ª!?¡± ¡°¡­ I have served you for over ten years, Princess Sara, so I can tell. You might be thinking that you can trade your live for the enemy to spare the troops. But the enemy might not accept this proposal.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m a Princess¡ª¡± ¡°So you are really planning to do that¡­¡± When she heard Roland say that with a sigh, Sara realized her mistake. Now that the cat was out of the bag, Roland would not let the matter rest. With that in mind, Sara confessed: ¡°¡­ There¡¯s no other way. If there is a chance that everyone can live if I offer my head, then it¡¯s worth a try¡­ It seems we have lost our gamble¡­¡± ¡°Are you talking about the reinforcements?¡± Sara nodded silently. It has been a week since the messenger left Fort Peshita, and there was no signs of the Seventh Army. Sara had given up hope of them ever showing up. ¡°Not yet¡­ It¡¯s not over yet.¡± Roland¡¯s voice was trembling a little when he said that. Sara got up from bed and stretched her back. ¡°The time limit is up. It¡¯s fine now, please get my armour ready. If I lose my head dressed like this, it will bring shame to the Livia clan and the Royal family.¡± Sara tugged at the hem of her pyjamas with a smile that was a little stiff. Swaran Army, Reserves A young pale faced soldier barged into the tent when Second Lieutenant Macier was having breakfast. ¡°What¡¯s with the ruckus so early in the morning? Have we finally seized Peshita Fort?¡± ¡°N-No! Enemy forces are attacking us from the rear, and is about to surround us!¡± When he heard that, Macier spit the bread he was chewing out. ¡°The enemy!? The Farnesse Kingdom!?¡± ¡°Y-Yes! They are hoisting banners with lions!¡± Macier might be in command of the reserves, but he only had 500 men under his command. This hinted at the fact that the reserves were just a formality. In other words, after the higher ups assessed the situation of the Farnesse Royal Army, they concluded that there wouldn¡¯t be any reinforcements to relieve Fort Peshita. Macier thought he would spend some time away from the war, but things turned out differently. ¡°The numbers!?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± When he saw the soldier¡¯s confusion, Macier shouted angrily: ¡°What¡¯s with the hold up? I asked you what are the enemy¡¯s numbers!¡± ¡°A-Around three thousand!¡± The soldier stummered. ¡°Three thousand¡­¡± Macier gulped just like the soldier did earlier. A simple calculation told him that the enemy outnumber his unit 6 to 1. There was no chance of winning. Macier¡¯s mind immediately leaned towards retreating. ¡°Second Lieutenant Macier, what should we do?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do. Prepare to retreat immediately.¡± By right, he should send an urgent report to the main forces to inform them of an enemy attack, but there wasn¡¯t even time for that. ¡°A-Are we retreating back to Swaran?¡± ¡°Are you stupid? We are obviously going to link up with the main force! Stop yapping and get ready!¡± ¡°Y-Yes Sir!¡± Macier sighed heavily as he watched the young soldier scramble away from the tent. After suffering heavy losses over the years, Swaran¡¯s reserve unit was composed entirely of inexperienced recruits, who were tilling the fields not too long ago. Macier held the hilt of his sword with a self mocking smile. Macier who left the tent a little later than the others was shocked by what he saw. At this moment, he realized how careless he was with the defences. His unit had been surrounded, and the enemy had their bows and arrows ready. His men had all raise their hands and surrendered. ¡°¡ªThese corpses are?¡± Macier looked at the corpses strewn before him and asked a pale faced soldier. All the corpses were cleaved in half, and looked absolutely ridiculous. ¡°S-She did all this by herself!¡± A soldier pointed with a trembling finger at an incredibly beautiful girl. In her hands was a bloodstained dark sword, and she appeared to be a soldier wearing armour of a Farnesse Kingdom. £¨This young girl cut a man in half? From the reaction of the enemy, she seemed to be their commander¡­ What kind of joke is this?£© Macier couldn¡¯t link the corpses cleaved in two with that girl at all, as the girl approached him with a brilliant smile. £¨¡ªHmm... ? What¡¯s this strange feeling?£© Macier who hailed from a family of mediums felt something strange from that girl. As she approached him, that feeling grew stronger. When that girl stopped before him, it took everything he had to suppress the fear welling up inside him, and not vomit right there. ¡°Are you the commander of this unit?¡± ¡°¡­Y-Yes.¡± ¡°May I have your name?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Macier.¡± ¡ª It feels like I¡¯m being consumed by Darkness. ¡°My name is Olivia, nice to meet you. Speaking of which, will you listen to my request?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like I have a choice.¡± ¡ªYes, that¡¯s right. ¡°Alright then, I want you to take me to the Swaran Army¡¯s main forces. If possible, right to the commander-in-chief.¡± ¡°I understand. I will bring you there. In exchange, I hope you can spare my men. They are just farmers who had been conscripted recently.¡± ¡ª You must never defy this girl. ¡°Got it. If they don¡¯t resist, I won¡¯t kill them, so don¡¯t worry. By the way, soldiers from the Swaran Army are different from the Imperial Army, you are so honest. It¡¯s a big help that things are progressing so smoothly. Well then, to keep my identity as a soldier of the Royal Army secret, I need a disguise. This is just like the ¡®Masked Knight Celia¡¯, how exciting!¡± With that, the girl slowly caressed the armour of a soldier who was on the verge of tears. You must never¡ª Volume 2, 4 Volume 2, Chapter 4 Translator: Skythewood Editor: Hiiro ¢ò Peshita Fort, Swaran Army Main Forces ¡°Your Excellency, the commander of the reserves, Second Lieutenant Macier is urgently seeking an audience.¡± The Strategist, Brigadier General Rheinbach whispered to the ears of Liberal who was observing the battle. ¡°What? He didn¡¯t send a messenger, and came personally? What is he thinking, abandoning his post like this?¡± ¡°He said that this concerns the survival of the Swaran Kingdom, and he can¡¯t entrust it to a messenger.¡± ¡°The survival of the Swaran Kingdom? Let him in right now.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Macier then appeared before the group of officers together with a soldier. Liberal took large strides towards the two soldiers who were kneeling on one knee. The policies of the Swaran Kingdom might be set by the Empire, but they still retained their command structure as a nation. However, this command structure was so fragile that it would crumble on Graden¡¯s whim, so Liberal couldn¡¯t just dismiss Macier. ¡°Hurry, what¡¯s the issue that might affect the survival of the Swaran Kingdom?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Why are you staying quiet? Hurry up and say it!¡± ¡°¡­¡­Your Excellency, my deep apologies.¡± Macier lowered his head apologetically. ¡°Apologies¡­ What are you saying?¡± Macier didn¡¯t answer Liberal, and said to the soldier beside him: ¡°This should be fine now. I did my part.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you very much. It¡¯s time for the Masked Knight Sharia to shine.¡± She didn¡¯t have a mask though. The soldier said this as she stood up without permission, and took off her helmet impatiently. Her silver hair flowed out, and Liberal was stunned by her beauty. The officers around him gasped in admiration. ¡°Masked Knight Sharia? Stop this nonsense at once! Report on the matter that concern Swaran¡¯s survival!¡± Liberal snapped out of his trance, ignored the suspicious female soldier and yelled at Macier. However, Macier kept his head bowed and kept silent. The female soldier skipped to Liberal¡¯s side, and suddenly put a blade to his neck. No one knew what happened at that moment¡ª even Liberal who was being held at bladepoint drew a blank. ¡°W-Why you! Have you gone mad!¡± Rheinbach was the first one to react, and pointed his sword at the female soldier. The other officers followed suit. Although she was surrounded by the Swaran¡¯s elites, the female soldier was unfazed and said: ¡°The survival of Swaran? I don¡¯t know about that. I just asked Mr Macier for help in order to capture your basecamp quickly.¡± What the female soldier said caused another uproar. ¡°You knaves, so it¡¯s treason then!?¡± Rheinbach roared angrily, and the female soldier opened her eyes wide in surprise when she heard that: ¡°Ehh? I¡¯m not plotting treason though. I¡¯m not a Swaran soldier in the first place. I¡¯m a Major of the Farnesse Kingdom, Olivia¡¤Valedstorm. Aside from that, I¡¯m also known as the Masked Knight Sharia!¡± Olivia still maintained her playful attitude despite her perilous situation. Liberal couldn¡¯t move freely, and turned towards Macier: ¡°I don¡¯t know why you are submitting to this crazy girl, but I don¡¯t care anymore¡­ It¡¯s regrettable, but I¡¯m still a warrior, and won¡¯t surrender to save my own hide. Don¡¯t think you can use me as a shield.¡± But Macier didn¡¯t answer, and Olivia said in his stead: ¡°Is that so? That¡¯s fine too, it will just be a bit of a hassle for me. But the others don¡¯t feel that way though?¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Liberal realized that the officers all showed complicated faces. ¡°What are you just standing around there for? Don¡¯t worry about me, end these traitors!¡± ¡°¡­ Sorry, but we can¡¯t comply. If Swaran loses you, then our future will be grim. The young King Allen needs you, Your Excellency.¡± Rheinbach dropped his sword, and the others followed his lead. ¡°You guys¡­¡± ¡°You win, we won¡¯t resist. Please spare His Excellency¡¯s life.¡± Rheinbach yielded with his head bowed low. Olivia nodded happily at that. ¡°It¡¯s great that the people of Swaran are so obedient. I will let him go when all of you have retreated. But if you do anything shady¡ª¡± Olivia pulled out a dagger from her waist and flicked it behind without even turning. A soldier holding a bow then fell from a tree. A dagger with the emblem of a lion was stabbed right between his brows. Everyone felt a chill at that sight. ¡°You will end up like this human, and can¡¯t eat tasty food anymore.¡± Olivia who had complete control of the place showed a charming smile. ¡°Your Highness Sara, please reconsider!¡± Roland¡¯s voice came from behind Sara who was climbing the stairs. ¡°No, if we delay any longer, they won¡¯t accept our surrender. There is only a point in not surrendering if we can still resist.¡± But right after she said that, Sara was baffled by what she saw at the top of the fort¡¯s wall. ¡°What is this?¡± As Sara was muttering that, a soldier ran over with ragged breath. ¡°Lieutenant General Sara, the enemies are retreating.¡± ¡°I can see that¡­ Did the enemy suffer a heavy set back?¡± ¡°N-No. We didn¡¯t do anything¡­¡± Sara left the confused soldier behind, and looked outside the fort again. The Swaran forces that had been attacking relentlessly was retreating slowly now. (What a conundrum.) Sara was puzzled at first, but as the Swaran Army retreated further away, the reason slowly became clear. A unit bearing the banner of seven stars and a lion came into view. ¡°Your Highness Sara, that, that¡¯s the banner of the Seventh Army.¡± Roland broke into tears at this sight, his voice shaking. ¡°¡­ Yes, it appears to be so.¡± The cheers of the soldiers shook the sky. Tears then rolled down Sara¡¯s cheeks. For some reason, the person welcomed by Sara personally was a girl dressed like a soldier of the Swaran Army. And she was more beautiful than any of the women she had seen in the palace. When the girl noticed Sara¡¯s gaze, she jogged over. ¡°Are you Lieutenant General Sara of the Sixth Army?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m Sara.¡± The girl saluted Sara. ¡°I¡¯m the commander of the Autonomous Cavalry Regiment from the Seventh Army, Major Olivia Valedstorm!¡± The girl then smiled brilliantly. ¡°Major Olivia¡ª? I see, you are that rumoured¡­¡± Sara already heard about Olivia. Her exploits had already spread through the entire palace. Sara wanted to meet her, but never thought she would meet her under such circumstances. Sara observed Olivia carefully, when Olivia suddenly spread her legs apart and lift her left arm up diagonally: ¡°¡ª I also have another identity, the Masked Knight Sharia!¡± Olivia looked really proud. Sara was surprised by her sudden actions, and a female officer hurried over to stop Olivia: ¡°Major! Please don¡¯t play around before Her Highness Sara!¡± The female officer, Claudia Jung, bowed deeply towards Sara. Olivia who got chided shrugged and stuck her tongue out, which made Sara laughed. Sara was very familiar with the Masked Knight Sharia. The main character was a middle aged knight, and Sara loved the series when she was young. The story of that series of drawing books had seeped into Sara¡¯s blood. (Speaking of which, Sharia would make weird gestures when he introduce himself.) Sara recalled Olivia¡¯s action, and laughed again. Claudia apologized again when she saw that. ¡°Please don¡¯t mind, I love the story about the Masked Knight Sharia too.¡± ¡°Really¡ª!? No, I mean, is that true?¡± Olivia leaned in close, and Sara held her hands tightly with gratitude: ¡°It¡¯s true. I started practicing swordsmanship because I admire Sharia.¡± ¡°I see!¡± Olivia smiled brightly when she heard that. ¡°Please allow me to thank you for your timely support. Thanks to you, the Sixth Army has gotten out of danger.¡± ¡°I¡¯m honored by your words.¡± ¡°By the way, how did you force the Swaran forces to retreat?¡± Sara asked. From what she could see, the reinforcements weren¡¯t numerous enough to send the Swaran Army running at the sight of them.Olivia started to explain smugly¡ª ¡°¡ª You infiltrated the enemy camp alone¡­¡± Sara didn¡¯t know what to say after listening to Olivia¡¯s explanation. Infiltrating the enemy basecamp by herself, holding their commander-in-chief hostage, and forcing them to retreat. This wasn¡¯t possible for normal people. Roland was clearly shocked as he stared at Olivia. Sara understood that Olivia¡¯s exploits were no exaggeration at all. ¡°And the enemy commander you captured?¡± ¡°Over here. Claudia.¡± On Olivia¡¯s instructions, Claudia and a few soldiers brought an angry man before them. ¡°If not for that woman, you will be in my place instead!¡± The man lashed out. ¡°Yes, I think so too.¡± He was right, Sara climbed the walls earlier in order to wave the white flag and surrender. Sara was just stating the truth, but the man didn¡¯t think so. His face turned red and he started to struggle. As the soldiers pinned him down, Olivia walked over and whispered something to that man. ¡°¡ª¡ª?¡± That man turned pale after that. Seeing that he had stopped resisting, Olivia nodded happily, and said as she patted the man¡¯s shoulder: ¡°After the enemy has completely retreated, please let him go. That¡¯s what we agreed on. That¡¯s all for now, we need to go.¡± ¡°Thank you very much. As a member of the royal family, I should reward you handsomely, but we have fallen on hard times¡­¡± Sara said as she looked at the beaten up fort worriedly. But Olivia said: ¡°Let¡¯s talk about the Masked Knight Sharia when we have a chance next time¡ª No, please have a chat with me when the opportunity arises.¡± ¡°¡­ Is that enough?¡± Considering Olivia¡¯s achievements, the reward seemed a little stingy. Sara asked again, but Olivia didn¡¯t change her mind. Sara was confused, but still made that promise. ¡ªA few days after the battle of Peshita Fort ended. After learning from Heat Haze about the battle of Peshita Fort, Rosenmarie couldn¡¯t hide her glee as she ordered Volmar to attack. ¢ó Dessert City Keffin After rescuing the Sixth Army from imminent danger, the Autonomous Cavalry Regiment headed to their original objectives, and was now stationed inside the Dessert City Keffin. Their objective was to replenish food and water supply, as well as intel gathering. ¡°We have been in Keffin for three days. Still no signs of the Imperial Army.¡± Claudia cut the meat on her plate carefully as she said with a sigh. The one she was speaking to, Olivia, was shoving meat into her mouth with gusto. ¡°Remoob yako~¡± Olivia¡¯s reply was incomprehensible. Claudia quietly put down her cutlery and said slowly: ¡°Major, please speak after you swallow. How many times have I told you that?¡± Intimidated by Claudia¡¯s icy glare, Olivia nodded and tried to swallow. Ashton who was dining beside them just watched quietly without interrupting. He had given up on getting Olivia to change her ways. ¡°By the way, even though it¡¯s dinner time, the restaurant is really empty.¡± The eatery near the entrance of the city, ¡¶Merida of the Desert¡· is a famous high class restaurant known throughout the whole of Keffin city. The dishes were mainly seasonal fish and vegetables, and their standards could even match the top level restaurants in the capital. However, there were only a few customers aside from Olivia here. Dessert City Keffin was a trading hub with a long history. The road that cut through the city from north to south was dubbed ¡¶Stardust Street¡·, and crystals with prices comparable to gems were traded here. These were called ¡¶Star Shards¡·. On top of that, high quality crystals were produced between Spring and Summer, and attracted tons of merchants to the city. When Ashton was young, rings embedded with Star Shards were all the rage with noble ladies, and his parents were ecstatic with their blooming business. It wasn¡¯t as popular as it used to be, but Star Shards were still a commodity where demand outweighs supply. The crowd here was smaller than he expected, which baffled Ashton. ¡°This place is close to the northern part of the Kingdom, and the Imperial forces might invade to the south at any time. Fearing that, the merchants probably fled long ago. When weighing their money against their lives, it was clear which was more important.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Claudia cleared Ashton¡¯s doubts after saying that, and ate a piece of meat gracefully. In contrast, Olivia who was wolfing down her food had the tail of a fish sticking out of her mouth. Ashton watched their completely different eating manners, and remembered how the citizens looked relieved when the Cavalry Regiment arrived. (I see. That¡¯s why the guard captain gave us such a warm welcome¡­) He figured out why this city¡¯s Guard Captain was so friendly. He was the one who recommended this place to the three of them, and even picked up the tab for Cavalry Regiment¡¯s expenses during their stay here. It was blatantly obvious that they want the Cavalry Regiment to be garrisoned here for the long term. Ashton felt this was only natural, since there were just 200 Keffin guards. The city was surrounded by walls, but if the Imperial Army was to invade, the guards would be overwhelmed. And at this time, the Autonomous Cavalry Regiment suddenly appeared. It couldn¡¯t be helped that the city held a lot of expectations towards the army that could keep the city safe. However, Ashton and the others couldn¡¯t stay here indefinitely. Their resupply was already completed, and their scouts would return soon. If they were fast, the Autonomous Cavalry Regiment could head for the Fortress City Emreed tomorrow. Night had fallen, and the silvery moonlight illuminated the earth through the scattered clouds. ¡°How delicious.¡± ¡°I never imagined that I could eat fresh fish in the desert.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine and all, but you ate too much, Olivia.¡± Ashton¡¯s group got ready to leave the restaurant while they were discussing their thoughts. As they stood up, the owner and servers were all smiles as they said: ¡°Please come again.¡± This was a little overbearing, so Ashton forced a smile and fled back to the tavern the Guard Captain prepared for them. (Speaking of which, our lodging is very extravagant too. It looks like a hotel meant for wealthy businessmen¡­) Ashton wanted to return to that four storey red building, and suddenly realized that Olivia was gone. ¡°Hmm? Where did Olivia go?¡± ¡°Ehh? Sigh, really now, she left without saying anything again¡­¡± Claudia muttered to herself, wondering if that incident about deciding Olivia¡¯s family name made her prone to running away, as she scanned the area. Ashton did the same, but they saw no signs of Olivia. It would take a lot of effort to find her by moonlight, but... ¡°¡ª Never mind, she will be back when she gets hungry.¡± ¡°¡ªNever mind, she will be back when she¡¯s hungry.¡± Ashton and Claudia said the same thing. They looked at each other and laughed out loud. ¡ª At the same time. Somewhere in the urban outskirts, Olivia faced off against a man in black. ¡°To sense our presence from this distance¡­ As expected, you noticed back then too.¡± The masked Alvin asked. The girl sighed heavily when she heard that. ¡°With the way you guys have been sneaking around, it¡¯s hard for me to not notice.¡± ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t recall our group ever coming near you.¡± After encountering the regiment at Canary town, Alvin had been cautiously watching them from afar with telescopes. Alvin had dismissed Leicester¡¯s opinion back then, but he still kept his distance. Despite that, the girl still noticed Alvin¡¯s presence without leaving the restaurant. When he locked gazes with the girl through the telescope, Alvin felt a chill went down his back. ¡°Hmm~ whatever. By the way, I met someone wearing black clothes and mask in Fort Galia too. You are all gutter rats from the same hole, right?¡± ¡°Hee~ you are calling Heat Haze gutter rats, huh. What if I say we are?¡± After speaking with the girl, Alvin was certain that Zenon had been killed. His reasoning was simple, Zenon would not leave anyone who had seen him alive. Since someone who had seen him was standing right here, then there was no doubt that Zenon was dead. ¡°Well, I have had enough of all of you, so I will stomp all of you flat. Your numbers have grown even more now. Really now, gutter rats sure breed fast~¡± With that, the girl drew her sword and looked around her¡ª there wasn¡¯t any wind, but the leaves were rustling. ¡°¡­ Do it!!¡± On Alvin¡¯s order, four Heat Haze agent pounced towards Olivia. The girl bent her knees calmly in response from the attack from above, and jumped. ¡°¡°¡ªWhat?¡±¡± The four Heat Haze agents were shocked. The girl who was on the ground just now suddenly appeared above them, so it was only natural for them to be surprised. ¡°The top of one¡¯s head is a blindspot, but you shouldn¡¯t let down your guard just because you have the high ground. Your enemy might jump to an even higher position. Z often remind me about that.¡± No one could reply to her advice. The corpses of the Heat Haze agents who had their head smashed in fell to the ground. When one of the agents fell, Alvin would hear a sound similar to fruits being smashed. When the last corpse slammed onto the ground, the girl landed. She flicked the blood on her mist covered sword onto the ground. ¡°¡­ What an incredible jump, and swordsmanship too fast for the eyes to track. You really are a monster.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a monster, I¡¯m Olivia. Hey, why do people keep referring to me as a monster?¡± Alvin scoffed at Olivia who was tilting her head baffledly. After seeing Olivia movements that was beyond a human, Alvin couldn¡¯t find any other way to describe her. Normally, she should have been cut to pieces by that attack. Instead, the ground was littered with the corpses of the Heat Haze agents, while the girl was still standing. No wonder Zenon died in her hands, Alvin thought as he reached for the multi segmented whip on his waist. (To stop the deployed elite units from being wiped out, my only choice is to flee¡­) Like Leicester said, the main objective of the Heat Haze was intelligence gathering. Fighting was the last resort. ¡ª However. Alvin bend down a little, shifting his center of gravity to his right leg. Olivia who was in front of him was smiling, confident of her victory. She lowered down her ominous dark blade. (But even if I have to flee, I need to wipe that smirk off her face!) Alvin threw his left arm up, and snapped his whip at Olivia. The instant before the sickle at the end of the whip hit her, Olivia turned and dodged the attack. (I knew you can evade that. That is a given, knowing your abilities. But you shouldn¡¯t have dodged, you should have blocked it with your sword. It is fatal to dodge this weapon!) Alvin shouted in his heart, and gently flicked his left wrist to the right. The multi-segmented whip turned and struck towards Olivia¡¯s back¡ª ¡°¡ªHmm~ what an interesting weapon. This is the first time I have seen this.¡± The multi segmented whip shattered together with the sickle, and fell out of Alvin¡¯s hand. Olivia¡¯s palm struck Alvin¡¯s stomach in a counterattack. ¡°¡­ W-Why?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Why¡­ Can you detect an attack from behind you?¡± She didn¡¯t have eyes on her back, so that attack should have landed. Alvin held on to his fading consciousness, and asked her again. Olivia leaned in to Alvin¡¯s ear and whispered: ¡°The killing intent on your weapon is too strong. Even a sleeping bird would notice.¡± What nonsense. With that in mind, Alvin¡¯s vision faded into darkness. Royal Army Tavern, Silver Moon Pavilion (It¡¯s already this late¡­ the Major has been gone for too long, where is she?) It had been two hours since they returned to the tavern, but Olivia was still missing. Claudia felt she should search for her, so she closed the book in her hands. At this moment, Claudia heard rushing footsteps from the corridor. They got closer and closer, before finally stopping before Claudia¡¯s room. ¡°Lady Claudia! I¡¯m sorry, but Lady Olivia, Lady Olivia is...!¡± After knocking the door hastily, the servant shouted Olivia¡¯s name in panic. Claudia quickly got up from her chair, and ran to open the door. Before her was a pale faced servant who was trembling. ¡°What happened to Major Olivia?¡± ¡°Ahh, I¡¯m saved. A-Anyway, please follow me!¡± After saying that, the servant rushed off without waiting for Claudia¡¯s reply. Claudia followed the servant to the entrance of the tavern, together with Ashton who heard the news. ¡°Oh, Claudia and Ashton. I¡¯m back!¡± They found Olivia who was covered in blood waving at them calmly. Beside her was a man lying prone on the ground. He seemed to be breathing, and wasn¡¯t a corpse yet. The servant who felt he had done his duty fled to the kitchen. ¡°Major!? What¡¯s going on here!?¡± Claudia was shocked, and rushed to Olivia and patted all over her body¡ª and breathed a sigh of relief. Olivia wasn¡¯t hurt, she was soaked in other people¡¯s blood. ¡°Is Olivia fine?¡± Ashton asked. When Claudia nodded, Ashton¡¯s tensed nerves relaxed, and he sat onto the ground. ¡°Claudia, it¡¯s fine now, right? That tickles.¡± Olivia said as she squirmed. ¡°Now isn¡¯t the time for that! I was wondering where you have gone off too, and you came back covered in blood¡­ Anyway, who is this masked man?¡± She was panicking too much just now, and forgot about that. The man on the floor was wearing a dark mask and wearing black clothes, and was definitely not your average citizen. ¡°Erm~ His a gutter rat, from Heat Haze or something.¡± ¡°Heat Haze...? Y-You mean the espionage agency Heat Haze from the Empire!?¡± Heat Haze was known for their exceptional intel gathering capabilities and outstanding combat prowess. Claudia knew about them, and inspected the Heat Haze agent on the ground again. ¡°Ho~ so they are spies. They are so bad at hiding, that I would never have guessed.¡± Olivia was smiling, but Claudia couldn¡¯t smile. (Heat Haze showing up here is definitely not a coincidence. They are probably, no, they are definitely spying on us.) She still needed to ask about what exactly happened, but the Heat Haze agent before them was definitely apprehended by Olivia. Anyway, Claudia ordered Ashton to tie the spy to a pillar inside the tavern to stop any escape attempt. ¡°¡ª Well then, can you tell us how you captured a Heat Haze agent?¡± Claudia was furious that Olivia took action without informing anyone, but she suppressed her rage as much as possible, and asked with a smile. Olivia¡¯s face turned stiff, and she started explaining. ¡°¡ª I see. I understand now. Simply put, Major, when we were leaving Canary town, you already noticed that we were being watched?¡± As Claudia¡¯s smile deepened, Olivia felt something was wrong. She wasn¡¯t sure why, but Claudia seemed very scary right now. Olivia learned that she needed to be on her best behaviour at times like this. She was a good learner after all. ¡°If that is so, why didn¡¯t you tell us earlier?¡± ¡°Ehhh¡­ But I did mention gutter rats¡­¡± Olivia protested softly. Claudia¡¯s smile finally reached her limits, and she turned into a demon in Olivia¡¯s eyes. By the way, the demons depicted in drawing books had loose and messy hair, and chase people around wielding sabers and devious smiles. Olivia felt they were really scary, and nostalgic too. She was spooked by the stories of demons when she was young, and hid under a thick blanket at night, fearing an attack by them. ¡°Who will understand if you use ambiguous words like gutter rats!?¡± Even Olivia was scared after seeing Claudia¡¯s angry face. Olivia seeked help from Ashton who was tying up the prisoner with untrained hands. Unfortunately, Ashton averted his face helplessly. Olivia was left without any back up. ¡°Claudia, calm down and listen. I was planning to kill all the gutter rats, but I realized that we can get useful intel if I leave one alive, so I took him prisoner. I did great, right?¡± Olivia puffed out her chest and explained proudly. Claudia sighed heavily when she heard that. Your happiness will fly away like a bird if you sigh. Olivia thought about sharing this wisdom with Claudia, but decided against it since it might make her angrier. ¡°¡ª Sigh, let¡¯s leave it at that. You are right, intel from Heat Haze is valuable, but I don¡¯t think he will give them up so easily.¡± Claudia glanced at the captured man, and seemed to have forgiven Olivia. Olivia sighed in relief. She decided to call them flies instead of gutter rats next time, so Claudia would get what she meant. ¡°Ugghh¡­¡± ¡°O-Olivia. He seemed to have woken up.¡± Ashton quickly stepped away from the man from Heat Haze. The man shook his head a little, then raised his head slightly: ¡°¡­ It seems that I have been taken alive.¡± After looking around him, he realized he was tied to a pillar. He then showed a cold smile. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you kill me? Isn¡¯t that the norm for a monster like you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a monster though. I told you many times before, my name is Olivia. Tell us your name.¡± With that, Olivia pulled off the man¡¯s mask. The unmasked man stated his name Joey with a bitter face. ¡°Mr Joey, huh. We have some¡ª¡± ¡°Major, please wait.¡± Claudia interjected. She walked to the man, squatted down and looked into his eyes. After a moment of silence¡­ ¡°He was definitely lying.¡± Claudia grunted with that. ¡°Ahaha, I see. Claudia¡¯s eyes sure are convenient. They really are a celestial blessing. I will ask you again, what¡¯s your name?¡± Olivia pointed at the man¡¯s jaw. He said his real name was Alvin. ¡°¡ªHe is telling the truth this time.¡± Alvin was shocked by Claudia¡¯s words. Ashton was baffled by their interaction. ¡°Well then, Mr Alvin, sorry, but we have some questions for you. If you answer honestly, I can let you go.¡± ¡°Major, that¡¯s¡ª¡± Claudia objected, but Olivia¡¯s mind was set. ¡°Hahaha. But that girl has no intention of letting me off though?¡± Alvin who had calmed down a little smiled coldly again. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I give you my word. So, how about it?¡± Olivia was fine with cutting Alvin¡¯s head open if he refused to cooperate. Z would be happy to get more food too. Olivia would stand to gain no matter how things turned out. ¡°¡ª So, what do you want to know?¡± Alvin hesitated for a moment, then spoke reluctantly. Claudia was surprised about that, but Olivia asked without missing a beat: ¡°First, tell us why are you stalking us?¡± ¡°¡­ Hmmp, there¡¯s no harm in telling you that. We are gathering information on the Seventh Army¡¯s movements.¡± ¡°Does it have anything to do with us taking Kasper Castle?¡± Olivia¡¯s question impressed Alvin. ¡°Oh~ you are sharp. That¡¯s right, the Seventh Army decimating the southern forces had infuriated the commander that conquered the northern territories of the Kingdom. If you get it, then stop idling around here and hurry up north. You can get killed there¡­ But I can¡¯t imagine a monster like you dying though.¡± Alvin then showed a twisted smile. Even Olivia felt uncomfortable after seeing his sinister face. Suddenly, an angry roar came from the side: ¡°You jerk! Enough with your yapping about monsters!¡± Claudia waved her fist in rage. Even the mild mannered Ashton looked angry, something Olivia had never seen before. Olivia was surprised by their reaction, and smiled bashfully: ¡°Claudia, Ashton, it¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°But I do mind!¡± Claudia¡¯s punch was stopped by Olivia in the nick of time. ¡°Major¡­¡± Claudia looked dissatisfied. It wasn¡¯t really necessary to stop Claudia, it would just be troublesome if she knocked Alvin out. ¡°Oooo, the monster seems popular with you people.¡± Alvin taunted again. Before Claudia could speak, Ashton said with an icy glare at Alvin: ¡°Olivia, why don¡¯t we just kill him? We already got the answer, so he is useless to us.¡± ¡°Ho, Ashton, saying that doesn¡¯t suit you at all.¡± Olivia drew her sword with a smile, and swung it down at Alvin. It just cut his rope without hurting him. ¡°¡­ So you are really letting me go?¡± Alvin got up slowly, and moved his limbs to check their condition. ¡°I already gave you my word. That aside, can you pass a message to the commander you mentioned?¡± ¡°¡­ Let¡¯s hear it.¡± ¡°Clean your neck and wait. Your head is mine. That¡¯s all.¡± Olivia smiled faintly, and Alvin nodded with a twisted face. ¡°G-Got it. I will pass the message along.¡± ¡°I¡¯m counting on you, Mr Alvin.¡± Alvin backed away cautiously from Olivia¡¯s sword, and left the Silver Moon Pavilion. ¡°¡ªMajor, is this really fine?¡± Claudia was still fuming as she glared at the open door. Olivia was happy that Claudia got angry for her sake, and answered: ¡°Yes, we figured out the enemy¡¯s objective after all. Ashton is right, as expected of our strategist.¡± Olivia clapped and complimented Ashton, and Ashton scratched the back of his head a little bashfully: ¡°Putting that aside, Olivia, why are you taunting them? We will just earn the enemy¡¯s ire without any benefits.¡± ¡°I think so too.¡± ¡°Well, since I said that, our opponents will stay put and wait for us cautiously. From what he just said, the enemy seemed really to be obsessed about us.¡± ¡°Which means, that will ensure the Imperial forces in the north won¡¯t invade the central war theatre, huh¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, this is a strategy.¡± Olivia lifted a finger and said proudly. Battles weren¡¯t limited to swordsmanship and unarmed combat. If words could constrain the enemy¡¯s movement, that would be a great trade. Ashton understood Olivia¡¯s intention and nodded, impressed by her. ¡°Alright¡­ After exercising, I feel famished.¡± Olivia looked towards the kitchen as she rubbed her tummy. The servant observing the situation from under the table screamed in terror. ¡°Really now¡­ Major, you are always so free spirited. Got it, I will get them to prepare some supper.¡± ¡°No need, I prefer Ashton¡¯s special mustard buns.¡± ¡°Hah? The food in this restaurant is better than mine though.¡± ¡°Whatever, I just want Ashton¡¯s buns.¡± Ashton¡¯s face softened after hearing that. ¡°Is that so? I will make some for you now.¡± He then headed to the kitchen in high spirits. ¡°Sorry, can I borrow your kitchen for a while?¡± ¡°O-Of course! Please go ahead.¡± The server fled the kitchen and rushed down the stairs without turning back. After watching the server leave, Claudia pushed Olivia¡¯s back hard: ¡°While Ashton is making your buns, hurry and change your clothes, Major. Your appearance is unsettling for the other guests.¡± ¡°Yes, got it!¡± Olivia replied energetically, and went to her room with light steps. ¢ô Imperial Capital Orsted, Listerine Castle, Chancellor Dalmes¡¯ Office As the Imperial Chancellor, Dalmes¡¯ office befitted his status, and no expense was spared. The most prominent thing about the office was how vast it was, large enough to accommodate 100 guests. Ample sunlight shone in through the large windows, and elegant red curtains with golden threads were pulled to the sides. Aside from that, there were plenty of famous paintings and art pieces. Even the desk at the side of the wall was a work of grace and grandeur. ¡°¡ª That concludes the report.¡± ¡°Thank you. But the Swaran army is too weak if they can¡¯t even seize that archaic and crumbling fort.¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be helped, since the enemy reinforcements includes that rumoured monster¡­¡± The woman in a dark cloak said in a heavy tone. She was the head of the Intelligence Bureau ¡®Dawn¡¯, Flora Ray. Unlike Heat Haze, this Bureau was working directly under Dalmes. ¡°A monster, huh¡­¡± ¡°Your Excellency?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. You are dismissed.¡± ¡°Yes Sir.¡± ¡°Oh right, make the arrangements to not let anyone come to my room for the time being.¡± ¡°As you wish, Sir.¡± After seeing Flora out, Dalmes looked to the right. Over there was something that fitted very well in this unique place. A huge book shelf that reached right to the tall ceiling. (I should make my report¡­) Dalmes took out a red book from the drawer of his desk, and went to the book shelf. There was an unnatural gap for a book in the middle of the shelf. Dalmes glanced at the book in his hand, and inserted it into the gap. There was a click, and the shelf started moving to the side with a dull thud. Before long, the book shelf stopped moving and stairs leading down was revealed. Dalmes lit the lamp at the entrance, and carefully descended the spiral steps. Despite his caution, he almost tripped a few times before reaching a room surrounded by stone walls. Unlike the office, this place felt hollow and empty. Dalmes lit the candles on the wall one by one, and his shadow turned darker as the sources of light increased. When all the candles had been lit, Dalmes walked to the center of the room, and prostrated on the floor. Dalmes shadow started to twist, and extend forward. The shadow started squirming as if it was alive, and after expanding and contracting a few times, it took on a humanoid shape. ¡°¡ªDalmes. Raise your head.¡± The shadow flickered like a phantom flame, and Dalmes looked upon the solidified shadow. ¡°Yes!!¡± Dalmes raised his head respectfully and greeted: ¡°¡®Lord Xenia, how do you do¡ª¡± ¡°Save your frivolities and get to the point. Humans are so long winded, and your language is such a pain to use.¡± The voice that seemed to come from the abyss made Dalmes shiver. ¡°M-My apologies.¡± ¡°Well, what is it?¡± Xenia asked in a cold voice. Dalmes was great at reading the mood of others, but that was useless before Xenia, since there was nothing he could observe from it. There was nothing he could do before this intimidating presence. Dalmes gulped to moisturize his dry throat, and continued: ¡°It¡¯s a follow up report on the dark sword that caught Lord Xenia¡¯s attention.¡± ¡°I see. Go on.¡± ¡°There were many reports saying that the dark sword gives off some sort of dark mist. According to the analysis by Sorcerers, it might be the work of Sorcery.¡± Xenia¡¯s figure wavered a little, but there was no further reaction. Dalmes wiped the sweat from his brow, and asked timidly: ¡°Lord Xenia?¡± ¡°You got one thing wrong. That dark mist isn¡¯t a counterfeit on the level of Sorcery.¡± Dalmes was dumbfounded by that. He didn¡¯t completely believe the Church of Saint Illuminas and the ¡°Bible White¡±, but Sorcerers do exist, and they could use Sorcery which was lauded as a miracle of god. Despite that, Xenia called Sorcery a counterfeit, which confounded Dalmes. ¡°¡­ Pardon me for asking, Lord Xenia, but what do you mean when you call Sorcery a counterfeit?¡± ¡°I mean it literally.¡± Xenia answered, which confused Dalmes even more. ¡°Even if you say that, I still don¡¯t understand¡­¡± ¡°Do I owe you an explanation? If I stand to benefit, I won¡¯t mind explaining it to you.¡± ¡°Not at all! I have misspoken!¡± Dalmes threw himself down in terror. After a moment of silence, Xenia ordered him to raise his head, and Dalmes complied. ¡°Forget it, it¡¯s only natural for you to be curious. I will explain it a little.¡± ¡°Ohh! I¡¯m deeply honoured for the chance to learn from your vast wisdom!¡± Xenia¡¯s knowledge was a treasure cove. Dalmes perked his ears to avoid missing a single word. ¡°That dark sword was probably crafted with the powers of my brethren. That is the reason why it gives off that dark mist.¡± ¡°I see¡­ That dark mist doesn¡¯t stem from Sorcery, but from your brethren''s power.¡± Dalmes carefully minced those words. Xenia could wipe out a mountain at a snap of its fingers, so if he spoke carelessly, humanity might be reduced to dust. ¡°That is correct. Hence, the human using that dark sword is my brethren¡¯s toy.¡± ¡°¡ªToy?¡± ¡°A weirdo with queer interest. Deriving joy from humans under the guise of ¡®observation¡¯.¡± ¡°Observation¡­ Should I pass down instructions to not harm her.¡± Dalmes didn¡¯t want to earn the ire of Xenia¡¯s brethren that must be equally powerful. ¡°Don¡¯t do anything unnecessary. Leave the toy be.¡± ¡°But why? She might be a human, but she is still Lord Xenia¡¯s comrade.¡± Referring to humans as toys befitted the style of a Death God, but she was bestowed with a sword by a brethren. When Dalmes thought about that, he realized Xenia¡¯s figure seemed to be expanding with rage. The fire of the candles also turned more intense. ¡°Lord Xenia?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what I said? That¡¯s a toy of my brethren. Or did things change with humans, and you started referring to your toys as comrades now?¡± ¡°M-My deep apologies!¡± Dalmes wanted to press his head onto the ground, but he couldn¡¯t even move a finger. Cold sweat was pouring from every pore in his body. ¡°Don¡¯t keep repeating the same mistakes. It¡¯s unpleasant.¡± Before he realized it, Xenia¡¯s shimmering left hand was pointing at Dalmes. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ very¡­ sorry¡­ I will be¡­ careful from now on.¡± Dalmes apologized with all his might. Xenia put down its left hand, and Dalmes regained control of his body. He pushed his flailing body up with his palms. ¡°Hah, hah, hah¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°As long as you understand. Drag out the war as long as you can. That¡¯s the reason why I bestow you with ¡®power¡¯. Send as many humans to their death as you can.¡± ¡°Yes!! I will keep that in mind. The Emperor is no different from a puppet now. It will be a breeze to manipulate this war.¡± ¡°Good. What about the ¡®Netherworld Chalice¡¯?¡± ¡°Everything is going smoothly. It¡¯s one third full now.¡± Inside Dalmes¡¯ chambers, there was a dark chalice filled with countless souls. For those without power, it was just a normal cup, so Dalmes displayed it openly in his room. ¡°I see¡­¡± Xenia nodded satisfactorily. ¡°Lord Xenia, erm¡­ you see...¡± Dalmes started to stutter. Xenia slowly reached into his robes, and took out a small transparent bottle. Inside the bottle was a dazzling rainbow coloured fluid. It was definitely not of this world. ¡°Do not worry. When you fill the Netherworld Chalice with souls, I will bestow you with the ¡®Soul-bound Cursed Elixir¡¯. But it¡¯s strange that you want something like this.¡± ¡°Thank you very much! I will definitely fill the Netherworld Chalice.¡± ¡°¡ª Do your best.¡± With that, Xenia vanished. Dalmes stood up and carefully evened the crease on his cloak. (Strange, huh¡­ Lord Xenia won¡¯t understand the feelings of short-lived humans.) Dalmes¡¯ ambition was to conquer the Dubedirica continent. Not just humans, everything that lived were bounded by their lifespan. Even if he conquered the whole continent, he could only rule over it for a few decades at the most. ¡ª I want to rule over the Dubedirica continent forever. The only existence that could fulfil Dalmes insane ambition was a Death God, and their rainbow coloured elixir that could turn humans into undead. If Dalmes could obtain that item, he didn¡¯t care if he had to deal with Death Gods or devils. If they require sacrifices, Dalmes wouldn¡¯t bat an eye if tens or hundreds of thousands of people die. Dalmes didn¡¯t know where Xenia wanted to collect human souls, but it must be for something beyond human imagination. In any case, humanity was overpopulated, so building a new Empire on the corpses of all those people would be just right. Dalmes shouted in his heart: (Thanks to that monster girl, this war which is reaching an end can be extended further. Wield that dark sword of yours more for the sake of my ambition.) Dalmes stood right there for a long while, with a sinister smile on his face. Chapter 4: The Hero and the Knight ¢ñ Farnesse Kingdom, Fortress City Emreed, Command Center Hosmund reached Emreed before the Autonomous Cavalry Regiment did, and held a war conference. The agenda was on what to do about the Imperial Forces they found in the Almheim plains, to the north of Emreed. ¡°Your Excellency, I humbly propose that we hold the fort and wait for support from the Autonomous Cavalry Regiment.¡± ¡°I concur with the Major.¡± ¡°I agree.¡± Hosmund¡¯s adjutant¡ª Major Selim wanted to exercise caution, and the other officers agreed with them. ¡°¡­ Do you all want Emreed city to be ravaged by the enemy?¡± Hosmund asked the group before him in a harsh tone. Selim protested on behalf of everyone: ¡°Your Excellency, you are mistaken. Emreed is a sturdy fort, I¡¯m certain the battle won¡¯t cause collateral damage to the city.¡± Emreed was called a fortress city because it was surrounded by strong walls. A moat lined the outside of the wall, and if the drawbridge was raised, it would be difficult for the enemy to reach the walls. Selim was right, if they focus on defense, the battle would progress in their favour. There was no guarantee that the enemy would retreat by just defending though. ¡°Selim, you are too optimistic. It¡¯s not certain yet, but the enemy might have siege weapons.¡± ¡°But maybe they don¡¯t have siege weapons.¡± In response to the question by a naive officer, Hosmund warned: ¡°That might be so, but we must always prepare for the worst on the battlefield. Fighting in the city can only be used as a last resort.¡± This place was different from a fort, if the gates were destroyed, the Imperial Army could charge inside the city. The men would be killed and the women would be ravished, with screams and howls echoing throughout the city as the place was transformed into a living hell. It would be too late to regret it when that happens. ¡°But Your Excellency, you must have heard the report, and know what it means since they are in crimson armour.¡± Crimson armour¡ª which meant their foes belonged to the Crimson Knights. Everyone knew that the Third and Fourth Armies were crushed by the Crimson Knights. They might not be as famous as the Azure Knights, but the Crimson Knights were still renowned throughout the Dubedirica continent. Selim and the other officers wanted to exercise caution because of their fear towards the Crimson Knights. Even Hosmund himself felt that the Crimson Knights couldn¡¯t be trifled with. ¡ª And that was exactly why the war merits would be great if they could defeat the Crimson Knights. (There are no battles that have no risks. The more dangerous the opponent is, the greater the reward.) When he thought about that, a shiny two star rank emblem flashed across Hosmund¡¯s eyes. ¡°I understand your concerns, but relying on the city¡¯s defences should be our last resort. We will take the initiative and attack. According to the report, the enemy is 3,000 strong, which match our numbers.¡± ¡°Your Excellency! It¡¯s dangerous because our numbers are equal! Please reconsider!¡± Selim objected emotionally. All the officers all protested. ¡°Selim, and all of you, listen up. I made my decision, this is an order.¡± Selim had no choice but to stay his tongue and nod reluctantly. The rest followed suit. They wanted to speak further, but the orders had been given, and they would be subjected to court martial if they still object. That was how the military worked. ¡°What about the enemy¡¯s movements?¡± ¡°Scouts report that the enemy is camped on the Almheim plains and showed no signs of moving. The reason remained unclear.¡± ¡°I see, that¡¯s strange¡­ alright then, we will prepare to attack and observe the enemy. Get the scouts to send the message out. That is all, dismissed.¡± With that, Hosmund left Selim and the others who were saluting with bitter faces, and left the Command Center. Imperial Army, Almheim plains ¡°¡ªLieutenant Colonel, they are not reacting.¡± The Executive Officer Captain Lamia reported with a hint of disappointment. Volmar slowly got up from the beer barrel he was using as a chair. His build was so burly that the heavy war axe on his back looked just like a hand axe. His armour couldn¡¯t hide his powerful muscles, and his disheveled hair and beard looked just like a feral beast. Volmar gave off the aura of the strong. ¡°How boring. Are they serious about retaking the north? Hey, you lot, go yell at their gate, tell them to bring out the rumoured monster! Five gold coins to anyone who manage to do that!¡± The face of several soldiers changed when they heard about the five gold coins. That was enough money for them to play as much as they want for two years. ¡°Sigh, how can we pull the monster over? She isn¡¯t wearing a collar. Please don¡¯t tease the impressionable troopers with your jokes.¡± Lamia shrugged exasperatedly, which made the soldiers around them laugh. The girl that made thousands of soldiers tremble in fear. Volmar wanted to fight her with his war axe as soon as possible. The reason was simple. He wanted to know what kind of song that monster would sing. ¡°Jokes aside, is the report that the Seventh Army had entered the fortress city true?¡± Lamia put his telescope back to the utility pouch on his waist, and nodded affirmatively: ¡°It¡¯s true, there are many reports of a unit bearing the flags of the Seventh Army entering the city. It matches the report sent in by Heat Haze too.¡± ¡°Good. If I can¡¯t return the favour, I will be letting down Lady Rosenmarie who sent me here.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it will be a problem. With the Lieutenant Colonel¡¯s incredible strength, that rumoured monster will get blown away. That¡¯s why you are called the ¡®Perisher¡¯ after all.¡± Lamia¡¯s sarcasm made Volmar sigh heavily. ¡°Enough about that. Really now, who gave me that nickname? Thanks to that, people think I¡¯m a bloodthirsty murderer.¡± According to Lamia, Volmar¡¯s opponents always end up as dismembered corpses, which was the reason behind his nickname. Volmar didn¡¯t mean to do that, that was just the result of his immense strength. He couldn¡¯t stand the nick name of Perisher. ¡°Hah!? There you go again. It¡¯s a fact though, is your head okay?¡± Lamia blinked and looked at him incredulously. Volmar looked at the others, but they all averted their gazes. The misunderstanding seemed to be deep. ¡°Let me make this clear, this is a mistake. I just like the song that my opponents sing when I crush them with my war axe. I don¡¯t particularly care about killing them.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­ Lieutenant Colonel, that means you are no different from an indiscrimate killer who enjoys murder.¡± Lamia sighed, and Volmar sighed heavily after hearing that. Volmar was lamenting that he couldn¡¯t find anyone who could appreciate art. ¡°Hey Lamia, you should put more effort into art. Then you can be like me, and be enriched on the inside.¡± Volmar put his hand to his chest and said seriously: ¡°When you say such delicate words with your huge bear-like body, it feels very surreal. That aside, what should we do? Since the enemy isn¡¯t moving, why don¡¯t we take their city with our siege weapon? This will be a good chance to test out the performance of the prototype.¡± Volmar followed Lamia¡¯s gaze, and caught a glimpse of a wheel. That was the prototype small catapult from the Technology Development Division of the Imperial Army. It was twice as strong as the previous version, and could shatter wooden fort walls in one hit. ¡°This will be our last resort. Colonel Gaier¡¯s instruction is to take that city in as good a condition as possible, since that will become our base to invade the Central War Theatre.¡± ¡°Then what should we do? Sit here and wait?¡± Volmar stroked his chin in deep thought. Lamia was right, they couldn¡¯t just wait here. It was almost time to take concrete action. ¡°Well¡­ Let¡¯s send them an invitation.¡± When he heard that, Lamia¡¯s expression brightened. ¡°That¡¯s a great idea. Once they receive the invitation from the Lieutenant Colonel, they won¡¯t sit around and wait any longer.¡± ¡°I will leave it to you then?¡± Lamia nodded firmly and accepted: ¡°I will make arrangements to cut down a few trees and get the material ready.¡± Lamia hummed as he summoned a few soldiers to follow him, and move away from Volmar. ¡ª The next morning. As the morning sun slowly rose above Mount Gransoles and illuminated the land, three crucified figures became prominent. One were missing its nose and eyes. Another was missing its limbs. The last one had been completely skinned. And by their feet were the uniforms from the Royal Army. Volume 2, 5 Volume 2, Chapter 5 Translator: Skythewood Editor: Hiiro ¢ò The next day after their brush-in with Heat Haze. Olivia¡¯s group left the Dessert City Keffin. They already obtained intel from Alvin, so there wasn''t any need to stay in the city. The Guard Captain was very disappointed, but his mood turned better when he heard that the chance of an Imperial Army attack was very low. He sent the Regiment off gleefully, his personality was very easy to figure out. ¡ªTwo more days passed. The Autonomous Cavalry Regiment was just a short distance away from Emreed. This was because their movement speed had increased drastically since they didn¡¯t have to scout for enemies. Olivia enjoyed riding on her horse, and would even sleep while riding. ¡°Major, please don¡¯t sleep on the back of the horse. It¡¯s dangerous.¡± Claudia reminded her out of concern. Olivia stretched her back, yawned, and then looked up to the sky: ¡°It¡¯s all because the weather is so nice. If I can lie on the plains, I can sleep comfortably. Well, shall we take a break?¡± ¡°You already said that two hours ago, and we rested just like you wanted. We will reach Emreed soon, please bear with it a while longer.¡± Claudia said exasperatedly. Ashton who was riding beside them smiled awkwardly. It seemed that her plan to take a break on the plains had failed. ¡°Claudia you meanie! Hey, Ashton, is there anything tasty in Emreed? There is, right?¡± ¡°Why are you asking me. Hmm~ since it¡¯s a fortress city, there should be nice food.¡± ¡°Major, I didn¡¯t say anything mean. Besides¡ª¡± ¡°Be quiet.¡± Olivia placed her index finger on her lips, and looked in front. She could sense someone approaching. ¡°What is it?¡± Claudia asked tensely. Ashton took out a telescope and scanned the front. ¡°¡ª A rider is coming towards us!¡± ¡°Halt!¡± Claudia immediately gave the order. All eyes were focused on the front, and a man in armour appeared with the sound of horse hooves. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ a soldier from the Royal Army.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°He looked flustered. What happened?¡± When the man noticed Olivia¡¯s group, he looked relieved¡ª and immediately moved in with a tense face. ¡°It¡¯s an emergency, please allow me to report on horseback. I assume you must be Regiment Commander Olivia of the Autonomous Cavalry Regiment, correct?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. And you are?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Private First Class Ritz from Major General Hosmund¡¯s unit. Our unit is engaging the Crimson Knights on the Almheim plains, and the battle is going badly. Please¡­ help us¡­¡± It took everything he had to say this much. Ritz¡¯s body swayed a little, and he fell off his horse. Ashton quickly dismounted and help Ritz up. ¡°¡­ He¡¯s fine, he just lost consciousness.¡± Claudia sighed in relief when she heard that, but quickly tense up her face. ¡°Our vanguard has already engaged the enemy. Their opponent is the formidable Crimson Knights.¡± ¡°They will be in danger if we don¡¯t hurry and help.¡± Claudia nodded firmly. ¡°The Major is right, we can¡¯t ignore our allies who are in peril.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hurry then.¡± ¡°Please wait.¡± Before Claudia could give the order, Ashton said with a frantic voice from behind. She turned back, and saw he was more serious than ever before. ¡°W-What¡¯s wrong?¡± His face that looked different from usual made Olivia a little nervous. ¡°Just like First Lieutenant Claudia said, the Crimson Knights are formidable, and it would be too heavy a burden for new recruits. We need a strategy to keep everyone alive.¡± When she saw Ashton¡¯s serious face, Olivia started thinking. From what Ashton and Claudia said, the Crimson Knights was no pushover. She looked at a few fresh recruits, and found them trembling with their face pale. He was right, if they didn¡¯t prepare some sort of plan, the fresh recruits would end up dead. ¡°Ashton, any ideas?¡± ¡°Sorry¡­ I¡¯m the one who brought it up, but I don¡¯t have any clues.¡± Ashton hung his head in shame. She looked towards Claudia, who only shook her head in silence. Neither of them had any good suggestions. (This is difficult. It will be fine if I¡¯m alone though... Hmm? Alone? That¡¯s right, alone!) Olivia snapped her fingers. Ashton and Claudia looked at each other, and asked at the same time: ¡°Have you thought of a plan?¡± ¡°Major, please tell us.¡± The two of them leaned in close, which surprised Olivia. ¡°E-Erm, I¡¯m thinking that we should let three men work together to take on one Crimson Knight. One will attack, one defend, and the last one will support. That will be one team. The fresh recruits should be able to handle that, and minimize our losses.¡± ¡°I see¡­ each soldier will focus on his own task. The recruits will be of some use then.¡± Ashton was impressed and nodded, while Claudia looked hesitant. ¡°Hmm? Claudia, is something wrong? I think it is a good idea though.¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s nothing wrong¡­ But even if they are the Crimson Knights, ganging up on them is a little¡­ As a knight that values honour, I¡¯m afraid...¡± ¡°This is war, and the recruits aren¡¯t knights?¡± ¡°Of course I know that¡­ Ahhhh!¡± Claudia¡¯s eyes turned red, and she scratched her head as she mumbled something. Olivia pulled away from Claudia on reflex. Claudia was a little scary right now, so she decided to observe quietly. ¡ª A while later. ¡°Let¡¯s go with that then.¡± It seemed to take everything Claudia had to say that. Her inner battles seemed to be over. She was really interesting at times. Hosmund regretted his rash actions. It was true that he didn¡¯t want the citizens to be caught up in the flames of war, but he was also blinded by his ambitions. This was the result of his greed for war merits. (Fufu. Is this my punishment for my avarice¡­) In front of him was a gigantic man swinging a huge war axe. The brave soldiers who challenged him were crushed by that weapon, splattering blood and sinew everywhere. Hosmund even started to wonder whether humans were really that frail. Selim was right, they should have waited for the Autonomous Cavalry Regiment. But Selim was gone. He had journeyed to the underworld in his valiant effort to protect Hosmund. (But¡­ I couldn¡¯t allow such vile acts to go unpunished!) When he saw the terrible state of his scouts, Hosmund¡¯s eyes turned red. When he realized it, he had ignored Selim¡¯s call for restrain, and was charging on the Almheim plains. ¡ª Without realizing this was a trap by the enemy. Hosmund attacked too deep, and got surrounded by the Crimson Knights. He immediately ordered his men to adopt defensive formation, but the instruction wasn¡¯t relayed swiftly because of the chaos. As a result, the troops were ravished helplessly, and their retreat path was cut off. ¡°Hey hey, are you really the Seventh Army that decimated the Southern Imperial forces? You are too weak. And I don¡¯t see any monster girl.¡± The man rested his war axe on his shoulder, and said with a disinterested face. When Hosmund heard the term ¡®monster girl¡¯, he realized the enemy was after Olivia. ¡°Unfortunately, that girl is assigned to another unit. This Major General here will duel with you in her stead.¡± ¡°Tch! That Lamia was so cock sure, but the intel is fake. No, the enemy is the Seventh Army, so they aren¡¯t wrong¡­¡± But that man just muttered to himself, and didn¡¯t think Hosmund was even worth responding to. ¡°Hey, your opponent here is a Major General, not good enough for you?¡± ¡°¡ªHmm? Sigh, I¡¯m very dissatisfied, but you will make do. I have to return a gift in kind to Lady Rosenmarie anyway.¡± ¡°Return gift?¡± When he heard Hosmund¡¯s question, the burly man laughed coldly, then placed two fingers on his neck. ¡°Since you are a Major General, then sing a good song for me.¡± His expression changed as he swung his war axe like the fangs of a beast. Hosmund defended with his sword, but his stance was in shambles because of his opponent¡¯s enormous strength. Hosmund changed his posture and tried to deflect the blows instead. However, that man adjusted his attack in response. He wasn¡¯t just someone who relied on brute force. In the end, Hosmund¡¯s sword was bent, and the war axe slowly sunk into his shoulder. ¡°Gwahhh¡ª!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Sing! I¡¯m taking my time out of respect for your rank! Let me hear a splendid tune!¡± That man smiled sinisterly as he sunk the war axe deeper in. Hosmund was bleeding profusely from the shoulder, and his vision blurred. He felt his body being pulled to the ground, and he collapsed onto his knees. (This is the end¡­) As Hosmund was certain he would die, a hurricane attacked suddenly, blowing the man away. The sudden changed surprised Hosmund, and he forgot the pain. He couldn¡¯t say anything as a bell-like voice came from behind. ¡°Right in the nick of time.¡± The familiar voice made Hosmund turn around slowly, only to find a girl with an innocent smile¡ª It was Olivia. ¢ó ¡°M-Major Olivia¡­¡­!?¡± ¡°Set up a square formation here. Don¡¯t let the enemy come near.¡± ¡°¡°¡°Yes Mdm!!¡±¡±¡± The soldiers¡¯ morale were high after receiving Olivia¡¯s orders. Olivia nodded at them, and looked towards Hosmund. ¡°That was close. Ah, wrong, I¡¯m glad that you¡¯re alright!¡± Olivia felt using honorifics were troublesome as she saluted the dumbfounded Hosmund. Hosmund smiled awkwardly, then said with his hands on the wound on his shoulder: ¡°This is a battlefield, and now isn¡¯t the time be saluting leisurely.¡± ¡°Is that so? ¡ª No, will that be alright? Adjutant Otto always tells me that I have to salute when I see a ranking officer though?¡± Olivia tilted her head inside her heart as she swatted away a stray arrow. She couldn¡¯t imagine Otto being wrong about manners, since he was the personification of military discipline. ¡°That¡­ will depend on the time and place. At the very least, salutes are unnecessary during a battle. I heard that you are a queer one, but I never thought it will be to such an extent¡­ Ugh¡­¡± Hosmund said with a bitter face. Otto and Hosmund, who was right? Olivia was really bothered by this, and decided to ask Otto the next time she saw him. ¡°Major General Hosmund, please fall back for now. Claudia and the others have secured a retreat route, please leave this place to me.¡± Olivia called two nearby soldiers over, and got them to help Hosmund. If Hosmund died here, then the effort of Olivia and the others rushing here would be in vain. ¡°Sorry¡­¡± After a curt apology, Hosmund left with the support of the troopers. As Olivia watched him go, a booming voice came from behind her. ¡°¡ª Well, are you done talking yet?¡± She turned around, and found the burly man she sent flying with a kick standing there with a nefarious smile. That man stabbed his war axe into the ground and cracked his neck. ¡°Yes, we are done. Sorry about that kick.¡± Olivia apologized with a smile, and that man waved his hand gently. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Your attack is like a work of art, it has been so long since someone knocked me down. It¡¯s a shame that the Major General didn¡¯t finish his song, but it¡¯s fine. I finally get to meet you.¡± ¡°Ehh¡­ ? But I don¡¯t remember ever meeting you though?¡± Olivia tilted her head, she had never seen a man the size of a bear before. She looked like a child compared to his huge figure. The huge man laughed heartily. ¡°You might not know me, but I know you. The beautiful girl who traumatized a few thousand soldiers is famous in the Imperial Army. Don¡¯t you have any self awareness. You. Damn. Monster.¡± The large man said gleefully, and Olivia frowned. It seemed the nickname monster had spread before she knew it. Olivia felt it was a pain, and the thought of being called a monster wherever she went annoyed her to no end. Z already gave her the wonderful name Olivia, she didn¡¯t want that to go to waste. ¡°Sigh¡­ I¡¯m not a monster, I¡¯m Olivia.¡± ¡°Oh, pardon me. You might be a monster, but you still have a name. By the way, I¡¯m Volmar. Volmar Ganglet. Nice to meet you.¡± Volmar placed his left hand on his chest and bowed respectfully. This graceful movement that didn¡¯t match his appearance surprised Olivia. She had to give a proper response. ¡°Well met, Mr Volmar Ganglet. Let me introduce myself again, I¡¯m Olivia Valedstorm. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, our time together will be brief, but I will be in your care.¡± Olivia gave a proper lady¡¯s greeting she learned from a book. She lifted the hem of her skirt a little and did a curtsey. ¡°Fuhaha! It¡¯s been a while since I last got so excited. Your song will be a real gem, Olivia!¡± The next instant, the war axe clashed against the dark sword, throwing sparks everywhere. Volmar¡¯s eyes were full of life and he was enjoying himself as he swung his war axe. Olivia couldn¡¯t figure out Volmar¡¯s joy as she parried the assault. He wouldn¡¯t get to eat delicious food again once he was dead. ¡°Not bad! Olivia is the best! There¡¯s not many people who can stand up to my strength! Now, take this!!¡± Volmar pulled his right leg all the way back, then twists his waist to swing his war axe in a big arc. The force behind the swing was transferred to Olivia, and she was airborne. ¡°Uwah!¡± Olivia immediately tucked her legs under her left arm in the air, performing a somersault to reduce the impact. But when she lands¡ª ¡°Huh?¡± She realized her swordarm was still shaking. The power of that attack was not completely dissipated. It had been a long while since Olivia felt that way, and this reminded her of her time with Z. ¡°Hey hey, that isn¡¯t my full power, but it is enough to crush bones into dust. Olivia, you are pretty good.¡± They were enemies, but Volmar didn¡¯t hold back on his praise for Olivia. ¡°Hee¡­ Judging by your strength, you are a human with high ¡®Odic force¡¯. You are the second one that I have met.¡± ¡°Odic force? What¡¯s that?¡± In contrast to Volmar¡¯s confounded look, Olivia smiled wryly. ¡ª The first was a friend by Olivia¡¯s side. ¡ª The second appeared before Olivia as an enemy. This must be fate. Z would be happy about this. ¡°Don¡¯t mind me. This might be the last time we can chat, so let me thank you first. I¡¯m very grateful, Mr Volmar. I can serve a good meal to Z now.¡± ¡°Serve a good meal to Z? What are you talking about?¡± Volmar was getting more confused. But Olivia didn¡¯t answer, and slowly lowered her center of gravity. The Autonomous Cavalry Regiment who rushed in as reinforcements was locked in intense combat with the Crimson Knights. They had already broken through the encirclement of the Crimson Knights and rescued the crumbling Cavalry Regiment under Hosmund¡¯s command. They were now escorting the injured out of the battlefield. Claudia was fighting at the very front, and was covered in the blood of her enemies. (Did the Major make it to Major General Hosmund in time?) Olivia led 300 cavalry to rescue Hosmund. Considering her peerless martial prowess, she should be fine. But their opponents were the Crimson Knights, so she couldn¡¯t let her guard down. ¡°First Lieutenant Claudia! The enemy is trying to flank us!¡± The one-eyed soldier Gauss yelled, snapping Claudia out of her thoughts. She looked at the direction he was pointing at, and found a company-sized calvary breaking through her allies¡¯ defences and striking for the center of the formation. (In terms of individual fighting potential, the enemy has the advantage¡­) If she let them continue on, the Royal Army would be clamped in a pincer attack. Including Hosmund¡¯s troops they had the advantage in number, but the enemy still had the upper hand in this battle. As expected of the Crimson Knights. ¡°Gauss! Take the second cavalry company and stop them!¡± ¡°Yes Mdm, leave it to me! Alright boys, follow me!¡± ¡°¡°¡°Yes Sir!!¡±¡±¡± On Gauss¡¯ orders, 500 cavalry rode forth to engage with gusto. Claudia started moving towards the enemy¡¯s main force, but had to join in the fray after meeting with resistance. A man¡¯s head and helmet were crushed, popping his eyes out. A woman¡¯s head was turned in an impossible angle after a collision with a horse. As all sorts of corpses were manufactured on the battlefield, a male officer in a chestnut colored horse asked Claudia: ¡°Hey you, is the commander of your reinforcements a young girl?¡± ¡°What if I say yes?¡± Claudia clashed swords with that man as they spoke. ¡°From your reaction, I must be right. Sigh, the Lieutenant Colonel will be pleased.¡± The two of them pulled on their reins and crossed swords. Claudia judged that they were evenly matched, and kicked at the eye of her opponent¡¯s horse. At almost the same time, the man did the same thing. Both war horses neighed in pain, and threw both riders to the ground. ¡°Tch!¡± Claudia immediately got up and took a stance, just in time to jump and evade the man¡¯s attack. At the same time, she kicked the man in the face. The man who got outplayed looked bitter. ¡°¡­ Fufufu, well done.¡± He wiped away the blood from his nose with a sinister smile. (Hmm¡­? What is she up to?) Seeing Olivia lower her stance, Volmar was wary and held his war axe up defensively. She was strong enough to take on his attack, and as nimble as an acrobat. There was no doubt this girl was a top class fighter. No wonder Rosenmarie ordered him to take the field. If that girl could talk nonsense, she probably had more up her sleeve. Volmar couldn¡¯t afford to be careless. ¡ª However, she wasn¡¯t strong enough to strike fear into the Imperial Army, and be called a monster. (Normal soldiers couldn¡¯t stand up to her, but I¡¯m different.) Rumours like this was usually over exaggerated. Volmar was confident of defending against any of Olivia¡¯s attack. However, he quickly realized how naive that was. Olivia suddenly appeared before him with a loud thud. ¡°¡ª!?¡± Thanks to his long experience on the battlefield, Volmar barely reacted in time. His survival instinct pushed him to block the dark sword coming towards his neck. If he was just a little slower, his head would be gone now. And so, the match between Volmar and Olivia began. ¡°Woooahhh!!¡± Volmar grit his teeth so hard that he almost crushed them as he swung his war axe. This wasn¡¯t his usual swagger move, but a strike with full force. Anyone else would be smashed into bits on the ground. But Olivia¡¯s slender figure blocked the hit without moving an inch. She was even smiling coldly. Cold sweat rolled down Volmar¡¯s cheeks. (Did I¡­ take on something I couldn¡¯t handle?) Anxiety, frustration¡ª and fear struck Volmar. Emotions he had not felt for a long time welled out, and slowly gripped Volmar¡¯s heart. As long as he could remember, Volmar had always stood head and shoulders over others because of his buff body and immense strength. Before he met Rosenmarie, he had never lost before. That was why this negative emotions were so hard to wave off. In order to control fear, you need to get used to it over time, but Volmar had never felt fear before. He was inexperienced in this aspect. Volmar observed Olivia standing beyond his war axe. She was tall for a woman, but only reached until Volmar¡¯s waist. But in Volmar¡¯s eyes, Olivia was like a giant that reaches the sky. ¡°It¡¯s my turn.¡± ¡°¡ª!¡± Olivia¡¯s words were like the scythe of a Death God, and Volmar swung his war axe with all his might. However, all his attacks were parried by Olivia with ease. She then slashed her sword hard at the war axe. It was Volmar¡¯s turn to be airborne. (She hit me into the air!? How is that possible!?) The fantastical scene plunged Volmar into deep confusion. But his instinct told him that it would be all over if he fell to the ground like this, so he prepared to break his fall. This was the result of his training, however¡ª ¡°First, your right arm.¡± ¡°Gwaahhh!!¡± Volmar¡¯s right arm was severed by Olivia who appeared before him suddenly, and he screamed from the pain. He was too shocked to think about breaking his fall, and slammed into the ground just like that. ¡°Bleah!¡± All the air in his lungs was squeezed out in one go. He was only conscious because of the pain from losing his right arm. After struggling to breath for a while, Volmar stood up with his war axe as a clutch. For the first time, his body felt as heavy as lead. (Damn it! Where did she go!) He searched desperately for Olivia, and a bone chilling voice came from behind. ¡°Next will be your left arm.¡± ¡°Gaaaahhh!!¡± Volmar was turning when his left arm handing his war axe flew into the sky. As his gushing blood stained the ground, Olivia said ¡°Left leg¡± and ¡°right leg¡±, as if she was chanting a spell. The intense pain numbed Volmar¡¯s brain, and he couldn¡¯t think properly. He stopped caring about his body mid way. When Volmar realized it, he was looking at the endless sky. ¡ª How pure and beautiful. That was the only thing on Volmar¡¯s mind. ¡°¡ªHow about that? I saw the Royal soldiers massacred by you on my way here, so I want you to try the same thing. Is it to your liking?¡± Olivia who appeared within his field of vision bent forth and asked, covering the sky. Her silver thread like hair flowed down her shoulders, brushing against Volmar¡¯s nose. ¡°Ahh¡­ Ughh¡­ Ahh¡­¡± ¡°You can¡¯t hear me anymore? I was right to thank you early. ¡ªWell then, become a lavish meal for Z.¡± He shouldn¡¯t have earned her ire. He shouldn¡¯t have gotten involved with her. ¡ªShe¡¯s a real monster! Olivia slowly raised her mist covered dark sword. Volmar watched with half open eyes, and lamented his naiveness¡ª ¡°Regiment Commander Olivia have slain the enemy commander!¡± ¡°¡°¡°Waaarrrggghhh!!¡±¡±¡± The troops of the Autonomous Cavalry Regiment roared in cheers. The Crimson Knights couldn¡¯t believe their eyes, that Volmar had been defeated. Olivia sighed gently and looked up to the sky. Countless crows circled in the air. ¡°I wonder if Z has received my present¡­¡± Lamia slashed vertically¡ª but switched to a horizontal cut midway. The woman was surprised, and immediately jumped back to evade. Lamia was proud of his sword skills that mixed feints with real strikes, but it only left a faint scratch on his foe¡¯s armour. The woman¡¯s exceptional physical abilities surprised Lamia. ¡°You are really good. Hey, why don¡¯t you turn towards the light, and join the Imperial Army? It will be a pity for someone of your skills to die. I will give you a recommendation, so how about it?¡± The woman furrowed her brows in response to Lamia¡¯s sincere offer. ¡°It seems you are looking down on me. There¡¯s a limit to your nonsense, do you really think I will accept that offer?¡± ¡°Hey hey! I¡¯m doing this out of my good will. No matter how you slice it, the Farnesse Kingdom has no future to speak of. Or do you want to die?¡± Lamia spread his arms exaggeratedly. In contrast, the woman shrugged and scoffed at his proposal. ¡°I¡¯m an honourable knight of the Farnesse Kingdom, turning coat just because the situation is unfavourable is a disgrace.¡± ¡°¡­ No matter what, you have no intention of serving the Empire?¡± ¡°Shut up. We are both knights, but you are just a useless crap fly.¡± With that, the girl braced her sword horizontally, determined to slay the man who defiled the virtue of a knight. ¡°¡­ Hee, you got guts¡ª you are useless to me then, die!¡± Lamia pushed himself off the ground and pounced at the woman with a flurry of slashes. But the woman saw through all the attacks, and dodged with the tiniest of movements. She wasn¡¯t just physically gifted, she had excellent dynamic vision too. Lamia¡¯s all out attack only managed to cut off a few strands of her hair. Lamia felt the woman¡¯s eyes were shimmering a little, and wondered if he was seeing things. In any case, he couldn¡¯t end the fight like this. Lamia was slowly getting flustered. ¡°Tch!¡± Lamia jumped off his left foot, and slashed vertically again¡ª before changing it to a horizontal attack once more. ¡°I already saw this move! You think this will work on me!?¡± The woman bent almost to the ground, and swept her foe¡¯s leg. Lamia¡¯s weak spot was attacked, and he couldn¡¯t react in time. He took the hit and fell down. The woman didn¡¯t let this chance go, and pointed her sword at Lamia¡¯s throat. ¡°¡ª The match has been decided.¡± The woman said coldly. One wrong move from Lamia, and the sword will reap his life. He sighed heavily. ¡°Sigh, I lost, huh¡­ Do it. But you will be joining me in hell soon.¡± ¡°¡­ Still shooting your mouth off, huh? You are really a disgrace of a knight.¡± Lamia said defiantly to the scornful Claudia: ¡°No, I¡¯m not running my mouth. You will definitely die to the Lieutenant Colonel who will end that rumoured monster!!¡± Lamia wasn¡¯t taunting her out of spite or wishing for a quick death. He wanted to agitate her and seize the chance to turn the table. But contrary to Lamia¡¯s expectations, the sword on his throat didn¡¯t waver one bit. The woman breathed out calmly, and looked at him with cold eyes: ¡°¡­ You got two things wrong.¡± ¡°Huh? What¡¯s wrong?¡± The woman didn¡¯t care about Lamia¡¯s mean mug, and continued: ¡°First, that Lieutenant Colonel is already waiting for you in hell. You can work on your chivalry in that world.¡± The woman said so surely, it was as if she saw the moment Volmar died. Lamia was feeling confused, and the woman continued. ¡°Second, the Major is not a monster. The Major is¡ª Olivia is a hero!!¡± With that shout, the woman stabbed her sword deep into Lamia¡¯s throat. ¢ô Olivia¡¯s duel ended with Volmar Ganglet¡¯s death. And now, the Royal army was in hot pursuit of the retreating Crimson Knights. Both the Autonomous Cavalry Regiment and the enraged soldiers under Hosmund were involved. On the other hand, the one in charge of the retreat was Captain Gordo Kreis. He was 55 years old, but still maintained his dignified bearing. Roughly 60% of his forces had been killed, but he still worked tirelessly to save as many soldiers as he could. ¡°Everyone, hang on a while longer!¡± ¡°¡°¡°Yes Sir!!¡±¡±¡± Gordo rallied his men, who responded energetically. The commander Volmar and his deputy Lamia both died in battle, but morale was still high. This was because of their loyalty towards Rosenmarie, and their pride as a member of the Crimson Knights. It was questionable whether the retreat would go smoothly. To be frank, Gordo felt that chances were slim. ¡ª The reason was clear. ¡°Captain Gordo! Second Lieutenant Burghardt¡¯s defense line has been breached!¡± His attendant, Henrik, who was following him on a horse shouted. Gordo turned, and saw a girl with flowing silver hair on a black horse. ¡°That monster! She caught up so quickly!¡± This monster in a guise of a girl seemed to have cut down Volmar the ¡®Perisher¡¯ down to just his torso. This was a reply to Volmar¡¯s invitation letter to the Seventh Army. And now, Gordo finally understood why she scared the shit out of a few thousand soldiers. Gordo immediately gave the order: ¡°Let the wounded retreat first! The rest of you, form a square formation! Pikes to the front, stop the enemy¡¯s charge! Archers behind are to fire in three staggered volleys! Don¡¯t let a single one of them pass!¡± ¡°¡°¡°Yes Sir!!¡±¡±¡± ¡°Major, the enemy has taken a square formation. They seemed determined to fight to the death.¡± When she heard what Claudia said, Olivia nodded thoughtfully: ¡°The Crimson Knights, huh¡­ How disciplined. If we continue to charge, our losses will start to mount too. I will take the lead and disrupt their formation. Claudia, launch an attack when you see a chance, okay?¡± ¡°Yes Mdm, leave it to me!¡± Claudia accepted immediately. Ashton blew a horn to inform the entire unit. ¡°Change formation to crescent moon! ¡ªOlivia, I know how strong you are, but don¡¯t push yourself.¡± ¡°Yes, I know. Thank you for your kind concern, I¡¯m going off then.¡± Olivia smiled and waved at the worried Ashton, then moves off from the vanguard. ¡°Horsie, I¡¯m counting on you.¡± Olivia strokes the back of her horse gently. The dark horse understood the intention of its master, and started accelerating. Z told Olivia in the past that horses were intelligence creatures, and this black horse had grown on her. Olivia decided to give it a proper name after this battle was over. ¡°¡ªPikemen, advance!¡± On the order of one man, part of the enemy soldiers formed neat pike formations. The pikes were as tight as an iron wall, showing their determination to stop the advance of their foes. Olivia deftly took out a crossbow from her back and aimed at the man giving the orders¡ª and pulled the trigger. There was a dull thud of a metallic spring. At the same time, the bolt pierced the forehead of that man with great precision. Olivia continued to load and fire with smooth movements, and a pikeman would fall each time like puppets with their strings cut. (Hmm, this toy is really convenient. It¡¯s more powerful than bows, and can fire repeatedly with enough practice. I was right to take this from Mr Bloom.) Olivia kept the crossbow onto her back, and drew out her dark sword with a swoosh. She spurred her black horse forward and charged into the enemy. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid of that monster! Surround and stab her!¡± Their captain yelled loudly. Olivia cut off the pikes coming her way, then cut off that man¡¯s head. Blood splattered onto her enemy¡¯s armour, dying them into a darker shade of red. The soldier who swung his sword towards her blind spot got his head sliced in half, together with his helmet. His brains spilled out like pudding. Olivia charged around on her dark horse, striking fear into the Crimson Knights and forcing them back with every swing. ¡ª And so, their formation began to crumble. ¡°First Lieutenant Claudia, a corner of the square formation has been broken!¡± Ashton shouted. Claudia took in a deep breath. ¡°Here¡¯s our chance! Crush their formation in one go!¡± ¡°¡°Yes Mdm!!¡±¡± On Claudia¡¯s order, the Autonomous Cavalry Regiment and Hosmund¡¯s Cavalry Regiment started their all out charge. Even the elite Crimson Knights was reeling from the coordinated attack. One by one, the lives of the men in red were extinguished on the battlefield¡ª ¡°C-Captain! We can¡¯t hold out any longer!¡± One soldier shouted in anguish. The square formation was in shambles, and the enemy¡¯s encirclement was tightening slowly. It was impossible to rally their formation again. Looking forward, that monster in the guise of a girl was unstoppable. In the wake of her dark sword, groups of soldiers would fall in despair. It was like watching a subpar theatre play. That dark sword covered in black mist and dripping blood didn¡¯t seem to be of this world. ¡°Captain Gordo, if this continues¡­¡± Henrik was almost groaning. ¡°How many casualties have been evacuated?¡± ¡°About¡­ Half.¡± ¡°I see¡­ Continue to support their retreat. And when you find the chance, withdraw together with them.¡± ¡°Hah? What about you, Captain Gordo?¡± Gordo ignored the confused Henrik, and rode towards the monster on his steed. As he rode, he took out a pendant of the Goddess Citresia and prayed. (Great Goddess Citresia, please watch after this old fool.) Even Volmar the Perisher was toyed by her, he stood no chance of winning. But even an old man like him could buy some time for his men to retreat. Even a few seconds would be precious¡ª ¡°Hold it right there, you monster! I, Gordo Kreis of the Crimson Knights shall be your opponent!¡± ¡°Again¡­ I¡¯m not a monster, I¡¯m Olivia.¡± Olivia braced her sword with an irate face and charge in. Gordo thrust his trident at Olivia¡¯s heart when she got in range. Even a monster would die if her heart was pierced. ¡°Damn it!¡± However, his first attack completely failed. Gordo tossed aside his trident and pulled out his sword. At the same time, he turned the horse around to face Olivia. ¡°Had enough yet?¡± ¡°¡­ What do you mean?¡± Gordo didn¡¯t understand what Olivia meant, and asked on reflex. Olivia tilted her head a little and then opened her eyes wide in enlightenment. ¡°Ahaha, sorry. I messed up my lines again ¡ª well then, I¡¯m going for the kill now.¡± ¡°¡­ I see.¡± She was a monster, so she wasn¡¯t familiar with the human language. With that in mind, Gordo tightened the grip on his sword. After taking a deep breath, he spurred his horse and charged Olivia again. ¡°Die!!¡± The most perfect horizontal slash of Gordo¡¯s life was blocked by Olivia easily. His sword spun around the dark sword for a while, before it flew into the air. Gordo who couldn¡¯t help tracking his sword suddenly saw something dark. ¡°¡ª This is!? A scythe!?¡± The sudden appearance of the black scythe shook Gordo. On a closer inspection, Olivia wasn¡¯t holding a dark sword anymore. But just like the dark sword, it was emitting an ominous black mist. (This is just like the scythe wielded by Death God in fairy tales¡­ Death God...? Fufu¡­ Fufufu¡­ I see, so that¡¯s it!) The sudden thought he got made Gordo laughed. (It was impossible to win after all. Lieutenant Colonel Volmar died in vain. After all, what is a man to a god?) ¡ª The same goes for a god that had the prefix ¡°Death¡±. ¡°I finally understand now. You are not a monster.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m not a monster, I¡¯m Olivia Valedstorm. I finally found a reasonable person in the Empire.¡± Olivia nodded happily. In contrast, Gordo shook his head hard. ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean¡­ You are definitely a Death God.¡± ¡°Ehh? ¡ªZ is a Death God, not me.¡± Olivia opened her eyes wide and swung down the scythe. An incredible pain coursed through Gordo¡¯s body¡ª and his world was dyed in white. ¡°¡­ Did Mr Gordo know about Z? I should have captured him instead of killing him.¡± Beside the feet of Olivia who was holding her head with regret, was Gordo¡¯s bisected corpse. Beside his corpse, a pendant glittered brightly. Intermission: Guile Marion Fortress City Emreed, Training Grounds Evening, swooshing sound could be heard from the training grounds. ¡°As expected, you are here¡­ practicing your sword again?¡± ¡°That voice, Ashton right¡­ There¡¯s no one around, so I will save the honorifics.¡± Guile didn¡¯t look at Ashton, and continue focusing on his vertical slash. ¡°It¡¯s fine. But why are you working out so late today?¡± Ashton watched Guile concentrate on his practice with a face that was half impressed and half exasperated. Ashton would usually have the place to himself when he trains at this timing. ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? In order to keep up with commander Olivia, half assed skills won¡¯t cut it. I¡¯m painfully aware of that after the battle against the Crimson Knights.¡± Guile had practiced swordsmanship for a year, and the more he trained, the more he realized how absurd Olivia¡¯s prowess was. (Speaking of which, I really said something stupid back then.) Guile remembered how he boasted that he had grown stronger on the way to the Iris Plains, and how Claudia looked at him with pitiful eyes. And now, he understood what was the reason. That memory was so shameful that he wanted to burrow inside a hole. ¡°Even so, you have grown much stronger now, Guile. You even took out a Crimson Knights platoon captain by yourself during the last battle?¡± ¡°¡­Hey Ashton, what do you think is the difference in prowess between me and commander Olivia?¡± ¡°Why are you asking me that all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mind me, just say it.¡± ¡°Even if you ask me to compare¡­ I have no idea.¡± Ashton shrugged in resignation. ¡°Let me tell you then. The difference between me and commander Olivia is as vast as an ant to a One Horned Beast. We are not in the same realm.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s that huge¡­ It¡¯s true, from the way Olivia looks during a battle, that might be true. But to me, all of you are very strong. It makes me envious.¡± Ashton looked at Guile unhappily, and Guile couldn¡¯t help laughing. ¡°Oh, you want to be stronger too, Ashton?¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯m a man too. Of course I want to be stronger.¡± Ashton slowly drew the sword on his waist, and started swinging it. He still couldn¡¯t control the balance of his sword well, and his body was even swaying from the weight of the sword. Guile watched the entire process, and Ashton turned his head towards Guile like a rusty door being forced open. ¡°Have I gotten any stronger at all?¡± ¡°¡­ Well, Ashton, being strong isn¡¯t limited to swinging a sword.¡± ¡°Y-You don¡¯t have to console me.¡± Ashton sounded a little unhappily. ¡°I¡¯m not consoling you¡ª don¡¯t you even know what makes you strong?¡± ¡°What makes me strong? As you can see, I¡¯m useless with spears and swords?¡± Ashton laughed self mockingly. Guile pointed at Ashton¡¯s forehead: ¡°You are really dense at times like this. What makes you strong is here, right here. You have something I can¡¯t have no matter how much I yearn for it. Compared to that, my prowess are miniscule.¡± If Guile died during a battle some day, it won¡¯t have too much of an impact on the Autonomous Cavalry Regiment. At the most, the soldiers of the First Platoon will feel sad. But if they lost Ashton who was the brains of the Autonomous Cavalry Regiment, that would be devastating loss. Ashton once said that compared to the number of enemies you kill, keeping your people alive was more important. That was an arduous task. He didn¡¯t have many men under him, but Guile understood how difficult it was to manage people. Ashton nursed his forehead that was turning red from Guile¡¯s poke, and muttered grudgingly: ¡°But if something happens, I won¡¯t be able to protect myself. Isn¡¯t that shameful for a man¡­?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no shame in that. If it comes down to that, I can still protect you, Ashton. I don¡¯t want commander Olivia to be in grief.¡± ¡°Olivia will be sad¡­?¡± Ashton was surprised, and Guile poked his forehead again. ¡°Are you just pretending to be retarded? Do you think she won¡¯t be sad if you died?¡± ¡°No, I have never seen her sad before. Olivia is always smiling without a care in the world¡­¡± Guile sighed deeply when he heard that: ¡°Sigh¡­ You are so smart, so why are you so dense during times like this. Well, I guess that¡¯s your style.¡± ¡°Sorry for being dense.¡± ¡°Forget it, you will understand when the time comes.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that? You mean I will understand, Guile?¡± Guile sheathed his sword and cast a dubious look at Ashton. ¡°At least I¡¯m a bit stronger at that than Ashton.¡± Ashton wanted to say more, but Guile stopped him. ¡°Commander Olivia!¡± ¡°So you¡¯re here, Guile¡ª Hmm? Ashton¡¯s here too.¡± Olivia hollered as she looked their way through the half opened door. Guile sprinted to her. ¡°You don¡¯t have to trouble yourself by coming here, just send the word, and this Guile will rush to your side.¡± Guile knelt on one knee and placed his hand on his chest. Olivia smiled stiffly at that. It was a beautiful smile that he would show Guile from time to time. ¡°I-Is that so? I want to ask you if there¡¯s any Blood Suckling Bird around here. It¡¯s been a while, and I¡¯m in the mood to eat one.¡± ¡°Blood Suckling Bird, huh? ¡ªplease wait a moment.¡± Guile swiftly took out his ¡°Valkyrie notebook¡±, and started flipping through it. This was an important book he was using to record Olivia¡¯s favourite food, and was invaluable. And of course, it also included the latest information he found out from the hunters in Emreed. ¡°Let me see¡­ there are reported sightings of Blood Suckling Bird in the Ebona hill to the west.¡± While he was saying that, Guile flipped to a new page, and wrote down ¡¶Likes the meat of Blood Suckling Bird¡·. ¡°Ebona hill to the west, huh. Thanks a lot¡ª See you too, Ashton.¡± Olivia waved and decided to leave. Guile frantically tried to stop her: ¡°Are you going to hunt the Blood Suckling Bird by yourself, My Lady?¡± ¡°Yes, best hit the iron while it¡¯s hot. And I can see just fine at night too.¡± Olivia turned back with a brilliant smile. ¡°Shall I go with you? Despite how I look, I¡¯m familiar with the hills, and will be of use.¡± ¡°Now that you mention it, Guile used to be a hunter. No wonder you are so good at finding prey, and you are peerless in plucking feathers too¡­¡± Olivia put her finger on her cheeks and thought for a moment, and then agreed. ¡°Why don¡¯t we go together?¡± ¡°It will be my honour!¡± Olivia nodded, and she strode forth. The high spirited Guile was about to follow, but Ashton pulled him back. ¡°What is it? Do you want to come too, Ashton?¡± Ashton opened his eyes wide and whispered to Guile: ¡°There¡¯s no way I want to go! You know that¡¯s a Blood Suckling Bird right, a Blood Suckling Bird! A Type 2 danger beast. If you are a hunter, then you should know that.¡± Guile didn¡¯t need Ashton to tell him that. Hunters call the One Horned Beast the lord of the land, while the Blood Suckling Bird was the lord of the sky. Blood Suckling Birds were covered in lustrous black feathers, and sanguine eyes. It¡¯s wingspan was three times that of an adult man. The Blood Suckling Bird would circle in the sky before swooping down and pierce its prey with its beak. And as it names implies, it would drink all the blood of its prey. Run if you see a fresh corpse that had been drained of blood. That was the rule amongst hunters. ¡°Of course I know that.¡± ¡°Then you are still going? You say I¡¯m retarded, but aren¡¯t you the same?¡± Ashton was at a loss for words. ¡°No matter how strong the commander is, I can¡¯t let her go by herself, right?¡± ¡°Then tell her not to go.¡± ¡°You think she will listen if I try?¡± ¡°¡­ No. I won¡¯t be able to stop her either.¡± After a short silence, Ashton sighed deeply. ¡°Right? The only one who can stop the commander is First Lieutenant Claudia. And the commander is in a good mood, so I don¡¯t want to sour her mood.¡± Guile said as she looked at Olivia who was humming happily. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, if anything happens, I will protect the commander with my life.¡± Guile patted Ashton¡¯s shoulder to soothe him, but Ashton swat his hand away with a worried face: ¡°No, you are the one I¡¯m worried about.¡± ¡°So I¡¯m the one you are worried about!?¡± ¡°Guile, if you are not coming, I¡¯m going to leave you behind.¡± Guile looked towards the direction of the voice, and saw Olivia who had walked away standing there with puffed out cheeks. ¡°Oh no! I need to go.¡± ¡°Wait¡ª¡± Guile ignored Ashton¡¯s pleas, and sprinted to Olivia. ¡ªThe next morning. The tables in the dining hall was full of meat. The soldiers of the Autonomous Cavalry Regiment was overjoyed by this pleasant surprise. But Guile who couldn¡¯t read the mood told everyone loudly that it was Blood Suckling Bird meat, and no one dared to take a bite. Chapter 5: Picked Apart One by One ¢ñ Imperial Army, Windsam Castle, Commander¡¯s Office Lieutenant Colonel Volmar Ganglet was slain in battle! When he received this news, Gaier hurried over to the commander¡¯s office. ¡°Your Excellency, there¡¯s an urgent report.¡± ¡°I can guess what it is from your face¡­ but let¡¯s hear it anyway, make it short.¡± Rosenmarie gestured at the piles of documents on her desk. Upon closer look, there were dark circles under her eyes, she was probably working overnight on her paperwork. Seeing that, Gaier glared at the attendants standing in the room, who lowered their heads fearfully. ¡°Don¡¯t be so fierce, I¡¯m the one who insisted on working all night. That aside, what do you want to report?¡± ¡°Yes My Lady. Lieutenant Colonel Volmar clashed with the Seventh Army on the Almheim plains, and engaged that rumoured monster. The Lieutenant Colonel died valiantly for our nation, and 2,500 of our troops lost their lives. It was a terrible loss.¡± Gaier submitted the report. Rosenmarie took the report, browsed through it, and tossed it onto the table. ¡°This monster forced the Swaran Army to retreat from Peshita Fort, and now, she killed Volmar. So the perisher of humans has been perished by a monster. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s funny, Gaier?¡± Rosenmarie said with a laugh. ¡°Your Grace...! This is no laughing matter. The Swaran Army didn¡¯t matter, but Volmar being destroyed like this is a problem.¡± All of Volmar¡¯s limbs were cut, and his heart was pierced. That fitted the style of a monster, but Gaier wasn¡¯t in the mood for jokes like Rosenmarie. Volmar¡¯s death had quite an impact on the entire Knights Corp. ¡°Sigh, don¡¯t panic. Like I said before, I will kill them all when the time comes¡ª So, who¡¯s that man beside you?¡± Rosenmarie looked at the black clothed man standing beside Gaier¡ª Alvin. ¡°Pardon my late introduction. This is First Lieutenant Alvin from Heat Haze. He has a message from the monster for you.¡± ¡°The monster¡¯s message for me? ¡ªInteresting, let¡¯s hear it.¡± Rosenmarie waved her hand, and Alvin stepped forward: ¡°Yes Mdm, I will pass the message as is. She said ¡ºClean your neck and wait. Your head is mine.¡».¡± ¡°What!?¡± Gaier was shocked beyond words. Alvin insisted on reporting to Rosenmarie directly, so he didn¡¯t hear about the message ahead of time. (I see. He thought I would stop him if I knew about it in advance, and refused to tell me. Heat Haze does have the authority to do so, but it¡¯s still infuriating.) Gaier glared at Alvin, but Alvin was unfazed. Gaier looked at Rosenmarie, and saw that she was trembling a little. ¡°Your Grace¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Ahahaha!! She wants my head? And wants me to clean my neck and wait? That¡¯s gold!¡± He thought she was trembling from rage, but she was slamming the table from laughter instead. Rosenmarie¡¯s reaction shocked her attendants, but that was only natural, given this bizarre scene. ¡°¡­ Lady Rosenmarie, may I offer you a word of advice?¡± Alvin didn¡¯t mind Rosenmarie¡¯s outburst, and appeared calm and collected. ¡°Even if you are from Heat Haze, you have overstepped your bounds. First Lieutenant Alvin, you are being rude to Her Grace.¡± Heat Haze wasn¡¯t constrained by the normal chain of command in the Imperial Army, so even though Gaier outranked Alvin, he couldn¡¯t give him any direct orders. That was the reason why he couldn¡¯t ask for the message earlier. The most Gaier could do was chide him a little. ¡°Ahaha¡­ It¡¯s fine. That warning of yours piqued my interest, please let me hear it.¡± Rosenmarie crossed her hands to support her chin, and asked intriguely. ¡°Yes Mdm. That monster killed four of my elite soldiers in an instant. I¡¯m only alive because of her whims. With that said, I hope Your Grace will be more careful.¡± Alvin¡¯s advice surprised Rosenmarie a little. ¡°Hee, to think Heat Haze will go that far. And with Volmar¡¯s death, this has gotten my interest.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine to be interested, but¡ª¡± Rosenmarie raised her right hand. ¡°Don¡¯t say anymore, I get it. I will take the Heat Haze¡¯s warning to heart.¡± Heat Haze¡¯s intel gathering and battle prowess was well known, and Gaier felt that aside from those two points, the most valuable thing about them was their outstanding analysis. Rosenmarie couldn¡¯t dismiss the Heat Haze¡¯s warning easily.¡± With that, Alvin left the commander¡¯s office. After hearing the door close, Gaier looked at Rosenmarie. ¡°¡­ What should we do then?¡± ¡°Where are they headed?¡± ¡°As expected, the Seventh Army had set their base in Fortress City Emreed. Their main forces will probably show up soon.¡± ¡°I see¡­ Continue to observe them.¡± Rosenmarie closed her eyes and leaned back. ¡°We just need to observe them?¡± He was hinting at her if they could stop sending units after the enemy. Gaier knew that sending more men would be futile, and he didn¡¯t want to lose his men for nothing. However, Rosenmarie did say she was interested in that monster, so he couldn¡¯t be stingy about the methods. Gaier needed to do everything he could to stop Rosenmarie from despatching anymore troops on a whim. ¡°No problem. As long as the Crimson Knights stands, they can¡¯t retake the north. Even if they don¡¯t want to, they will have to come to me.¡± With that, Rosenmarie narrowed her wide open eyes, while unease continued to linger in Gaier¡¯s heart. Volume 2, 6 Volume 2, Chapter 6 Translator: Skythewood Editor: Hiiro Royal Army, Fortress City Emreed, Command Center Two weeks after the Autonomous Cavalry Regiment arrived at Emreed, Paul¡¯s main force of 25,000 men linked up with them. When he learned the details of the earlier battle with the Crimson Knights, Paul summoned Hosmund to the Command Center despite being tired from the long journey. ¡°¡ªWell? Major General Hosmund, why did you start the battle before linking up with the Autonomous Cavalry Regiment?¡± ¡°Yes Sir, I thought it would have an adverse effect on the troop¡¯s morale if we wait¡­¡± ¡°Imbecile!¡± The furious Paul shoulted, which made Hosmund and everyone else in the Command Center flinched. The only exception was Otto who was always by Paul¡¯s side. (Things have gotten difficult.) Hosmund wasn¡¯t completely unreasonable. The scouts were mutilated and their corpses exposed out in the open. If he didn¡¯t react in some way, morale would definitely plummet. However, it was obvious there would be a trap. And the result showed that Hosmund¡¯s actions was a complete failure. If Olivia¡¯s Autonomous Cavalry Regiment didn¡¯t arrive in time, Hosmund¡¯s units would have been annihilated. They won in the end, but military law wouldn¡¯t forgive everything just because of a victory. Hosmund lost half his troops for nothing, a total of 1,500 men. With a major battle looming before them, this was a painful blow. On top of that, the enemy was the famous Crimson Knights. The two armies would clash in a bid to retake the north of the Kingdom. They couldn¡¯t afford to lose their troops on futile endeavours, since numbers was power. ¡°Are you so eager to earn war merits and get promoted?¡± ¡°¡ª!? N-Not at all, I just want to protect the city¡ª¡± Hosmund¡¯s eyes started to waver, and he started making excuses. Paul cut him off and said: ¡°You are a general, damn it, stop with that bullshit! No matter what you say, it doesn¡¯t change the fact that you are responsible for losing half of your men.¡± ¡°Yes, my deep apologies¡­¡± ¡°I will mete out your punishment in the future. In the meantime, standby in your room.¡± ¡°Yes Sir.¡± Paul glanced at Hosmund who was leaving the room, and leaned heavily into his chair. He bit into a cigar. ¡°¡ªEven though he is a capable man when he stays calm.¡± Paul blew out a puff of smoke and commented with a sigh. Otto said with a wry smile: ¡°Major General Hosmund was probably too anxious.¡± ¡°Promotion, huh¡­ The Kingdom is like a flickering candle in the wind right now, and he is still thinking about all that?¡± ¡°Your Excellency is right, but it doesn¡¯t sound convincing from us, who had just been promoted¡­¡± Otto did have a point, but Paul couldn¡¯t forgive Hosmund whose selfish actions cost the lives of many soldiers. There wasn¡¯t anything wrong with the decision to keep the city away from the flames of war. If Paul was in his shoes, he would have made the same judgement. However, rashly taking the bait of the enemy and attacking without thinking properly was utterly moronic. Selim who persisted in advising Hosmund was much calmer. Hosmund¡¯s actions were not acceptable for a general. ¡°This is really difficult.¡± Paul was troubled, not knowing what to do about Hosmund. He heard footsteps approaching the Command Center. The steps had a rhythm to it, and felt light hearted. ¡°Looks like our ¡®problem child¡¯ is here.¡± Otto glanced at the clock, and looked back at the door. ¡°She¡¯s not really a problem child though. Otto, aren¡¯t you too strict on Major Olivia?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because Your Excellency is spoiling her too much!¡± Otto¡¯s veins were popping from anger. Just as Paul was feeling troubled, a cheerful knock came from the door, followed by a bell-like voice. ¡°Major Olivia, reporting right on time!¡± ¡°Enter.¡± Otto permitted her entry with a bitter voice. The door was opened, and Olivia appeared with a pocket watch in her hand. A girl with lustrous silver hair and delicate doll-like features entered the room. The dark green uniform brought out Olivia¡¯s beauty even further. He had not seen her for a month, but she was as energetic as ever. ¡°So, you have come.¡± ¡°General Paul, it¡¯s been so long! ¡ªOh, you too, Adjutant Otto.¡± ¡°¡­Major, why is your greeting towards me so slipshod?¡± ¡°It must be your imagination!¡± Olivia was smiling brilliantly, but Otto¡¯s gaze was really cold. Paul smiled gently at their interaction, and got into the main topic: ¡°Major Olivia, you performed splendidly this time. Thanks to you, Hosmund¡¯s unit was saved from annihilation. I want to thank you for that.¡± ¡°Yes Sir! Thank you for your compliment!¡± ¡°Good, good. Well then, what are your thoughts after fighting with the Crimson Knights? I already got the report from First Lieutenant Claudia, but I still want to hear your opinion.¡± ¡°My thoughts on the battle?¡± Olivia rested her cheeks on her palm, and looked a little troubled. From the report, the Crimson Knights were as formidable as expected. If they didn¡¯t deal with them carefully, they might lose the battle. Paul thought as he waited for Olivia. ¡°¡ª They are well disciplined, and the prowess of their individual soldiers are remarkable. On the whole, I feel that the enemy is a cut above us.¡± ¡°I see¡­ This won¡¯t be easy after all.¡± If the skilled Olivia said so, then it must be so. They could make up for the difference in quality with quantity, which was an unspoken rule. Unfortunately, the Seventh Army didn¡¯t have the numerical superiority. ¡°But don¡¯t worry, General Paul, it will be fine.¡± Olivia said with a bright smile. ¡°Hmm? Can you explain why?¡± There wasn¡¯t any basis on why he shouldn¡¯t worry. In response to Paul¡¯s enquiry, Olivia explained happily: ¡°I will defeat the enemy¡¯s commander. I already ask gutter¡ª a Heat Haze agent to pass the message to the enemy commander. No matter how strong an army is, it will turn weak when it loses its commander. It will be fine.¡± Olivia¡¯s confident words turned Paul¡¯s frown into a smile. As the person who killed the enemy commander in Iris Plains, this was very convincing. Olivia was now an indispensable existence in the Seventh Army. Paul¡¯s conscience was hurting because he was exploiting such a young girl, but she was a light in this arduous campaign. Paul felt it was necessary to use her to the fullest extent. ¡°Hahaha, I see. I will be counting on you this time.¡± ¡°Yes, leave it to me ! ¡ªNo, please let me handle it!¡± Olivia answered in high spirits. ¡°There¡¯s something I want to confirm with you, Major. Will that be fine?¡± Paul granted Otto¡¯s request with a smile and a nod. ¡°Major, in the report on your encounter with the Heat Haze in Desert City Keffin, you mentioned the Imperial Army in the north¡ª Let¡¯s call them the northern army for now. The northern army¡¯s objective is to destroy the Seventh Army, is that true?¡± ¡°Yes Sir. I got this information from the Heat Haze agent. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s true. Ashton¡¯s deduction was right.¡± Olivia emphasized again how great her strategist was, and Otto¡¯s face turned sour. This was a slap to Paul¡¯s face, since he refuted Ashton¡¯s proposal during the war conference. To be honest, Otto didn¡¯t expect Ashton to have such an outstanding grasp of the situation, and had increased his evaluation of Ashton further. ¡°But why is the enemy so worked up about us retaking the Kasper Castle? I can¡¯t tell what the Imperial Army is thinking.¡± The successful recapture of the Kasper Castle had expelled the Imperial forces from the south of the Kingdom. But that was all, the Empire still had a firm hold of Fort Kiel, and threatened the Kingdom. In short, it wasn¡¯t a decisive enough victory to affect the big picture. But why was the northern army treating the Seventh Army with such hostility? The reason was unclear, and Otto concurred with Paul on that. ¡°For the Imperial Army, losing Kasper Castle isn¡¯t exactly a heavy blow. If I have to say¡ª¡± Otto¡¯s gaze sharpened as he stated his speculation: ¡°¡ªMaybe it¡¯s a personal grudge? For example, someone close to the enemy commander died in our hands.¡± ¡°Personal grudge, huh¡­¡± Paul pondered about Otto¡¯s speculation. Was the commander of the northern army someone who put personal grievances above official duties? Otto was the one who said it, but he wasn¡¯t sure about it either. The best evidence was how he kept stroking his chin. Paul extinguished his used up cigar in the ashtray, and took out a new one from his breast pocket. ¡°Never mind, we can¡¯t get an answer no matter how much we think about it. There is one thing that is certain, the northern army¡¯s real target is us.¡± The enemy¡¯s action was obviously a probing recon, since there was only one regiment of Crimson Knights in that battle. The northern army might come out in force at any time, and they should plan for future battle with that in mind. ¡°You are right, Your Excellency. I will prepare for this carefully.¡± ¡°I will leave it to you¡ª Also, Major Olivia.¡± ¡°Here!¡± ¡°Major Olivia will be the core of the Seventh Army¡¯s battle plans from now on too. I hope you can make good on your words then.¡± ¡°Yes Sir! I hear and obey!¡± Olivia saluted perfectly, and her eyes were filled with fighting spirit as usual. Paul felt something seemed off. (Hmm? What¡¯s with her today? She is in high spirits¡­ and isn¡¯t asking for cake like usual.) He looked Otto¡¯s way, and found him looking at Olivia with dubious eyes. Otto seemed suspicious too. The reason wasn¡¯t clear, but her morale being high was a good thing. ¡°That is all. Dismissed.¡± ¡°Yes Sir! I will take my leave!¡± Olivia left the room as ordered, and muttered something. Paul perked up his ears, and heard things like fishman and library. Paul was completely lost and confused by all that. ¢ò As it served a dual function of a stronghold and a city, Fortress City Emreed was divided into three districts: the residential district, the warehouse district that stores the grains harvested from the north, and the military district for the garrisoned forces. Ashton and Olivia set off from one of the many military facilities and headed to the place in the residential district that had the largest number of shops¡ª Central Street. ¡°Ashton, there are lots of shops, but very few customers.¡± Olivia said as she browsed the street stalls intriguely. Before the war, this place was bustling with life, but it wasn¡¯t half as crowded right now. Ashton felt the faces of the pedestrians looked a little grim. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped, that¡¯s how the world¡ª hmm?¡± Olivia who was beside him just now suddenly vanished. Ashton searched frantically, and found her standing like a statue in front of a street stall. He breathed a sigh of relief, and smelled something good. ¡°Don¡¯t just disappear without a word. You will make me worried.¡± Olivia didn¡¯t answer, all her attention was on the kebab before her. The freshly cooked bird meat was covered with a layer of tempting golden sauce. The kebab looked really good, and Ashton would have bought some if not for the fact he just ate breakfast. ¡°This is a famous snack in Emreed. It¡¯s delicious, so try some.¡± The shop owner lady in her forties with a great figure promoted her product with a business smile. ¡°Ashton, I want to eat this.¡± ¡°Ehh? You still want to eat? You just had breakfast an hour ago?¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯m still in my growing spurt!¡± ¡°Sigh¡­ Whatever will I do with you. How much is this?¡± Ashton gave up easily when Olivia looked at him with expectant eyes. The lady shop owner said calmly to Ashton who was taking out his purse reluctantly: ¡°One stick will be one silver coin.¡± ¡°That¡¯s expensive...!? Isn¡¯t that too much/ Let me say this first, I¡¯m the son of a merchant, so I have an idea of the prices.¡± It was normal to jack up the price if the customer¡¯s status was high. To Ashton, a kebab would cost just ten copper coins at most. He noticed that the lady owner was looking at his rank insignia. Since Emreed had a military district, then she should be used to dealing with soldiers, and it would be no surprise if she could tell his rank. ¡°Mr Warrant Officer, I¡¯m not charging extra because of your rank. Do you really think commoners like us would dare fleece money from soldiers?¡± ¡°Ehh!?¡± Ashton was surprised that she completely saw through him. The lady owner then sighed with resignation. ¡°Since Mr Warrant Officer is the son of a merchant, then you should know that the prices of food have been inflated a lot.¡± Ashton knew very well about the problem raised by the lady owner. But compared to prices in the capital, this was abnormally expensive. If the lady owner didn¡¯t jack up the price, then there was only one reason for this. The invasion of the northern army had affected the entire north of the Kingdom. Ashton took out two silver coins from his purse, and gave it to the lady owner. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for doubting you. Please give me two kebabs.¡± ¡°Ahaha, it feels like I¡¯m using a sob story to sell my wares, sorry about that.¡± The lady owner laughed loudly, and passed two sticks over with practiced movements. Olivia received them with a big smile, and ate them eagerly. The lady owner looked at her with warm eyes, as if she was looking at her own daughter. ¡°Ms Major, how is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s very yummy!¡± Olivia answered with a cheerful tone. When she heard that, the lady owner¡¯s face suddenly turned gloomy. ¡°I see¡­ when I heard the Imperial Army was closing in on Emreed, I thought it was all over, but you chased them away, right? Because I have not seen you here before.¡± ¡°Well, I guess you are right.¡± ¡°So my guess is spot on. Putting Mr Warrant Officer aside, Ms Major is still a child¡­ Is the nation done for?¡± The lady owner looked to the distance with a blank stare. She might not know it, but she had violated the ¡¶Public Order Act¡·. If a military police heard her, she would get arrested. Ashton pretended that he didn¡¯t hear, since sending a girl like Olivia off to battle was not abnormal. The lady owner probably felt a sense of danger from this fact. After finishing the first kebab, Olivia looked at the lady owner curiously and asked: ¡°If this country falls, will you feel sad? Will you cry a lot?¡± ¡°Well¡­ It has its fair share of problems, but this is the place where I was born and bred. If it falls, I will probably cry.¡± ¡°Fufu¡­ Don¡¯t worry, we will drive away the Imperial Army in the north. You will never need to cry.¡± Olivia rolled up her sleeves and flexed her muscles, which made the lady owner laugh. ¡°Ahahaha! I see, I see. Ms Major will drive the Imperial Army away, right. I look forward to the day that happens.¡± The lady owner packed all the cooked kebabs together, and pushed them all to Olivia. Olivia blinked in surprise after getting so many kebabs in one go. ¡°Ehh!? Can I?¡± ¡°Here, take these. In exchange, can you promise me something?¡± ¡°Promise? No problem, I will definitely drive the Imperial Army away.¡± ¡°Not that.¡± With that, the lady boss gently hugged Olivia. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± ¡°¡ª Listen, you mustn¡¯t die. Because you still have a long life ahead of you, Ms Major.¡± What she asked for, was Olivia¡¯s safety. Olivia was shocked, and slowly smiled. ¡°Yes, I will promise you. After all, I won¡¯t get to eat delicious food and snacks if I die. And these kebabs too.¡± With that, Olivia left the lady boss and took a large bite out of the second kebab. Ashton bid farewell to the lady boss, and headed with Olivia to their original destination. ¡°Hey, where are we going?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, just follow me.¡± Olivia asked as she ate the kebab, and Ashton still didn¡¯t give a clear answer. The two of them walked along Central Street, passed a few alleys, and finally reached their goal. ¡°We are here, Olivia.¡± Before them was a plain brick house surrounded by a wooden fence. A column of smoke rose from its chimney, and if you missed the inconspicuous signboard, you would never know this was a shop. In fact, Ashton went around in circles during his first visit here. ¡°Is this ¡­ a blacksmith?¡± Ashton didn¡¯t answer Olivia¡¯s question, opened the door and entered. With a pleasant ¡®clank¡¯, the shop owner who was focused on smithing appeared before them. He looked every part of a professional smithy, but the pink apron he was wearing looked out of place. ¡°Excuse me, I¡¯m not taking any orders right now¡ª Oh, it¡¯s you¡­¡± The shop owner glanced at Ashton, returned the hammer to his toolbox, then stood up lazily. ¡°Sorry for disturbing while you are busy. Is my order ready for collection?¡± ¡°Yes, I just finished it yesterday. I¡¯m not trying to boost, but that¡¯s a masterpiece. Please wait a moment.¡± The shop owner smiled arrogantly and went deeper into the shop. A while later, he came back with a wooden crate. ¡°Take a look.¡± As instructed by the shop owner, Ashton opened the cover of the crate on the worktable. Inside was a beautiful armor with silver markings. On the left pauldon and chest were the Valedstorm¡¯s coat of arms¡ª Two crossed scythes with a skull surrounded by crimson rose in front of it. It was better than he requested, and Ashton nodded with satisfaction. ¡°As expected of the top three blacksmiths of the Farnesse Kingdom. The workmanship is impeccable.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t give you a discount even if you say that.¡± The shop owner grunted as he crossed his thick arms. ¡°Of course, this is worth every penny.¡± Ashton said his father¡¯s catch phrase. The Senefelder Merchants were a huge organization, thanks to his father¡¯s eyes for good wares. ¡°Hmmp, you have good senses for your age.¡± The shop owner laughed heartily. Olivia who saw the armor from behind Ashton said in awe: ¡°Ashton, is this¡­¡± ¡°We are in for a hard battle soon, right? You might be strong, Olivia, but you might get hurt too. So I prepared a set of sturdy armour for you.¡± Ashton explained, and the shop owner elaborated: ¡°That¡¯s right, I can guarantee its toughness. This is crafted by layering several pieces of thin steel together, and normal attacks won¡¯t even scratch it. ¡ª I had my doubts when I heard about it from you, by now I can see why. I can¡¯t explain it, but there is more to this girl than meets the eye. If I see her on the battlefield, I will be the first one to flee.¡± The owner looked at Olivia with fearful eyes. When he was young, he made quite a name for himself as a mercenary. His experience probably helped him sense something from Olivia. ¡°I¡¯m glad you believe me.¡± Ashton turned to Olivia. ¡°What do you think? It¡¯s the same colour as your sword, Olivia. I hope you like it.¡± ¡°¡­ Can I touch it?¡± ¡°Of course, this is custom made for Olivia.¡± Ashton put his hands on Olivia¡¯s shoulders, and pushed her to the armour. Olivia felt up the armour with a serious face that was rarely seen. (Actually, the colour is meant to make the blood less prominent. The recruits are all scared of Olivia when she is covered in blood.) Ashton was also very spooked in the beginning, so he understood how they felt. ¡°Thank you Ashton! This is wonderful, I really like it!¡± ¡°I see, I¡¯m happy that you like it.¡± Olivia¡¯s smile was so beautiful that Ashton was mesmerized to his very soul. He tried to cover it up with a cough, and found the owner looking at him with a devious smile. ¡°¡ªWhat?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m just thinking that youth is great~ or something.¡± The owner said as he rubbed his bald head, and his smile deepened a little. That made Ashton uncomfortable, and he quickly paid the outstanding bill. ¡°Let¡¯s hurry back to the base! I want to show this to Claudia!¡± Olivia suddenly grabbed his hand, and pulled him towards the exit. ¡°I-I can walk by myself, you don¡¯t have to pull me!¡± ¡°Oh~ do your best then.¡± As they left, the owner continued smiling deviously. ¢ó Kingdom North, Welsh Zone, Fort Larswood ¡°¡ªKiluz, do you know? That rumoured person will show up during moonless windy nights like this.¡± The sentry Lloyd looked up at the night sky as the clouds covered the moon, and said to his partner Kiluz who was yawning. ¡°Huh? ¡ªOh, you are talking about that Death God. That seems to be the case.¡± Kiluz said with another yawn. ¡°Hey, aren¡¯t you too relaxed?¡± ¡°Even if you say that, I don¡¯t think anyone will attack a worthless fort like this out in the boondocks. You are probably the only one who is taking this so seriously.¡± Kiluz looked around the makeshift wooden fort, and scoffed. Faint sounds of soldiers making merry could be heard from inside the fort. Lloyd sighed at the lack of discipline. It all started one month ago. A silver haired girl in dark armour attacked the Imperial units stationed at the various captured territories repeatedly. The garrisoned soldiers were wiped out, and the place ransacked. And now, that girl was rumoured to be a Death God that could appear out of nowhere. Maybe the gods were watching over them, and the unit in Welsh had not been attacked yet. ¡°Even if that is true, you guys are too relaxed¡ª¡± ¡°Wait! ¡ªAre there movements in the grass?¡± Kiluz put his finger to his lips, gesturing for silence. Lloyd thought he was playing around to change the topic, but Kiluz looked very serious. Despite what he said, he was keeping watch properly. ¡°I don¡¯t see anything¡­ Maybe it¡¯s a spotted rabbit?¡± Lloyd looked at the grass patch, but didn¡¯t hear anything. ¡°No, it¡¯s not that¡­ I will take a look.¡± ¡°Will you be fine alone?¡± ¡°You are kidding me, right? We are the only sentries here, and we can¡¯t both move away from the gate.¡± Kiluz¡¯s exasperated face had a red tint from the bonfire. He was right, and Lloyd couldn¡¯t refute that. ¡°You¡¯re right. Holler if you detect anything.¡± ¡°Of course¡­ Be careful of your surroundings too, Lloyd.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Kiluz held his spear parallel to the ground, and approached the grass patch cautiously. When his figure could no longer be seen, Lloyd heard rustling noises. Kiluz was probably sweeping the grass with his spear to check for abnormalities. Lloyd looked at the whistle hung around his neck. If anything happens, he would need to use it as an alarm immediately. A warm wind blew in from somewhere. Lloyd was on high alert, but still couldn¡¯t detect any abnormality. He slowly relaxed his wound up nerves. (Kiluz is probably mistaken. But isn¡¯t he taking a bit too long?) It had been more than ten minutes since Kiluz went into the grass. He didn¡¯t have a pocket watch, so this was just Lloyd¡¯s estimate, but he couldn¡¯t be too off. This made him a little anxious, and the rustling sound had stopped too. The rumours of the Death God suddenly flashed across Lloyd¡¯s mind. (Haha, that¡¯s not possible. Like Kiluz said, the Death God won¡¯t come to this boondocks.) His mind rejected the idea, but his body remained honest. Lloyd knew that he was breaking out in cold sweat. His nervousness started gaining ground again. ¡°Hey, come back already. You didn¡¯t find anything after searching for so long, so it¡¯s fine!¡± Lloyd pretended to be calm, and called out to Kiluz with a clear voice. He wouldn¡¯t be able to stay calm if he didn¡¯t do that. But no matter how long he waited, there wasn¡¯t any answer from Kiluz. Lloyd yelled loudly again, but the results were the same. There were only the sounds of crickets. (Something¡¯s wrong, he must have heard me.) Lloyd reached for his whistle¡ª and was killed. ¡°Phew, that¡¯s a close one. Splendidly done, commander.¡± ¡°Ahaha, you won¡¯t get anything extra even if you praise me. But you can have any good wine that we can find here.¡± ¡°Hehe, I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡± Olivia put away Chachamaru and stood up from the grass. Gauss followed with a bloodied sword on his shoulder. Behind them was the soldiers of the Autonomous Cavalry Regiment. ¡°Speaking of which, just how good are your eyes, commander? Even with the light of the bonfire, at this distance, your aim is incredibly good.¡± Gauss was shocked by the corpse that had a bolt in its forehead. ¡°You are exagerating. With enough practice, you can do this too, Gauss.¡± ¡°No no no, there¡¯s no chance of that happening.¡± ¡°Is that so.¡± Different people have different things that they were good at. For example, Ashton couldn¡¯t wield a sword properly no matter how much he trained. Olivia stopped her train of thought, and ordered the troops to prepare fire arrows. On Gauss¡¯ instructions, they quietly surrounded the fort, and readied their bows. ¡°¡ªCommander, we are all set. Are we doing this?¡± Gauss asked, and Olivia nodded. ¡°This fort has no strategic value for the Royal Army right now. In that case, it will be more efficient to burn it down together with the people inside. This will minimize our casualties too.¡± Olivia smiled gently. Gauss nodded stiffly as he looked at her. ¡°Do it.¡± Olivia ordered, and the fire arrows, rained down like meteors. The air was dry from the dry weather, and the fort was engulfed in flames in no time. As the fort crumbled in the fire, Olivia turned her gaze to the gate. ¡°The survivors will probably escape from the gate, shoot them. I will work hard too.¡± Olivia said with Chachamaru held high. The soldiers were hyped up from her words. Most of the enemy would die in the fire, but they had to keep their guard up. ¡°Uwaaahhh! Fire! Fire!¡± ¡°Hurry up and open the gate!¡± Screams and angry cries came from the fort. As expected, there were survivors. With the sound of the gate bar being removed, the gate slowly creaked open. When there was enough space for one person to escape, the Imperial soldiers started squeezing out. They were hit by a hail of arrows, turning them into dead porcupines. Despite that, there were still soldiers who survived the volley fire and charge desperately at the Royal soldiers. ¡°Damn it, you fiends! You won¡¯t get away with this!!¡± ¡°¡ªHmm? I¡¯m out of bolts.¡± Olivia kept Chachamaru on her back¡ª and slashed with her sword at the charging enemy soldier. Blood and offals splattered everywhere from the bisected soldier. Olivia flicked away the blood on her sword and sheathed it. She could hear the gasp of the recruits behind her. ¡°¡­ By the way, do you know what the Imperial Army are calling you, commander?¡± Gauss looked at the left pauldon on Olivia¡¯s dark armour and asked. Olivia wondered why he used the term ¡®by the way¡¯, and answered: ¡°Death God, right? That¡¯s much better than calling me a monster.¡± ¡°So monster is no good, but you are fine with Death God?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°They don¡¯t sound too different to me. What¡¯s your reason?¡± ¡°Well, I wonder why.¡± Olivia smiled gently, and issued the order to retreat to Gauss. As Fort Larswood burned to the ground, the Autonomous Cavalry Regiment disappeared into the darkness¡ª ¢ô Autonomous Cavalry Regiment executed the strategy of defeating the enemy separately. The landlord in the north of the Kingdom had turned towards the Empire, but the people still bore hostility towards the Empire. A spark might turn into a revolt in no time. To prevent this, after Rosenmarie conquered the region, she deployed her troops all over the place. This strategy exposed the flaw in Rosenmarie¡¯s plan. As the northern territories were captured by the Empire in one go, the success of their campaign made them forgot about the danger of spreading their forces too thin. The repeated night raid by the Autonomous Cavalry Regiment had decimated 15 Imperial companies and three small forts. As a result, the landlord who betrayed the Kingdom unintentionally created a favourable situation for the Seventh Army. Ashton who formulated this plan was enjoying a late dinner beside a bonfire together with Olivia and Claudia. ¡°Ashton¡¯s plan has been proceeding smoothly so far.¡± Claudia had a piece of appetizing bird meat in one hand, and marked a cross on the map with her other hand. ¡°That seems to be so.¡± From the intel they gathered, the northern army had more than 70,000 troops. In contrast, the Seventh Army numbered just 28,000. Even after shaving the enemy¡¯s number down to around 60,000 with their divide and conquer strategy, they were still outnumbered 2 to 1. They will definitely lose in a direct confrontation. ¡°Our opponents aren¡¯t fools too. They should realize the cons of spreading their forces out by now. It will be bad if they muster their forces now.¡± ¡°You are right, First Lieutenant Claudia. We have to stop the divide and conquer plan for now.¡± ¡°Hmm? I don¡¯t get what you mean. Shouldn¡¯t we reduce their numbers as much as possible before they concentrate their forces?¡± Claudia frowned as she returned her gaze back to the map. ¡°Sorry for not explaining clearly. More accurately speaking, there isn¡¯t any need to continue this operation. You will understand if you read this.¡± Ashton took out a letter and passed it to Claudia. This was from the intel unit Ashton setup for this operation. ¡°Let me see it.¡± Claudia opened the letter and read it. It said that the achievements by the Autonomous Cavalry Regiment had raised anti-imperial sentiments to new heights. Ashton also sent agents to infiltrate the enemy, and spread rumours that the masses were planning to revolt. ¡°¡ª I see, you did all this in secret. And now, the enemy will hesitate about concentrating their forces. No one wants to be stabbed in the back after all. Is this the true goal of your divide and conquer strategy?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. There¡¯s a limit to how much we can shave off their numbers. Like what the letter mentioned, the anti-imperial sentiments are rising, and the Empire must have caught wind of that, and they won¡¯t be able to ignore it. Do you know how many residents there are in the northern region of the Kingdom?¡± ¡°I think¡­ there are 3 million.¡± Claudia thought for a moment, and quickly gave the correct answer. ¡°That¡¯s right. This fact alone should be enough to tie the garrisoned Imperial units in the region.¡± The intangible chains of ¡®suspicion¡¯ was more secure than real chains. Ashton deduced that at least 30,000 Imperial soldiers had been tied down. ¡°You¡­ are really a scary man.¡± Claudia looked at Ashton with a hint of fear and respect. Ashton scratched his cheeks a little bashfully: ¡°I¡¯m just racking my brains in order to survive. And now, we are even in numbers with the Crimson Knights¡¯ main forces. Our chances are now fifty fifty.¡± The Crimson Knights had 27,000 troops garrisoned in Windsam Castle. He might be saying that the chances were fifty fifty, but Ashton didn¡¯t feel optimistic about the battle. After the battle in Almheim plains, he knew very well how strong the Crimson Knights were. ¡°Yes, you are the one who got us this far, Ashton. Leave the rest to us, after all, you are useless in fighting, Ashton.¡± ¡°Haha, you are right.¡± Claudia¡¯s ridicule made Ashton laugh bashfully. Olivia would teach him from time to time, but his swordsmanship and sportsmanship showed no improvement. Guile who enlisted at the same time as him showed talent in this area, and was completely different from the rookie that trembled in fear of bandits. This was true for all the recruits who participate in the retaking of Fort Lamburg. Recently, Olivia had started soothing Ashton with a gentle tone ¡°There are things that humans are capable of, and not capable of.¡± Guile mentioned that tactfully in the past too, so Ashton took it well. People should be used to their best abilities. This balance was the most important, so he wasn¡¯t too upset about this. ¡°By the way, the Major is really sleeping soundly.¡± Claudia looked at Olivia who was leaning against the tree trunk and sleeping. She must be exhausted, and was still holding a half eaten piece of bird meat in her hand. Her oil stained lips were drooling. It was hard to imagine her being the Death God that struck fear into the soldiers of the Empire. ¡°We have been running all over the place for the past few days, it must be hard on her.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true¡­ but they are calling the Major a Death God, how infuriating. How can such a pretty girl be a Death God. Calling her an angel will make more sense.¡± And so, Claudia started complaining while waving her fist. Her argument runs contrary to common sense at times, but she was actually serious. Ashton felt speechless at first, but decided to entertain her with a casual grunt. However, that earned Claudia¡¯s ire for some reason, and she looked at him with grudgeful eyes. ¡°Why are you so dismissive about this. Besides, it¡¯s all Ashton¡¯s fault. You added the Valedstorm¡¯s coat of arms to her armour.¡± Claudia was getting more ridiculous, so Ashton turned her eyes to her silvery white armour¡ª and her coat of arms which was a shield and winged helm. ¡°But don¡¯t all nobles add their coat of arms to their armour and shields? First Lieutenant Claudia, your armour also have the Jung clan¡¯s coat of arms, correct?¡± ¡°T-That might be so, but¡­¡± Claudia squirmed her body as if she was trying to hide her coat of arms. Recently, she would admonish Ashton whenever they talked about the coat of arms, as if Ashton was the main culprit that caused all that. She seemed very unhappy that Olivia was called a Death God. When Ashton asked her why, she would answer vaguely, and he still didn¡¯t understand what she was unhappy about. ¡°The Valedstorm¡¯s coat of arms does feel ominous, but I don¡¯t think that is the reason why others are calling Olivia a Death God¡­¡± A skull surrounded by crimson rose, and two scythes crossed behind it. That emblem was very relatable to a Death God, but Ashton felt that Olivia¡¯s actions contributed much more to it. She was massacring the Imperial soldiers as if she was mowing grass. Thanks to that, Ashton has gotten more used to bisected corpses. Guile even called it ¡ºthe finest work of art¡». Guile was a hard core fan of Olivia, and it wouldn¡¯t be long before he starts calling her a goddess. But things didn¡¯t seem that way from the perspective of the Imperial Army. It was that simple. ¡°Then what do you think is the reason, Ashton?¡± Claudia leaned closer with a serious face. Ashton didn¡¯t dare to say ¡°Because she kills people like she is mowing grass.¡± ¡°Well¡­ Erm¡­ A-Anyway, Olivia doesn¡¯t mind being called a Death God.¡± ¡°Yes, I know that too. Even though she¡¯s so upset when she¡¯s called a monster.¡± Claudia was baffled by that. Olivia didn¡¯t mind being called a Death God. Or rather, she was happy about it. This was why Claudia couldn¡¯t complain too much about this, and had built up a lot of frustration. The way she tossed the branches angrily into the campfire was the best proof of that. The hapless Ashton became her venting target. ¡°Well you see, Death God is also a deity. Maybe she¡¯s happy that people are calling her a god?¡± ¡°What¡¯s that bullshit you just say!? ¡ªCough cough, s-sorry. I misspoke just now.¡± Claudia faked a cough. Ashton kept staring at her, so Claudia shot a sharp glare at him before turning her head away. Ashton realized that her cheeks were red, it seemed that she was embarrassed about her outburst earlier. ¡°Heehee, so First Lieutenant Claudia will say things like that too.¡± ¡°¡­ What are you laughing about?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m just a little surprised. This might sound impudent towards a senior officer, but I think that¡¯s very cute.¡± ¡°C-Cute!? S-Shut up! You are just Ashton, stop acting so arrogantly!¡± Claudia¡¯s cheeks turned red, and she threw the branch in her hand at him. Ashton guarded his head as he laughed. ¡°Ashton and Claudia are so noisy!¡± They quickly turned around and saw Olivia still asleep. She was just sleep talking. Ashton and Claudia locked gaze unconsciously, and laughed. ¡°¡ª Well then, next will be the main event. Both of us have our work cut out for us.¡± Claudia smiled gently, and offered Ashton a hand. Their numbers were evenly matched, but their opponents were the Crimson Knights. This will be a difficult fight against a formidable foe. ¡ª Even so... ¡°Yes, I will be in your care from now on.¡± Ashton grabbed her hand firmly. As long as he was with the two of them, Ashton felt he could face whatever trials and tribulations that might come their way. He looked up at the bright stars in the night sky. Imperial Army, Windsam Castle Conference Room In the room that was originally used to entertain guests was a big and solid table. A war conference was being held around this round table. The agenda was the Death God girl that had hit all over the place. ¡°Your Excellency, the Death God¡¯s harassment attacks had led to an increase in anti-Empire sentiments with the locals. Rumors of revolts are spreading, and all the units are requesting for reinforcements.¡± Rosenmarie furrowed her brows at that report. ¡°Reinforcements? Hah! Are they sleep talking?¡± ¡°Shall I reject them?¡± ¡°Of course. Tell the units to solve the issues with the forces they have on hand. If there really is a revolt, then destroy a village or two as a warning.¡± The masses were easily influenced by the mood. Even if they started a revolt, their heads would cool down if a village or town was sacked. Rosenmarie gave this order with that in mind. ¡°Yes Mdm, I will relay your orders.¡± After the officer finished his reports and left, another officer entered and whispered into Gaier¡¯s ears. The wrinkles on Gaier¡¯s head slowly deepen. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°My Lady, the soldiers monitoring Emreed sent in a report. The enemy¡¯s main forces are coming out in doves, and marching on Windsam Castle.¡± ¡°Their main forces? Fufu, I see. We got played by them like a damn fiddle. The Seventh Army¡¯s strategist is pretty good.¡± All the officers were confused by what Rosenmarie said, so Gaier asked: ¡°What do you mean, My Lady?¡± ¡°I mean that literally.¡± Rosenmarie said with a grunt. Gaier turned stiff for a moment, and stood up. ¡°Your Grace, you are saying that the Seventh Army set up this situation intentionally!?¡± A moment later, the place was in an uproar. They finally realized that this was a trap laid out by Seventh Army. It was regrettable, but Rosenmarie didn¡¯t notice until just now too, and was in no position to berate her subordinates. ¡°All of you are officers too, so think about the big picture too. The enemy launching a major offensive at this time is the best evidence.¡± Considering their pace, the two armies would clash in three or four days. ¡°¡­ In other words, except for the Crimson Knights, our other forces are tied down.¡± A young officer lamented gently. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± As the conference room erupted, Rosenmarie intentionally shrugged. Gaier was dumbfounded, and his eyes looked glazed. ¡°¡­ I-If this is all true, then how can you be so calm, Lady Rosenmarie? The enemy¡¯s advantage had grown so much, so why aren¡¯t you worried?¡± An old officer was confused, and the others felt the same too. ¡°Hmm? You want to see me panic? I don¡¯t mind showing that to you if you wish.¡± ¡°N-No, not at all!¡± The old officer didn¡¯t take up on her offer, and the other officers averted their faces awkwardly. Rosenmarie was just joking, but no one caught her drift. ¡°Never mind, in any case, there is no need to panic. According to the report, the Seventh Army is 28,000 strong. Our forces are 27,000 in total. Are you suggesting that we, the Crimson Knights, will lose in an even fight?¡± Rosenmarie asked the officers with a glare in her eyes, and they all grit their teeth and nodded. ¡°Of course not, but...¡± Gaier said with a meaningful look. He didn¡¯t finish his words, but Rosenmarie knew very well what he meant, but still decided to ask since it would be more interesting. ¡°But what?¡± Gaier hesitated for a moment, then made up her mind and said: ¡°The enemy has the Death God who had bested Lieutenant Colonel Volmar. That¡¯s something we can¡¯t take lightly¡­ And she is also targeting Your Grace too.¡± ¡°Haha, that¡¯s an honor. The girl who upgraded from a monster to a Death God is aiming for my life. I have to prepare a grand welcome.¡± Before Gaier said anything more, Rosenmarie ordered him to prepare for battle. This concluded the war conference, and Rosenmarie left the room in high spirits. (Wait for me, Death God Olivia. I, Rosenmarie, will personally reap your head. I will then present them along with the report of the Seventh Army¡¯s demise to General Osborne¡¯s grave to mourn him in place of flowers!) Chapter 6: Battle of Carnac ¢ñ ¡ª Message. Autonomous Cavalry Regiment had tied down the 30,000 Imperial soldiers deployed all over the region, and request the main forces to proceed post haste. After receiving that report, Paul immediately ordered his 25,000 army to march for Windsam Castle. The Autonomous Cavalry Regiment linked up with this main force along the way, and headed north as they cleared the Imperial forces in their path. ¡°¡ªYour Excellency, what do you think the enemy main forces will do?¡± Paul stroked his chin and answered: ¡°Well¡­ They probably won¡¯t hole up in the castle. Windsam Castle doesn¡¯t have any advantageous terrain, and wasn¡¯t suitable for defences. Besides, they can only bring out their full potential when fighting in the open.¡± Otto agreed and nodded: ¡°I think so too. The small catapult we seized from the Imperial Army would probably be useless then.¡± Otto was shocked by the small catapult seized by the Autonomous Cavalry Regiment from the enemy. After investigating its performance, the small catapult turned out to be much more powerful than the Kingdom¡¯s catapult, but was two sizes smaller. This reduced the personnel needed to operate it, which would revolutionize siege battle in the future. This fact made Otto realize that the Empire was more technologically advanced than the Kingdom. But for Otto, the difference in technological prowess wouldn¡¯t affect the war directly, and the deciding factor would always be in the hearts of the people. However, this was still a factor that showed the strength of the Empire. ¡°Sending them to the engineering department in the capital will be a better choice. Besides, it might be in the hands of the enemy right now, but Windsam Castle was still built through the great efforts of that hero, Tristan Windsam. I can¡¯t bear destroying that monument with my own hands.¡± It was rare to see Paul speaking melancholically. Otto knew about Tristan Windsam, and that name was tied to the ¡¶Theodor Revolt¡· of the 8th century. During the revolt, Windsam defeated the 20,000 rebel army with 2,000 men in just two days. Not just Paul, everyone recognized him as a legendary hero. But it didn¡¯t matter what kind of fort it was, all things would crumble to dust one day. Otto understood that logic, so he couldn¡¯t make sense of Paul¡¯s sentiments. ¡°Shall we make our plans with the assumption that the Crimson Knights will engage us out in the field?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. There are a few places that are suitable for battle, and honestly speaking, I can¡¯t tell where they will deploy.¡± Otto thought as he scanned the map in his mind. As for a suitable battlefield, there were only three places around Windsam: The Salz Plains. The Carnac valleys. The Tollful Highlands. Like what Paul said, there were many other suitable venues too. Predicting the enemy¡¯s movements would be a futile exercise. ¡°Your Excellency is right. There are too many options, we probably can¡¯t figure out which.¡± ¡°Otto, send out scouts to the possible locations.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir, I will make the arrangements.¡± Otto quickly issued the order to the scouts, and they quickly set off. ¡°In any case, thanks to the efforts of the Autonomous Cavalry Regiment, our chances are now even. Major Olivia¡¯s performance will be crucial from now on, so keep in close contact with her unit.¡± ¡°Yes Sir.¡± Otto answered with a nod as he thought about Olivia¡¯s cheerful smile. On the other hand, Rosenmarie and her Crimson Knights were preparing for battle too. Just as Paul predicted, Rosenmarie decided to engage the Seventh Army on the field, and had chosen the valley to the southwest of Windsam Castle¡ª the Carnac valley, as the battlefield. The Carnac valley was centered around the Vetnam river, and was surrounded by small hills. For the Crimson Knights who were proficient in fighting in the mountain ranges, this was a great battlefield. Rosenmarie set up her basecamp in one of the small hills, and watched the ground dyed in red with from the setting sun. The wind blowing through the woods brushed against Rosenmarie¡¯s flame-like hair. ¡ª How beautiful. Gaier sighed in awe in his heart. As expected, Rosenmarie was the most beautiful on the battlefield. ¡°All the units had been deployed.¡± Gaier snapped back to his senses and reported. Rosenmarie nodded firmly. ¡°It¡¯s finally time. Now, we wait for the Seventh Army to show up.¡± ¡°Yes, my Lady. The Seventh Army will fall in the hands of our Crimson Knights.¡± ¡°Of course¡ª Well then, what will the rumoured Death God Olivia do now? I¡¯m looking forward to that.¡± She flicked her sanguine cape that had the coat of arms of crossed swords on it, then entered her large tent¡ª ¡ªThe next day. With the clouds covering the sun, the Seventh Army arrived at the Carnac valley in its full majesty. The two sides quickly detected each others presence, followed by the sound of war drums and deafening roars of the soldiers. The Seventh Army¡ª numbering 28,000 men. The Crimson Knights¡ª with 27,000 troops under their command. Paul¡¯s mission was to recover the northern territories of the Kingdom that had been captured by the Empire. Rosenmarie¡¯s goal was to avenge Osborne. With both commanders bearing their own unyielding conviction, the battle of Carnac begun. Volume 2, 6 Part 2 Volume 2, Chapter 6 Part 2 Translator: Skythewood Editor: Hiiro ¢ò Rosenmarie deployed her units by company levels across the entire valley. They made full use of the treacherous terrain, and launched melee attacks aggressively. On the other hand, Paul deployed his troops around longbowmen, and emphasized with hit and run tactics. The reason was simple, the Seventh Army couldn¡¯t match the Crimson Knights in close quarters combat. However, things wouldn¡¯t go as planned, and the battle slowly descended into chaos. On the second day of the battle, the battlefield was shrouded in thick fog of the Carnac valley. Both sides were robbed of their vision, and skirmishes were breaking out all over the place. ¡°T-The enemy is right ahead of us!¡± ¡°Temporary retreat and regroup!¡± Frantic footsteps. Ragged breathing. Angry cries and screams. The sound of blades crashing rung out endlessly, and stray arrows flew everywhere. And as time passed, the lives of the soldiers were slowly extinguished. And the corpses in the mud started piling up. As the battle rages on, there were units that suffered more than 90% deaths. It was absolute chaos. As the battle intensified, Major Mills B?menburg who had been tasked to attack the back of the Royal Army with his battalion of 2,000 foot soldiers, detected enemy troops resting on the opposite bank of a river. Their numbers weren¡¯t clear because of the fog, but they seemed to be around one hundred or so soldiers. And they were not aware of Mills unit yet. (The fog is a big help this time. Normally, we should ignore this unit and continue discreetly with our mission, but we can take this small group in no time. This is a good chance to boast our morale¡­ Hmm? I-Isn¡¯t that the rumoured Death God Olivia!) Mills almost cried out, but covered his mouth in time. The dark armour with the Death God¡¯s coat of arms, and silver hair that was rare in the Empire. She was said to drink the blood of humans, and wield a dark sword covered in black mist. The name of the Death God Olivia had spread throughout the entire Crimson Knights. Mills immediately ordered a retreat, but his deputy Raymond hurried up to him and whispered: ¡°Major, please calm down.¡± ¡°I am calm. Don¡¯t forget our mission, we can¡¯t engage the Death God here and lose our troops needlessly. You should know how Lieutenant Colonel Volmar died.¡± ¡°Yes, I know that Sir. But they didn¡¯t notice us yet. Even the Death God will be helpless before such overwhelming numbers. Not just our unit, but the morale of the whole Crimson Knights will spike up. The honor of the top war merit will be yours, Major.¡± Top war merit. This was music to Mills¡¯ ears, and made him hesitate. He took on the assignment of attacking the Royal Army¡¯s rear because he wanted that war merit, and spread his fame. Mills looked towards the Death God again. Like what Raymond said, the enemy was oblivious about them. Their unguarded appearances lit a fire to Mills¡¯ ambition. As the second son of the B?menburg clan, Mills wouldn¡¯t inherit the family¡¯s territory. This was the norm for this world, but he couldn¡¯t stand the inept eldest son having the right of succession just because he was born earlier. He considered assassinating his elder brother for a time, but decided that the risk was too great. And that was why he wanted to seize this chance to achieve great things and make a name for himself. He would slowly build up his fame, and make his elder brother prostate at his feet. That was Mills¡¯ ambition. ¡°This chance won¡¯t come again. Please reconsider it.¡± Coerced by his deputy, Mills made his decision. ¡°¡­ I retract my earlier order. Get the men ready for an assault as you suggest.¡± Mills quietly drew his sword. When the preparations were done, he took several deep breaths, slowly raised his left hand¡ª and swung it down in one go. ¡°Charge!!¡± Mills ordered, and the entire unit swarmed forth. ¡°¡ª!? It¡¯s the enemy!?¡± A one-eyed man shouted. ¡°Everyone retreat! There¡¯s too many of them!¡± Olivia quickly ordered, and fled to the hills. It seemed the Royal soldiers were really spooked, leaving their armour behind as they fled. It was ironic that the Death God¡¯s unit that struck fear into the hearts of the Imperial soldiers were like this. When he saw the chaotic behaviour of the enemy troops, Mills was certain that he had won. ¡°Hahaha! Even the Death God can only flee when faced with such a disparity in numbers! But I won¡¯t let you off! Listen up, charge through this river and kill them all!¡± ¡°¡°¡°Yes Sir!!¡±¡±¡± On Mills¡¯ orders, the troops rushed into the river, splashing water everywhere. Mills thought that the water was shallow and clear, and with how narrow it was, they would catch up in no time. However... ¡°Uwahhh!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t get a firm footing¡ª¡± Halfway across the river, the soldiers sounded confused. The water only reached up to their thighs, but soldiers kept getting swept away. It was the same for Mills, one misstep and he would be carried away by the current. ¡°¡ªSo it¡¯s true, just like what Gauss said!¡± ¡°Yup, this Vetnam river might look shallow, but is actually quite dangerous. The grass on the river bed will tangle your legs. The flow is rapid too, so people familiar with this river will never cross it without aid. When I was a brat, I crossed this river on a dare and almost drowned.¡± ¡°I see. But it looks interesting from over here. Hey, why don¡¯t I go in and try?¡± ¡°Give me a break. I think you''ll be fine, but First Lieutenant Claudia will give me a good scolding.¡± ¡°Yes, you are right, forget it. Do you know that Claudia will become like a demon sometimes?¡± Olivia and the one eyed soldier who had returned to the bank were chatting happily. At the same time, soldiers started walking down the hill. They formed neat ranks, and their disarray from earlier was nowhere to be seen. The thousand or so men then readied their bows. Things had come to this, and Mills finally realized that this was the enemy¡¯s trap. ¡°D-Damn it!!¡± ¡°Alright, it¡¯s time for work, do your best.¡± ¡°¡°¡°Yes Mdm!!¡±¡±¡± Olivia waved her hand, and countless arrows flew from the bows. There was no way to escape the arrows in the fast flowing river. The soldiers of the Crimson Knights were shot with no way to retaliate. As the river was dyed red, there was a sudden scream. In the direction of that scream, a young soldier was taking off his helm and armour, and grabbing his hair in a crazed manner. ¡°How unsightly, and you call yourself a soldier of the Crimson Knights? Know your shame!¡± A middle aged soldier grabbed that young grunt from behind. The two of them were shot by the arrows, and flowed away powerlessly. ¡°Major Mills!¡± ¡°Yes, I know. It¡¯s frustrating, but we have to retreat and regroup. We will die if we stay.¡± However, Mills quickly realized how naive that thought was. On the bank behind them was another group of Royal soldiers. ¡°Ready your bows!¡± A woman in silvery white armour was in command of that unit. ¡°Ughh! They are not letting us escape!¡± That unit probably flanked to their rear under the cover of the fog. He ordered an all out assault earlier to pursue the enemy, letting down his guard, which led to this. Mills regretted letting his desire for glory get to his head, but it was too late for anything now. ¡°This is what they call ¡®being caught between a rock and a hard place.¡± Olivia gloated with one finger raised. ¡°Damn¡­¡± ¡°Hey~ what do you plan to do? If you surrender, I can spare your lives.¡± ¡°Surrender? You say surrender? ¡ªThe word surrender doesn¡¯t exist in the Crimson Knights¡¯ lexicon!¡± Raymond who crawled up to the river bank after struggling mightily shouted angrily, and slashed at Olivia. Olivia turned to dodge, and countered in a flash. The beheaded Raymond fell into a pool of his own blood. ¡°I will say this again, yield and I will spare your life. I want to know where your base camp is.¡± Olivia flicked away the blood on her sword, and offered them a chance to surrender again. Mills scoffed at that proposal. Given how things had turned out, he wouldn¡¯t surrender even if the sun rises from the west. How could he ever face Rosenmarie after this? (My reputation is all gone now. To think my ambition will end in a place like this¡­) His unit had suffered more than 50% casualties, so it would be impossible to carry out his original mission now. The only thing he could do was to drag the Death God down to hell with him. (I don¡¯t fear death, I just don¡¯t want my damn elder brother to look down on me.) The image of Franz¡¯s obese body flashed across Mills¡¯ mind, and he shook his head to clear the figure of his brother from his mind. He said with a laugh to hype himself up: ¡°Are you deaf? The lexicon of the proud Crimson Knights doesn''t have the word surrender!¡± Mills who finally made it to the bank charge Olivia like Raymond did and struck at her head¡ª or so it seems, but he suddenly pulled his right leg back and thrust his sword forth. But Olivia wasn¡¯t fazed. Right before Mills¡¯ sword was about to pierce Olivia¡¯s chest, she spun around like she was dancing, and cut Mills down from behind. Mills organs fell out and he collapsed to the ground. ¡°¡ªHey, let me ask you again, where is your basecamp? Your commander is good at hide and go seek, so we can¡¯t find her.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the commander of this unit, right? So you definitely know where that is.¡± Olivia asked repeatedly, and Gauss said with a resigned expression. ¡°Commander, given the state that he¡¯s in, he won¡¯t be able to talk properly.¡± ¡°I see. The rest of the enemy is not needed, let¡¯s hurry and kill them all. We need to find our next prey after we are done.¡± Olivia sheathed her sword, and took out Chachamaru on her back. ¡°This Gauss Ozmeier will follow you to the ends of the world.¡± Gauss smiled sinisterly and aimed his bow at the Crimson Knights in the waters. ¡ª Half an hour later. ¡°S-Stop¡ª¡± ¡°Bye bye~.¡± Olivia¡¯s bolt pierced the heart of the last soldier mercilessly. The Vetnam river before them was congested with crimson armour and blood. ¡°How pretty¡­ Just like a red carpet.¡± As the soldiers cheered, Olivia showed a charming smile. Third Day of the Battle, East of the Carnac valley After decimating Mills¡¯ unit, the Autonomous Cavalry Regiment bared its fangs at their next prey. And their target was¡ª ¡°What? You found the Death God¡¯s unit?¡± Major General Listenberg who had 4,000 men under his command was shocked. According to the scout, the Death God unit was waving their flags high, and marching to the summit ahead. They numbered around 3,000. ¡°Is it really the Death God¡¯s unit?¡± ¡°It is, we saw a girl in dark armour at their fore. She had silver hair, and matches her appearance from the rumours. It¡¯s definitely her.¡± After hearing the scout¡¯s report, Listenberg nodded sagely. ¡°I understand. Continue scouting them.¡± ¡°Yes Sir!¡± Listenberg glanced at the scout who left, and turned to his adjutant Lieutenant Colonel Hynel and asked: ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°There aren¡¯t that many girls in black armour and silver hair in the world. That scout is right, that should be the Death God¡¯s unit. We can¡¯t ignore this.¡± After hearing Hynel¡¯s opinion, Listenberg crossed his arms and started to think. So far, his unit had clashed with the Seventh Army several times, and honestly speaking, they weren¡¯t much of a threat. The Seventh Army might be well trained and disciplined, but they weren¡¯t much better than the Third and Fourth Army. Objectively speaking, the Crimson Knights were stronger than the Seventh Army. However, the Death God¡¯s unit was probably an exception. After all, they were the ones that destroyed many units of the northern army in just two months. Even the mighty Crimson Knights, lost Volmar and his men to the Death God. Hynel was right, it would be dangerous to leave the Death God¡¯s unit alone. (Lady Rosenmarie is looking forward to crossing blades with the Death God, but I can¡¯t let her take that risk.) After winning several victories, his men¡¯s morale was high, and he had the advantage in numbers too. In a sense, running into the Death God here was great luck. This was the best opportunity to launch an attack. ¡°Alright then, we will attack the Death God¡¯s unit. By the honor of the Crimson Knights, we will crush them here.¡± ¡°Yes Sir!¡± ¡ª Two hours later. After Listenberg¡¯s unit rushed to the summit, he found the Royal Army before him. His men were a little rattled, and Listenberg furrowed his brows. (They already took formation? So they are aware of us¡­) What baffled Listenberg was that the enemy formed up with a cliff behind them. This was like an invitation for Listenberg to push them down the hill to their death. ¡°What¡¯s happening here? They are cutting off their own retreat by deploying there. Have they gone mad?¡± Hynel couldn¡¯t figure out the enemy either, and stared with his eyes wide. ¡°Are they trying to get their men to fight like desperadoes by putting themselves with their backs to the wall? It seems I have overestimated them¡­¡± This was a desperate strategy used to survive against difficult odds, but was just lip service to rally the men, rather than a viable tactic. So it was a surprise that the enemy was stupid enough to actually put this to practice. They probably set up this formation since they had inferior numbers, but this was still too shockingly retarded. ¡°What should we do?¡± ¡°Do you even need to ask? Spread our formation to the sides, and continue firing from mid range. Send that so called Death God and her men to the abyss.¡± ¡°Yes Sir!¡± On Hynel¡¯s orders, the archers fired upon the Death God¡¯s unit. However, the enemy raised large shields to cover themselves, blocking all the volley fire. They moved with practiced movements, as if they already expected this and prepared countermeasures. The arrows were useless against this iron-clad defences. On top of that, the enemy retaliate with their own arrows through the gaps between the shields, inflicting losses on the Imperial soldiers instead. If this continued, the losses would continue to mount. ¡°Your Grace, this isn¡¯t going well.¡± ¡°I know. Just parlour tricks. Attack with pikes, surround them and push them off the cliffs!¡± ¡°Yes Sir!¡± Hynel gave instructions loudly, ordering the pikemen to advance. ¡°¡ªThe enemy is moving just as Ashton expected.¡± Ashton smiled when he heard that from Claudia. They intentionally let the enemy scouts detect them, and lured them here. Faced with the tough defences of the Autonomous Cavalry Regiment, the Crimson Knights gave up on ranged attacks, and switched to melee combat. The enemy wants to push them down the cliff with their pikes. ¡°Everything is going as planned so far. As discussed earlier, the two of you will need to lead the way, please.¡± ¡°Yes, leave it to me. Fufu, I¡¯m all hyped up.¡± ¡°I will do my best too, Ashton.¡± Claudia was fearless, while Olivia smiled brightly. Ashton couldn¡¯t help smiling as he watched the both of them. The old Ashton could never smile at a time like this. Being with the two of them was one reason, but the most important factor was that Ashton had gotten used to wars. Whether this was a good thing was a different matter though. The history of humanity was the history of wars. If there were humans, there would always be wars. After all, this was a part of being human. And what he could do now was to think of ways to let the people around him survive. Ashton was willing to go to any length to do so. ¡°¡ª It¡¯s almost time to go.¡± On Ashton¡¯s orders, the unit switched to a wedge formation. ¡°We will now charge through the center of the enemy¡¯s formation!¡± The Autonomous Cavalry Regiment began to charge, which surprised the Crimson Knights a little. Olivia and Claudia used this chance to cover each other¡¯s blindspots, and cut open a path with their swords. Any who dared stand before them were cut down. They slowly tore a gap in the middle of the enemy¡¯s formation. To avoid falling too far behind, Ashton advanced with his escorts and a sword in hand. ¡°¡ª Now!¡± Seeing a corner of the enemy formation flailing, Claudia shouted immediately. Olivia stood still and lowered her stance, just like she did when facing a One Horned Beast. An instant later, the soldiers in her path suddenly started spurting out blood and collapsing. Olivia started cutting down the soldiers in her way, too fast for the eyes to see¡ª and broke through to the center. ¡°Ashton!¡± Olivia turned around and shouted loudly, and Ashton immediately blew his horn. After Olivia broke through the enemy lines, the Autonomous Cavalry Regiment moved orderly into a fan formation. The vanguards braced their shields, and the rear guards readied their bows with practiced movements. ¡°This is the final phase of the battle! Crush them in one go!!¡± Claudia¡¯s clear voice reverberated in the bloody peak of the hill¡ª The tables had turned, and Listenberg¡¯s unit was the one being surrounded. Pushed back by the relentless arrow fire, they were slowly forced to the edge of the cliff. Listenberg regretted not preparing tower shields like the enemy did. After seeing the smooth movements of his opponents, he finally realized that this was all part of the enemy¡¯s scheme. ¡°Damn it, having their backs to the wall is just for show. Those whippersnappers and their dirty tricks!¡± ¡°Your Grace! They are going to push us off the cliff!¡± Hynel kept turning back to gauge their distance to the cliff as he shouted. Listenberg said with a sinister smile: ¡°Then we will do the same thing. Switch to wedge formation! We will break through the enemy¡¯s center, and force them off the cliff instead!¡± ¡°Yes Sir!¡± On Hynel¡¯s instructions, the unit quickly transformed into a wedge formation. ¡ªHowever. ¡°This is it! Fire arrows!¡± A young officer gave the signal, and a large number of fire arrows rained down from the sky. The troops were very shaken by this scene. ¡°Your Grace!¡± Hynel looked towards Listenberg with his face pale. ¡°Don¡¯t panic! The fire isn¡¯t that damaging. Keep calm and carry on!¡± Listenberg shouted angrily, and his men regained their composure, blocking the fire arrows with their swords and shields. At this moment, something unexpected happened. When the fire arrow hit the ground, the place erupted in flames. Even the veteran Listenberg was shocked by the fire that broke out from that tiny flame. This abnormal situation resulted in the soldiers getting engulfed by the fire helplessly. ¡°¡ª!? Where did this huge fire come from!?¡± Hynel said hysterically. Listenberg told himself to calm down, and he smelled something strange in the air. (This smell¡­ I see, they spilled oil on the ground ahead of time.) But it was too late now. Their tight formation amplified the damage of this fire. Listenberg wanted to use the enemy¡¯s tactic against them, and didn¡¯t expect such an insidious plan behind all that. His men were either burned alive or falling off the cliff. The peak of the hill was now a living hell, and the screams of the soldiers echoed out loud. ¡°Fufufu¡­¡± ¡°Y-Your Grace?¡± Hynel looked at Listenberg confusedly, but Listenberg didn¡¯t mind. ¡°Splendid. I don¡¯t know who came up with this plan, but he saw through every move that we made. He might be the enemy, but this is splend¡ª¡± Listenberg didn¡¯t finish his compliments. An arrow struck him in the throat, ending his life there. ¡°Your Grace!?¡± Hynel who rushed to his side and the rest of the soldiers died to the arrows shortly after. Seeing the sea of fire before her, Claudia said: ¡°The Crimson Knights had stopped any organized resistance. The commander and key officers are probably dead. We have won.¡± Olivia put Chachamaru back on her back and nodded. ¡°I think so too, but we can¡¯t be careless until the end. A cornered rat will bite the cat. Well, we can just stomp them flat if they try anyway.¡± The enemy either died in the fire or jumped off the cliff into the waters. The survivors were in disarray. They made a desperate charge against the Royal army, but was too disorganized to be effective. ¡°Sigh, in the end, we still didn¡¯t find out where the enemy basecamp is.¡± She was planning to take the enemy commander alive and find the location of their basecamp. It was a pity that he died, but the primary goal of Ashton¡¯s plan was to minimize the losses of the Autonomous Cavalry Regiment. They also accomplished the secondary goal of shaving down the enemy¡¯s number, so it was fine. Olivia understood that she shouldn¡¯t be too greedy. This also applied to delicious meals and tasty desserts too. ¡°Commander, we found an enemy unit near the foot of the hill¡ª Uwah, this is really something¡­¡± Gauss gasped at the fiery scene before him. The scouts that were sent out had returned safely. ¡°Yes, good work. Let¡¯s break for lunch after killing the rest of the enemy. We need to find our next prey¡ª Hey Ashton, please give me a mustard bun with plenty of jerky.¡± ¡°You want to make it again? I¡¯m really tired now¡­¡± The exhausted Ashton protested. ¡°When I eat the food prepared by Ashton, I will be filled with energy.¡± Olivia flexed her muscles with a smile. As for Ashton... ¡°Olivia, you are always brimming with energy¡ª Sigh, Olivia is the commander after all, so I will carry out your orders¡­¡± Ashton¡¯s expression softened, and Claudia smiled at him. The Autonomous Cavalry Regiment enjoyed a peaceful meal that seemed out of place for a battlefield. ¡°Alright, it¡¯s almost time to go.¡± Leaving countless charred corpses and rolling smoke behind, the Autonomous Cavalry Regiment set off to hunt for their next target. ¢ó West of the Carnac valley, Crimson Knights Basecamp ¡°How goes the battle?¡± Rosenmarie who was seated in a chair inside the large tent asked. ¡°Yes, right now, we have the upperhand.¡± Gaier laid out the map on the table, and reported the situation at each area one by one. The thick fog resulted in additional losses, but it was still within acceptable range. Their opponent¡¯s attacks were based around longbowmen, which meant that they admit to being less capable than the Crimson Knights in melee combat. Gaier felt this was a good time to launch an all out attack. But the Seventh Army still had the Death God as a wild card, so it was best to exercise caution. ¡°¡ª Got it. The enemy is basically moving as we expected. By the way, where is the Death God?¡± Gaier shook his head. ¡°No, none of our units found any signs of her.¡± ¡°What, so she¡¯s running around like a gutter rat again?¡± Rosenmarie smiled faintly, but her eyes weren¡¯t smiling at all. She might not have noticed, but her killing intent towards the Death God had been overflowing recently. From Gaier¡¯s perspective, her murderous intent didn¡¯t have any negative emotions at all. It was a killing intent similar to a heat wave. Gaier felt an indescribable fear towards her. That was why he had to slaughter that Death God before Rosenmarie took the field personally. As Gaier made up his mind, a messenger barged into the tent with panicked footsteps. ¡°Report, the body of Major Mills had been found near the Vetnam river. There are a large number of bodies found downstream too. Major Mills¡¯ unit had probably been destroyed.¡± Rosenmarie frowned a little, and asked Gaier: ¡°If I¡¯m not wrong, you sent that unit to attack the enemy¡¯s rear.¡± ¡°That is correct.¡± The decimation of Mills¡¯ unit came as a surprise. This would definitely affect the battle adversely. Gaier sighed, and realized that the messenger was still down on one knee, as if he wasn¡¯t finished. ¡°Yes, what is it? Anything else to report?¡± ¡°¡ªSir, this is just my speculation...¡± Despite him saying that, the messenger sounded confident. Gaier hesitated a little, and looked towards Rosenmarie. Rosenmarie nodded, granting permission for the messenger to speak. ¡°Let¡¯s hear it then.¡± ¡°Yes Mdm. According to the reports, Major Mills was cleaved in half at the waist. There are several bodies found in the same state too. In my humble opinion, this couldn¡¯t be done by normal people.¡± ¡°Are you saying that the Death God did this?¡± In response to Rosenmarie, the nervous messenger nodded tensely. At this moment, another messenger rushed before Rosenmarie, genuflected, and said loudly: ¡°Report! Major General Listenberg was killed in action on Levis Hill! His unit was also wiped out!¡± The consecutive bad news caused an uproar among the officers inside the tent. This was the first time a General died since the founding of the Crimson Knights, and was a much bigger problem than what happened to Mills. The rapid deterioration of the battle caused the unease in Gaier¡¯s heart to bloat. ¡°Major General Listenberg has 4,000 men under his command! How can they be wiped out so easily¡ª¡± Gaier refused to accept reality, and rejected the messenger¡¯s report. But what the messenger said next deprived all of his excuses. ¡°Their opponent was the Death God Olivia¡¯s unit! They number about 3,000!¡± ¡°What¡­!?¡± The implication was clear. Just four days into the battle, they lost two tenths of their forces to the Death God. The illusion of a Death God¡¯s scythe swinging down flashed across Gaier¡¯s mind, making him shiver. ¡°Fufufu¡­ That accursed Death God Olivia. She seems to be having fun. Looks like it¡¯s time for me to take to the field.¡± Rosenmarie gulped down the water canteen she got from an attendant, and banged it down on the table. Her crimson eyes were gleaming like a beast that found its prey. The thing he was worrying about all this while was turning true. The anxious Gaier quickly said: ¡°Your Grace! Please wait!¡± ¡°Wait for what? Who else but me can take her on?¡± Rosenmarie grunted unhappily. ¡°I have a plan!¡± With a nod, Gaier started explaining the plan. First, gather all their forces, attack the Death God¡¯s unit with 10,000 men, and destroy her by attacking in waves. Her unit might be strong, but they only had 3,000 soldiers, and would eventually fall to the overwhelming difference in numbers. This plan relied entirely on the advantage in numbers, but it was effective. After listening to Gaier, Rosenmarie¡¯s face looked troubled. ¡°This isn¡¯t much of a plan. You want to send more than half of our forces against the Death God¡¯s unit? If we go with that, the Seventh Army aren¡¯t dummies and will launch an all out attack on our basecamp. If I were in their shoes, I would definitely do that.¡± ¡°You are right, Your Grace. But if we put the Death God¡¯s unit and the Seventh Army on a scale, the Death God unit will be heavier. We will win if the Seventh Army doesn''t have the Death God.¡± He wasn¡¯t underestimating the Seventh Army. Gaier had evaluated them objectively, and they were not much of a threat. This was based on the consolidated reports sent in by all the units, but it shouldn¡¯t be too far off. Even if the Seventh Army assaulted the basecamp en masse, with proper preparation, they could be fended off. Once they destroyed the Death God¡¯s unit, they could even launch a pincer attack on the Seventh Army. All the officers present concurred with Gaier. He had to make Rosenmarie agree with this, no matter what. ¡°No. I won¡¯t approve of your plan, Gaier.¡± But his proposal was rejected by Rosenmarie. But Gaier wasn¡¯t giving up, since this concerned Rosenmarie¡¯s safety. ¡°But why? Can you give me a reason?¡± ¡°A reason, huh¡­ very well. It will take quite a lot of time to muster our forces. Do you think the Death God unit will sit still obediently in the meantime? That will be giving them the chance to pick our units off piece by piece. More importantly, this valley is too cramped to deploy an army of 10,000. I did so anyway to make full use of our proficiency in fighting in the hills. That¡¯s why we divided into small units, allowing each group to make use of the terrain. And your plan will kill off our advantage.¡± ¡°But they are picking us off part by part right now. And there might be a place to deploy 10,000 men around here.¡± ¡°I see. Well then, how will you lure the Death God¡¯s unit there? By using dessert as bait?¡± Rosenmarie asked with a hint of ridicule. Gaier proposed setting up a unit as bait. This was the tactic that defeated the Empire during the Battle of Berkerley in the past. The scale was much smaller, but the essence was the same. ¡°Hmm, not a bad idea. Only if you assume that the Death God is a retard.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Rosenmarie started expounding: ¡°Have you forgotten? They paralyzed 30,000 of our troops. They won¡¯t bite on a trap of that level.¡± Rosenmarie brushed her slender fingers gently across Gaier¡¯s cheek. Gaier groaned, and Rosenmarie patted his back, as if she was consoling a kid. ¡°Haha, you are an adjutant, don¡¯t make such an unsightly face. I said they won¡¯t take that bait, but that doesn¡¯t mean I reject your plan.¡± ¡°T-Then¡ª¡± Gaier couldn¡¯t help leaning forth, and Rosenmarie raised her left hand: ¡°We will go with parts of Gaier¡¯s plan, with some changes to the details.¡± ¡°Changes to the details¡­? May I know which part?¡± Rosenmarie merely smiled at Gaier¡¯s question. She wanted Gaier to figure it out himself. After pondering over it, Gaier still didn¡¯t get it. Gaier admitted defeat and shook his head. Rosenmarie¡¯s smile deepened, and breathed seductively into Gaier¡¯s ear: ¡°You still don¡¯t get it. I will be the bait to lure in the Death God.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t tell me where the basecamp is either? I can spare your life if you tell me¡ª Oh, I will throw in some cake too.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t look down on me!!¡± An enraged man slashed his sword. Olivia pinched the weapon aimed at her throat, and the man¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. She paid it no heed, and placed her blade at that man¡¯s throat. ¡°I will ask again. Can you tell me where your basecamp is?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°I will spare your life, and I¡¯m not lying about the cake either¡ª Oh, are you afraid of your jaws dropping because it is too sweet? Don¡¯t worry, it won¡¯t drop from that.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡ª I see, it¡¯s a pity.¡± Olivia tightened her grip, and slit the man¡¯s throat. ¡°Major, we have finished sweeping up the remnants. ¡ªas expected, you still didn¡¯t get the position of the enemy¡¯s basecamp, huh.¡± Claudia glanced at the head on the ground and handed her a handkerchief. Olivia thanked her, and said as she wiped her face: ¡°Yes, they didn¡¯t say anything. Why are they so eager to die?¡± ¡°They are all warriors of honor. Loyalty is part of their creed. They might be our enemy, but I can respect that spirit.¡± Claudia nodded in admiration. ¡°But they can¡¯t eat delicious food and desserts when they are dead¡­ I will definitely not want that.¡± Olivia sheathed her blade after wiping away the blood. Claudia said with an awkward smile: ¡°That¡¯s what honor means.¡± Claudia¡¯s tone had a sense of pride. Was honor that important? Olivia didn¡¯t get it at all. She still had much to learn about humans. And Claudia seemed to be very fixated on honor. (But one thing is clear to me. If Claudia wants to die for honor, then I will not hesitate to slay that honor. That won¡¯t change.) Olivia clenched her fist and resolved herself. A familiar voice rang out at this time. ¡°Olivia, headquarters have sent out a recall order.¡± Ashton walked over with a wave. Olivia stared at him. (Well, Ashton should be fine. He probably won¡¯t say that he will die for the sake of honor.) ¡°Hmm? Is there something on my face?¡± Ashton rubbed his face in a hurry, and Olivia smiled at him. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. So, headquarters are pulling us back? Did something happen?¡± ¡°Who knows? According to the messengers, the other units aside from us are having a hard time¡­ anyway, let¡¯s set off once the preparations are done. Olivia, use this chance to rest up. First Lieutenant Claudia, as for our schedule¡ª¡± Ashton approached Claudia with a map in his hands. (For some reason, my chest feels warm when I look at the two of them. Why is that? I didn''t drink any warm soup. How queer.) Olivia didn¡¯t understand the warmth she was feeling. She never felt this way when she was living with Z too. If she continued to stay with the two of them, she would figure it out one day. With that in mind, Olivia suddenly barged in between the two of them, grabbing the arms of the two surprised people, and showing an innocent smile. South of the Carnac Valley, Seventh Army Basecamp Heeding Paul¡¯s orders, the Autonomous Cavalry Regiment returned to their basecamp. The war conference began after Olivia¡¯s group arrived. ¡°You are gathered here on such short notice because of the sudden movements from the enemy¡ª Adjutant Otto, please explain the details.¡± ¡°Yes Sir!¡± Otto stood up, and briefed the officers on the situation. An enemy group we believe to be the enemy main forces are relocating their basecamp downstream of the Vetnam river. They are just 3,000 strong. Scouts report that there are no signs of the other units that should be defending this basecamp.¡± ¡°The location of this basecamp is in one of the widest spaces in the entire Carnac valley. The Crimson Knights are proficient in mountain warfare, and they held the upper hand all this while. I can¡¯t fathom why they are giving up on their advantage. They removed the escort units and exposed their basecamp that only has 3,000 men¡­ I can¡¯t understand what they are doing.¡± An old officer from the Seventh Army stated his doubts, and the rest concurred with him. However, Ashton was different as he looked at the map on the table in deep thought. By the way, Olivia was carefully cleaning her armor with a clean piece of cloth, she really likes this armor. Otto already cast icy gazes her way several times, and Claudia would remind her quietly. She would always stop for a time, before resuming a while later. This had been repeating since the very start. ¡°Their intentions are unclear, but isn¡¯t this a great chance?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, if we launch a strong attack on their basecamp, we might even kill their commander. Lord Paul, we should strike.¡± ¡°I agree too.¡± The officers all proposed seizing this opportunity and attack. They were all hoping to overturn their dire situation. The opinion to attack became the common consensus. Paul rubbed his chin, and suddenly put Ashton in the spotlight. ¡°Warrant Officer Ashton, what do you think about this situation? Don¡¯t hold back and speak freely.¡± ¡°Yes Sir¡­ In my humble opinion, this is definitely the enemy¡¯s trap. We should exercise caution.¡± ¡°I see¡­ Why do you say that?¡± ¡°Sir, please look this way.¡± Ashton picked up a black chess piece and placed it on the map to represent the enemy basecamp. That drew the attention of the crowd. Ashton¡¯s opinion ran contrary to the consensus in the room, but no one showed him any doubts. This was probably thanks to his accomplishments so far, and even Hosmund who mocked him last time was listening attentively. ¡°The enemy is intentionally showing how empty their defences are. At a glance, this much looks like a good opportunity to seize their basecamp, but this is the enemy¡¯s trap.¡± Ashton then put a ring of black chess pieces around that basecamp. ¡°I think the enemy units are lying some distance away like this. That¡¯s probably the reason why the scouts found no signs of the escort units in the vicinity. If we charged the enemy recklessly...¡± Ashton placed a white chess piece beside the enemy basecamp, and pushed the black pieces towards the white chess piece. ¡°The enemy lying in ambush will surround and destroy us. From my estimates, these units will take an hour to arrive and reinforce their basecamp.¡± Ashton saluted after saying that, and sat back down. The officers present started to moan in despair. Paul looked displeased and said: ¡°So you are saying that the enemy commander is confident of holding off our all out attack for an hour?¡± ¡°They are looking down on us.¡± Before Ashton could reply, Otto commented calmly. Claudia felt the same too. But the Crimson Knights had the capability to back this up. The power difference between these two armies couldn¡¯t be bridged so easily. ¡°Lord Paul is right. Their basecamp is probably being defended by top elites.¡± ¡°I understand what you are saying, Warrant Officer Ashton. But why is the enemy using this strategy now? Even if they don¡¯t take this risk, they still hold the upperhand in this battle, right?¡± A young officer stated the doubt that was hanging over everyone¡¯s mind. He was right, the Seventh Army has been shaved down to 20,000 now. Even without taking this risk, the advantage of the Crimson Knights would stay the same. The Autonomous Cavalry Regiment scored several victories, but the overall situation was still bleak for the Seventh Army. As Claudia was thinking about that, she heard a clear voice: ¡°Well, they probably think that the Autonomous Cavalry Regiment is an eyesore. They even lost a Major General to us, so they really want to destroy us. We are infamous now.¡± Olivia said happily as she cleaned her armor. Hosmund shivered, probably sensitive to the term Major General. Ashton smiled awkwardly and scratched his head, then said: ¡°Major Olivia is right. The enemy has a higher evaluation of the Autonomous Cavalry Regiment than we expected. This is probably a trap to destroy the Autonomous Cavalry Regiment.¡± The officers erupted into an uproar, and Paul nodded enlightened. ¡°I see, it¡¯s true that the Autonomous Cavalry Regiment is the strongest unit in the Seventh Army. It¡¯s only natural that our foe thinks of you as a threat. Warrant Officer Ashton is right ¡ªAdjutant Otto.¡± ¡°Sir, if that is the case, there are plenty of countermeasures we can employ. The key will be to mislead the enemy into thinking that we have fallen for their trap, and trap them instead.¡± Otto said with a rarely seen cold smile. ¡°Very well then. Adjutant Otto and Warrant Officer Ashton, formulate a plan quickly. Once you are ready, we will move out.¡± ¡°Yes Sir!¡± ¡°¡­ Yes Sir!¡± (Speaking of which, Ashton has grown a lot. He isn¡¯t as timid as before, however¡­) Claudia suppressed her urge to laugh at the sight of Ashton¡¯s eyes that was like a dead fish. Crimson Knights Basecamp ¡°Fool me once, shame on you, but fooling me twice¡­ This is the biggest shame of Rosenmarie¡¯s life¡­¡± Rosenmarie laughed in self mockery as she watched the raging fire in the distance. The enemy was attacking just as planned, with a rough estimate of about 10,000. That was less than expected, and could be held off easily for an hour. However, when the battle started, a fire started burning around the basecamp. Even if their deployed units rush back, they would be kept away by the flames. Short of a heavy downpour, this fire would rage on for quite a while. This was a brilliant way of beating someone at their own game. The enemy completely saw through Rosenmarie¡¯s intention. It was the same when they tied down the 30,000 garrisoned units too. Her foe had a sharp strategist. ¡°¡ª This is really a spectacular sight. It feels that I will get burned too if I stayed here. Ahaha!¡± The girl before her turned around with light steps. By her feet were Rosenmarie¡¯s bodyguards who were lying in a pool of blood. The girl looked like she was dancing gracefully. ¡°What a flimsical girl¡­ so you are the Death God Olivia, huh.¡± Her silver hair flowed down to her waist, over her porcelain-like skin, and delicate features on her face. It was easy to relate her to the Death God on the coat of arms adorning her dark armor. Especially her dark sword covered in black mist, everything matched the rumors. Most importantly, no normal girl could massacre the bodyguards like she was playing with children. ¡°I¡¯m not a Death God, but I¡¯m Olivia. You are the commander, I assume? I finally met you. By the way, did you get my message?¡± Rosenmarie smiled. ¡°Ohh, that message, huh. That¡¯s really a masterpiece. That¡¯s why I invited you here, Olivia. Things are slightly different than I planned though ¡ªI remember that you want to take my life, correct?¡± ¡°Yes, you are right.¡± Olivia was all smiles. Her forthright answer made Rosenmarie¡¯s expression relax a lot. This was the best opponent prepared for her by fate. ¡°Actually, my goal is similar to Olivia in a sense. Don¡¯t you think we will get along really well?¡± Rosenmarie pulled off her cape and tossed it aside, then slowly drew her sword. The steel blade slowly turned hot and was dyed red. Olivia reached for her hilt and pulled out her dark sword again. ¡°Yes, I think we will get along splendidly. Hey, can you tell me your name?¡± ¡°Alright, think of it as a gift for your journey to the underworld. I¡¯m Rosenmarie von Berlietta. Let¡¯s get along since we are both girls.¡± ¡°Ms Rosenmarie von Berlietta, huh. Nice name. I¡¯m Olivia Valedstorm. Nice to meet you too.¡± After smiling at each other, they charged at each other. Their swords clashed with a sharp metallic clink. ¢ô ¡ªOlivia versus Rosenmarie. The battle between them had started. After clashing for a few rounds, Olivia slashed diagonally. Rosenmarie twisted her body to dodge, and used her momentum to kick at Olivia¡¯s stomach. Olivia quickly pulled back, dust flew into the air when her feet touched the ground and she kicked. Their feet hit each other. A split second later, they were knocked far apart. (I see, no wonder she has the guts to threaten me with death. Not just her skills with a sword, she is good with unarmed combat too. No wonder Volmar died in her hands¡­) After a few rounds, Rosenmarie had yet to hit Olivia. As she was considering her options, Olivia said ecstatically: ¡°Ms Rosenmarie¡¯s ¡®Odic force¡¯ is very high. Much stronger than Mr Volmar that I killed some time ago. Z said there aren¡¯t many people like that. Am I just lucky?¡± With that, Olivia slowly lowered her stance. (My Odic force is very high¡­?) That sounded familiar to Rosenmarie, but now wasn¡¯t the time to brood over that. In response to Olivia¡¯s unusual stance, Rosenmarie braced her sword. (That¡¯s fast!) Olivia suddenly appeared before her, thrusting her sword at Rosenmarie¡¯s face with incredible speed. Rosenmarie blocked with the flat side of her blade, and slashed at Olivia¡¯s head. Olivia leaned to the side to evade, spun around and cleaved horizontally from the left. Rosenmarie quickly parried with her sword. Sparks flew with a clang. ¡°Phew¡­ That was a close one. No wonder they call you a Death God. I can¡¯t let my guard down around you.¡± ¡°You are the same too, Ms Rosenmarie. This reminds me of my ¡®training¡¯ with Z. Just a little though.¡± Olivia had a nostalgic look on her face. Rosenmarie struck at this opportunity, but she missed, cutting down the trees behind Olivia instead. The birds took flight with noisy caws, followed by an intense crackle¡ª as the cut surface of the tree erupted into flames. ¡°Ehh?¡± Olivia¡¯s jaw dropped at the sight of the burning trees. She immediately looked towards the sword in Rosenmarie¡¯s hand. ¡°Fufu. You looked surprised.¡± ¡°Yes, what a fascinating sword.¡± Olivia looked with envy, and Rosenmarie said with a wry smile: ¡°Olivia¡¯s sword is fascinating too. But you should understand now what will happen if my sword cuts you.¡± ¡°I will catch on fire like the trees? I don¡¯t want that, that looks hot.¡± Olivia said as if it didn¡¯t concern her at all. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯m cutting people with a sword enchanted with Sorcery. Let¡¯s see whether you will catch on fire.¡± When she heard that, Olivia tilted her head puzzledly. ¡°Sorcery? Someone mentioned that in the past too. Are you talking about Magic?¡± ¡°Magic? What¡¯s that?¡± It was Rosenmarie¡¯s turn to tilt her head quizzingly. She had never heard of the term Magic before. On the other hand, Olivia frowned and complained ¡°Z didn¡¯t teach me either.¡± Unlike Felixus, Rosenmarie didn¡¯t have any dealings with Sorcerers. They were whimsical and hard to track down, and she had no intention of contacting them either. After all, Sorcery were the powers of the gods, so it was strange for mere humans to use Sorcery. The people from the Church of Saint Illuminas would be mad if they found out. As for Rosenmarie, she would use anything she could make use of. ¡°Forget it. I don¡¯t know what Magic is, but it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Rosenmarie pushed herself forward and attacked rapidly. In her flurry of quick attacks, she would mix in strikes that were slow enough for a child to dodge. This was a wily sword technique that Rosenmarie was proficient with. She combined it with her unique footings that changes speed constantly to catch her opponents off guard. All her opponents were forced into committing mistakes and died to her sword. However, Olivia was different. She evaded or parried all of Rosenmarie¡¯s attacks, and even counterattacked. A slash to cut off her legs whiffed through the air, as Olivia jumped and somersaulted elegantly, before landing softly. Despite her sturdy armor, Olivia looked as if she was as light as a feather. ¡°Fu. Olivia, do you have wings on your back? To dodge my sword so easily¡­ it¡¯s messing up my rhythm.¡± ¡°Ms Rosenmarie is really strong too. Aside from Z, you are the first to have lasted this long against me.¡± ¡°Hey, you have been talking about Z all this time, who is that person? Olivia¡¯s teacher?¡± It wouldn¡¯t be strange for a girl in her teens that was so strong to have an extraordinary swordsman as a master. No, it will be strange if such a person exists. But it would be a different matter if she really was the Death God. ¡°Ehh? Z is my teacher? ¡ªHmm, nope. Z is different from a teacher. Hey, what do you think Z is to me?¡± ¡°How would I know!¡± Rosenmarie retorted on reflex, and Olivia laughed out loud. ¡°That¡¯s true. By the way, I have been thinking that I saw a similar sword techniques somewhere else in the past.¡± Olivia tilted her head as she swayed her dark sword. Rosenmarie learned her swordsmanship from Osborne when she was young. She had her own unique style now, but the fundamentals of Osborne¡¯s teachings were still deeply rooted in her sword. In other words, Olivia saw Osborne¡¯s shadow in Rosenmarie¡¯s sword. Rosenmarie felt the hair on her back standing on ends. ¡°Could it be¡­ Olivia, are you the one who killed General Osborne?¡± After saying that, the doubts in Rosenmarie mind cleared. Osborne might be old, but mobs wouldn¡¯t be able to kill him. ¡°General Osborne? ¡ªThat¡¯s right! It¡¯s similar to Mr Osborne!¡± Olivia snapped her fingers. ¡°Answer my question!¡± ¡°Ehh? I¡¯m the one who killed Mr Osborne.¡± Olivia answered casually. Rosenmarie felt something inside her heart snapped. ¡°Olivia¡­ I will cut you to pieces and send you to hell. Don¡¯t think you can die in peace!!¡± ¡°Ehh~ Didn¡¯t you say earlier that we should get along?¡± Rosenmarie ignored Olivia and attacked with the fury of a storm. The one who murdered Osborne was right before her, and she lost her cool. On the other hand, Olivia parried the attacks with nimble movements. She was smiling faintly, but her dark eyes were serious. Olivia¡¯s eyes shone like a predator that found her prey. ¡°¡ªThis is weird. Your movements are getting worse. Hey, are you okay?¡± ¡°Shut up!!¡± Olivia¡¯s provocative tone enraged Rosenmarie further. At the same time, she felt something strange. When their swords clashed, she felt her hand getting more numb. This was proof that Olivia was using more strength. Rosenmarie felt she was hitting a block of steel. ¡°Damn it!¡± Rosenmarie back-dashed a large distance away, and crudely wiped the sweat on her brow. Olivia didn¡¯t pursue her, probably to show that she had everything under her control. At this moment, Alvin¡¯s warning came to her mind. (The Heat Haze¡¯s observation is impressive. She¡¯s probably, no she¡¯s definitely more athletic than me. And her prowess too¡­ It will be bad to drag this on further. I need to suppress my anger, and fight her calmly.) After taking several deep breaths, Rosenmarie charged forth. Vertical, diagonal and horizontal slashes, and also thrust. She tensed her senses to be ready for any attack. However, Olivia didn¡¯t go with either options, and used an attack Rosenmarie wasn¡¯t expecting at all. (¡ª!? Sword throw!?) Olivia pushed off her left foot, and threw her sword with movements as smooth as a whip. The dark sword came at Rosenmarie with the sound of the wind, and she quickly turned to dodge it by millimeters. (That was close. It almost pierced me.) Rosenmarie relaxed a little. ¡°An opening.¡± ¡°What¡ª!?¡± Olivia suddenly appeared before her and kicked with her right leg, sending Rosenmarie¡¯s sword flying. She then moved in one fluid motion to punch out her left fist from her waist. Rosenmarie immediately crossed her arms to block, but it didn¡¯t slow Olivia¡¯s punch at all. A heavy thud flashed across her mind, and Rosenmarie¡¯s arms bent at unnatural angles. At the same time, Olivia¡¯s fist landed on her chest. A powerful impact spread throughout her body, bypassing her armor as if they were just paper. ¡°Ughh!¡± As Rosenmarie staggered from the blow, her chin was hit by an uppercut, filling her visions with stars. After knocking her down with this combo, Olivia stepped on her mercilessly with her right foot. ¡°D-Damn it!!¡± ¡°Haha, both your arms are broken, and you are still so lively. No wonder your Odic force is so high. But it¡¯s time to end this. Ms Rosenmarie von Berlietta, I offer you my thanks. I can give a good meal to Z again.¡± Her voice was accompanied by the sound of Rosenmarie¡¯s armor creaking. The only thing Rosenmarie could do was to glare at Olivia. At this moment, Rosenmarie heard frantic footsteps and a familiar voice. ¡°Your Grace! We are here to rescue you!¡± She looked towards the source of the voice, and found Gaier and his men shooting at Olivia. Olivia dodged the incoming arrows and retreated. ¡°Forgive us for being late, Your Grace.¡± ¡°Gaier¡­ You are still alive.¡± ¡°Yes Mdm, I managed to survive.¡± Gaier picked up Rosenmarie with an awkward smile. The intense pain made Rosenmarie grit her teeth. Gaier wasn¡¯t unscathed either, his arm was dyed red with blood. ¡°Where are the others?¡± ¡°Apologies for my incompetence. The basecamp unit had fallen to the enemy. But if Your Grace still lives, then we will rise again¡ª Don¡¯t let the Death God near Her Grace!¡± Gaier carried Rosenmarie on his back, and instructed his subordinates. ¡°¡ªLet¡¯s retreat. This will hurt, but please bear with it.¡± ¡°W-Wait! That girl! I have not avenged General Osborne yet!¡± Her sworn enemy was right before her, so how could Rosenmarie flee? ¡°We lost! Besides, what can you do in your condition? I feel vexed about this too, but please reconsider.¡± Gaier had a firm air about him. He was right, and Rosenmarie couldn¡¯t refute him. Suppressing the anger in her heart, she said: ¡°¡­ Retreat.¡± Gaier nodded quietly, and ran for the forest¡­ ¡°Ehh!? Wait! I will be troubled if you run away!¡± Olivia thought there would be some drama, and was watching them enthusiastically. But if this went on, Rosenmarie would escape. Olivia wanted to pursue them, but was stopped by the soldiers of the Crimson Knights. There were 30 of them, and every one of them were ready to fight to the death. These were the most troublesome foe to kill. She would need to literally walk over their dead body to pass. ¡°Sigh, this is a failure.¡± Olivia sighed heavily. Volume 2, 7: The Curtain Draws on the Battle Volume 2, Chapter 7: The Curtain Draws on the Battle Translator: Skythewood Editor: Hiiro ¢ñ Imperial Army, Farnesse Kingdom Invasion Campaign Main Base, Fort Kiel After learning the news of the Crimson Knights¡¯ defeat in Listerine Castle, General Felixus was summoned by Field Marshal Graden to Fort Kiel. ¡°Sorry that you have to make this trip.¡± ¡°No, you are too kind.¡± After greeting each other, Felixus sat on the sofa, and a female attendant poured a cup of tea for him with graceful movements. This was the specialty of the Empire, and a tea that Felixus was fond of. It was a top selling luxury item on the international market, and contributed greatly to the Empire¡¯s export business. Felixus thanked the attendant, and picked up the cup. They locked gaze for a moment. The attendant¡¯s cheek then turned bright red, and after a bow, she quickly left the room. Her reaction baffled Felixus, and Graden asked him with a speechless face: ¡°Felixus, how old are you?¡± ¡°Twenty one¡­ Why do you ask?¡± ¡°You are already twenty one¡­ about time for you to have a family. The daughters of many grand nobles favor you, but you turned down their proposals. There¡¯s no news of any love scandals from you either. Do you already have someone in mind?¡± Graden rubbed his chin intriguely as he stared at Felixus¡¯ face. ¡°¡ªHah? What are you saying all of a sudden?¡± Felixus was baffled by the sudden topic, and Graden shook his head with a long sigh: ¡°Never mind, just ignore that as an old fool¡¯s mumbling. Instead, let¡¯s talk about Rosenmary. I heard she¡¯s badly hurt, so how is she?¡± ¡°The doctors said that it¡¯s not life threatening, but she will need a rather long time to recuperate.¡± Rosenmary fractured both her arms, and her organs were hurt badly too. If her injuries were more serious, she might not survive. ¡°I see¡­¡± Graden sighed in relief, and leaned back heavily on the sofa. He didn¡¯t say it clearly, but he was probably really worried about Rosenmary¡¯s condition. ¡°But with that, the campaign against the north of the Kingdom will be delayed quite a bit.¡± Rosenmary¡¯s army retreated by a wide margin, garrisoned near the northern borders, centered around Fort Astra. Right now, Rosenmary¡¯s adjutant Gaier was the acting commander in her stead. ¡°There¡¯s no helping that, since there isn¡¯t any unit that can replace the Crimson Knights in such short notice¡­ But is the reports true? It reads like a mythical story halfway through.¡± Graden said as he looked at the documents on the table. On it was the Carnac battle report submitted by Gaier. It detailed the reasons that led to the Crimson Knights¡¯ defeat, and information related to the Death God Olivia. ¡°Colonel Gaier is an outstanding man. From what I can tell, the reports are true.¡± ¡°He is the adjutant of that wild girl Rosenmary, so he must be good¡­ But is Death God Olivia really that strong? From the reports, she is just a girl in her teens.¡± To summarize the reports, they got played like a fiddle by Olivia and her unit from beginning to the end. Especially the part on Olivia, no mere mortals could match up to her, and her name struck fear into the hearts of the Imperial soldiers. But looking at this from another perspective, Olivia had the aura of heroes and kings of the past¡ª maybe even stronger than them. It was natural for Graden to critique this report as being mythical. However, Felixus had no doubts that the reports were true. The reason was that he caught sight of her during the prisoner exchange¡¯s signing ceremony. From that moment on, he had always feared that things might turn out this way. (To so badly injure Rosenmary who has such a high Odic force, that Olivia has immense prowess. And the strategy of tying down 30,000 soldiers and defeating Rosenmary is marvelous too. Is that her abilities too? Or is it someone else¡­ No matter what, Olivia is a threat to the Imperial Army.) The image of that girl was still vivid in Felixus¡¯s mind, and he told the dubious Graden: ¡°Field Marshal Graden, the results speak for itself. Let¡¯s strategize with that as our foundation.¡± After Felixus said that, Graden nodded with a serious face: ¡°That¡¯s true. Now that I think about it, the Swaran Kingdom¡¯s attack on Fort Peshita failed because of the Death God¡¯s intervention. You are right, Felixus, it¡¯s foolish to ignore the facts. By the way, what are Chancellor Dalmes¡¯ views on this?¡± ¡°He wants to keep the status quo in the north for now. He will leave the plans for the future to us, Field Marshal Graden¡­ That¡¯s the gist of it.¡± ¡°Interesting, in short, the Lord Chancellor is going to observe without interfering? It will be great if he keeps this stance.¡± Graden said sarcastically with a crooked smile. Dalmes was the second most powerful man in the Empire, but he was still a bureaucrat. He had not led a single soldier before, much less an army. For the leader of the Three Generals and the top dog of the military, Graden didn¡¯t appreciate the Chancellor butting in on war affairs¡ª or at least, that was what Felixus thought. ¡°However, the Azure Knights are ordered to stay put. After all, the Azure Knights could not be moved without the Emperor¡¯s permission anyway.¡± Felixus concluded, and Graden said with a wry smile: ¡°That much is obvious, since the Azure Knights are defending the capital.¡± ¡°My apologies.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, Felixus¡­ But that means the responsibility will rest squarely on my shoulders.¡± Graden stroked his chin, and reached for his tea that was already cold. Felixus also picked up his cup and took a sip. The silence continued for a while before it was broken by Graden: ¡°Felixus, take care of the Crimson Knights before Rosenmary recovers. I don¡¯t think that Seventh Army will invade the Empire, but we must be prepared.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine with that¡­ But are you sure about that? Even if we can¡¯t move the Azure Knights, shouldn¡¯t we despatch a different unit?¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s no need. It¡¯s about time for us to get serious too. The Imperial Army still has the advantage, but we can¡¯t let the Royal Army get cocky now. The defeat of the Crimson Knights has probably spread to all the nations by now.¡± ¡°And our vassal states might plot something¡ª Is that what you are implying, Field Marshal Sir?¡± Felixus stated his speculations, and Graden¡¯s face contorted a little as he said: ¡°You are right. The Swaran Kingdom aside, the Principality of Stonia¡¯s army is still intact. The Sun Knights will have to make a show of force.¡± Graden then gulped down the entire cup. Royal Army Windsam Castle The Seventh Army paid a heavy price, but they defeated the Crimson Knights. Leaving the sweeping of the remnants to 8,000 men including the Autonomous Cavalry Regiment, Paul returned in triumph to Windsam Castle amidst thundering cheers. ¡ªMore than three days have passed after that. A man dressed extravagantly knelt before Paul. ¡°So, what do you have to say for yourself?¡± Paul¡¯s cold voice echoed in the silent Audience Hall. The man¡¯s shoulders jerked when he heard that, and he raised his head. He was the landlord of the Salz territory, and the original lord of Windsam Castle¡ª Count Konrad Windsam. ¡°Please ease your anger, Lord Paul, I¡¯m just exercising my duty as a landlord, and had to submit to the Empire to protect the citizens.¡± ¡°So what you are saying, Count, surrendering isn¡¯t your intent?¡± ¡°It is as you say, Lord Duke. We surrendered our stronghold to the Empire in order to keep the citizens safe. If I have a choice, I won¡¯t be willing to yield the castle of my ancestor Tristan to the enemies.¡± Konrad uses his gift of gab to express the pains and struggles to protect the citizens from the tyranny of the Empire¡ª without realizing that the eyes of the soldiers standing guard at the wall were already filled with contempt and disgust. After the Count finished his sobbing tale, Paul signalled to Otto with a look. Otto nodded, and gave the documents on a table to Konrad. ¡°This is...?¡± Konrad was baffled by the papers shown to him. ¡°This is given to me by the representative of the citizens. Please peruse this, Count.¡± Konrad reacted dramatically¡ª He fanned out the documents crudely, then started reading eagerly. As time went by, the color drained from his face. ¡°Duke Paul¡ª¡± Paul flicked his sleeves to stop Konrad who wanted to make excuses. ¡°Are you done? Count, the people that you claim to be protecting seems to bear a deep grudge towards you. If my eyes aren¡¯t failing me, the reports state that many innocent lives are lost on your orders. Isn¡¯t your statement a bit too different from the testimony of the citizens?¡± ¡°Not at all! The masses are ignorant of the truth! I have no choice but to act on the Empire¡¯s orders on the threat of death¡ª¡± ¡°So you are saying, Count, that you are forced to continuously slaughter the citizens that you should be protecting?¡± Paul asked coldly. At this moment, the creaking of armor came from the soldier at the wall. Konrad moaned in fear, and stammered with a trembling voice: ¡°T-This, isn¡¯t my intention¡­ I-I had no choice¡­¡± In contrast to his earlier smooth talking, Konrad¡¯s voice started to trail off. This was a perfect example of guilt. Paul sighed and raised his hand slowly, which prompted the soldiers to rush in and subdue Konrad with their spears. ¡°Duke Paul!? What is the meaning of this!?¡± ¡°Enough with the act, I can¡¯t spare the time or mercy on you. Choose, hanging or decapitation?¡± ¡°Please reconsider! Aren¡¯t your judgement too hasty!? Like I said, I didn¡¯t submit to the Empire because I like it! Duke Paul, are you saying that I should oppose the Empire to the bitter end and die for nothing!?¡± The agitated Konrad protested desperately. ¡°That¡¯s right, you should become the shield of the citizen and died for them, this is the baseline of a landlord. Wagging your tail at the Empire to save your own hides, and harming the innocent citizens. Words are wasted on scum like you¡ª Throw him into the gallows.¡± ¡°Are you kidding me!? A noble like me dying for mere plebeians? I¡¯m the direct descendent of the hero Tristan Windsam!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, the hero Tristan Windsam must be rolling in his grave by how far his descendants have fallen.¡± ¡°So what!? I¡¯m not the only one! The other landlords all submitted to the might of the Empire! Why am I the only one who gets blamed!?¡± Konrad cried in despair, complaining why he was the only one taking the fall. Otto answered in Paul¡¯s stead, speaking calmly in a monotone: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Count. We have sent out arrest warrants for all the landlords who turned coat, they will accompany you to hell shortly.¡± Konrad tried to resist, but it was futile. After a harsh beating by the soldiers, he was dragged out like a rag. Paul watched him go and muttered to himself: ¡°How deplorable, nobles are supposed to be models for the people¡­ yet there are so many foolish people who think nobles can be tyrants.¡± ¡°Nobility cannot exist without the people. Konrad probably doesn''t understand something as simple as this.¡± ¡°There is no bigger sin than bringing shame to the name of the hero Tristan Windsam.¡± Paul said in anguish, and sighed deeply. Two days after the official announcement of Konrad Windsam¡¯s death sentence¡ª The open plaza in Windsam Castle was filled with mobs, here to witness the open execution of Konrad. Paul wasn¡¯t interested in such a spectacle, and this was only done in response to the strong wishes of the people, and for them to vent their anger. The masses cursed Konrad who was marched up to the execution ground. Konrad was still struggling for his life. Bleeding from his head from a stone thrown at him by the masses, he begged Paul: ¡°Duke Paul! Please show mercy! Mercy mercy mercy mercy¡ª¡± Konrad pleaded for his life like a mad man, with a crazed look in his eyes. Otto ignored all that and informed Paul: ¡°Your Excellency, the preparations are complete.¡± ¡°Good, proceed with the execution!¡± On Paul¡¯s orders, a burly soldier tasked as an executioner walked up to the stage, which creaked under his weight. He then stood at the designated spot and drew his sword. The sharp blade glistened in the sun. The next moment, the agitated masses turned silent, and only the voice of the delirious Konrad echoed in the plaza. The mob looked nervously at the sword that was raised slowly by the soldier with bated breath. After a slight pause, he swung down hard. Konrad¡¯s head fell into a bucket with a thud. The plaza then erupted into cheers. ¡°Otto, take care of the rest.¡± ¡°Yes Sir!¡± Paul glanced at Konrad¡¯s horrified face, and left the execution ground with brisk strides. The cheers continued to echo for a long time. ¢ò After sweeping up the enemy remnants, the Autonomous Cavalry Regiment headed towards Windsam Castle. The soldiers¡¯ faces were in high spirits because of their victory over the Crimson Knights, and they chatted about how they will spend their bonuses and drink their fill. Only one person¡¯s face was gloomy. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± (How many times is that¡­) To Claudia¡¯s right, Olivia whose eyes looked vacant stroked her black horse¡¯s back weakly. The horse was probably worried about its mistress, and neighed a few times to cheer her up. ¡°Thank you, but you don¡¯t have to worry. Comet is such a good child. Here, I will give you something good as a reward.¡± After saying that, Olivia took out a cookie from her bag. (When did she name her horse!? And she wants to feed it a cookie!?) Claudia looked at Olivia was smelling the cookie with a blissful face, and decided to make things clear for the sake of the future. ¡°Major, sorry for being blunt¡­ But this horse¡ª Comet probably doesn''t eat cookies.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true.¡± Olivia refuted that. ¡°¡­ If you really want to feed it, how about giving it potatoes?¡± ¡°But cookies taste much better than potatoes.¡± Olivia complained how unappetizing potatoes were, and put the cookie near Comet¡¯s mouth. Ashton who was riding alongside them looked at Olivia with a strange face, probably feeling the same way as Claudia. ¡ª The horse ate the cookie without any hesitation. (What¡¯s with this dark horse!?) Comet eating the cookie happily made Claudia open her eyes wide in surprise. She wasn¡¯t very knowledgeable about horses, but they would generally sniff their food before deciding to eat them. But Comet didn¡¯t hesitate at all when it ate the cookie. Olivia and the dark horse looked at each other with their dark eyes¡­ Instead of being a warming scene, it felt a little creepy. ¡°No good¡­ I got distracted.¡± Ignoring Comet for now, Claudia went into the main topic, asking Olivia who was fidgeting her reins: ¡°Major, it¡¯s about time you tell me why you are feeling so down. Is it hard for you to tell me?¡± ¡°Not really.¡± Olivia shook her head firmly. ¡°Please tell me then. It¡¯s the responsibility of the deputy to support you, Major.¡± ¡°Alright then¡­ You see, Rosenmary escaped in the end, right? Even though I boasted that I will tear her to pieces¡­¡± Olivia said slowly after a long pause. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Claudia thought back to the scene that day. When Claudia rushed to Olivia¡¯s side, she was holding the blood stained dark sword with one hand, and looking up into the sky melancholically. They had swept up the enemy remnants, but still didn¡¯t find Rosenmary. ¡°So I messed up.¡± Olivia shook her head agitatedly and then held her head troubledly. It might be rude to say this, but Olivia wasn¡¯t making sense. ¡°What do you mean by messed up? The commander Rosenmary might have gotten away, but Major, you injured her badly, right?¡± ¡°But I didn¡¯t kill her.¡± Olivia looked dejected, this was the first time Claudia saw her looking so vexed. She was baffled by why Olivia was so fixated on the fact that she didn¡¯t kill Rosenmary. Ashton seemed intrigued by their conversation, and darted his eyes towards them from time to time. ¡°Even so, we still won the victory, cleaned up the enemy remnants, and recovered our land. There¡¯s no reason for you to be upset, Major...¡± ¡°But what if Brigadier McFishFace stop me from entering the library because I didn¡¯t kill Rosenmary?¡± Claudia was dumbfounded momentarily when Olivia said that, but quickly understood the reason that Olivia was so down. Olivia misunderstood that failing to kill Rosenmary meant she wouldn¡¯t get permission to visit the library. Claudia finally figured out the reason behind her melancholy, suppressed her laughter and consoled Olivia: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Major. Your countless exploits matches that of a fairy tale he¡ª¡± ¡°He?¡± ¡°Ahem! Anyway, I am sure that Brigadier McFishFace will be happy to vouch for you after learning of the Major¡¯s war merits.¡± ¡°Really¡­? Even though I didn¡¯t kill Ms Rosenmary?¡± Olivia looked at Claudia with her dark eyes filled with expectations, as if she was grasping at straws. This was the first time she seemed so meek, like a girl next door. ¡°Really. If Brigadier McFishFace dares shake his head¡ª¡± Neinhart¡¯s discomforting smile flashed across Claudia¡¯s mind. ¡°If he shakes his head?¡± Olivia gulped nervously. ¡°Then I will make him nod, even if I have to force him at knife point.¡± Claudia pound her breast confident, telling Olivia to leave it to her. If he dare reject her, Claudia will make him agree even if she has to give him a headlock. She wouldn¡¯t care about insubordination on this matter. ¡°Really!? Really really!?¡± Olivia who was riding on Comet leaned forth, almost banging her forehead against Claudia¡¯s forehead. It was clear that Olivia couldn¡¯t contain her happiness. ¡°Y-You are too close! Of course I mean it, a knight never goes back on her word. By the way, this will depend on the situation, but we should be able to get some vacation. Why don¡¯t we go back to the capital together?¡± ¡°Yes! I believe you, Claudia! Yay! This is great, Comet!¡± Olivia hugged Comet¡¯s neck with a blissful face and cheered. Comet wagged its tail and neighed happily in reply. Claudia who was watching this scene with a smile noticed Ashton who seemed like he had something to say. ¡°You want to say something, Ashton?¡± ¡°Well¡­ May I tag along? Don¡¯t worry, I know that commoners can¡¯t enter the Royal Library.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind¡­¡± Claudia said and signalled Olivia with her eyes. ¡°Hmm? Of course it¡¯s fine. When we were in Canary town, Ashton promised to treat me to delicious cake in the capital, from the shop that only the gourmets know.¡± Olivia emphasized that she remembered clearly, and showed Ashton an innocent smile. ¡°¡ªT-That¡¯s true. Haha. I have to treat Olivia to cakes known only to true gourmets.¡± Ashton forced a smile, and his eyes started to waver. He seemed to be hiding something. Claudia knew about that too. Cakes were a luxury to commoners, but Ashton was already a Warrant Officer, so he could afford to treat Olivia to some cake. So it was baffling why his face looked so pale. (He¡¯s acting weird¡­ Is he hiding something from us?) As Claudia was getting confused by Ashton¡¯s strange behaviour, a gust of wind blew up a cloud of dust. Claudia looked at the soldiers who were making a fuss over this, and pressed down her fluttering hair. She shifted her gaze to the Esteria mountain range, and found the peaks to be covered in a faint shade of white. ¡°The season is already changing¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, it will only get colder.¡± The way Ashton latched onto what Claudia said to distract them from the earlier topic was hilarious, and Claudia had to stop herself from laughing. ¡°I want to visit the library before the weather turns cold¡ª¡± Olivia said, her eyes already looking far into the distance. Final Chapter: Holy Angel It had been four years since Emperor Ramza of the Arsbelt Empire declared his intention to conquer the continent¡ª As the war intensified, the situation in the Dubedirica continent became more chaotic. In some regions in the west, there would be minor nations engage in battle everyday. However, there was a nation that kept to itself as always. The Holy Nation of Mekia. The Holy Nation of Mekia was a small country that had been ruled by a female monarch since its inception by the founding Holy Angel, and was famous for its large quantities of rare natural resources. At the same time, it was common knowledge amongst pious believers of the Goddess Citresia that the Church of Saint Illuminas was based there. It has a population of about 1 million, and an army of 50,000 known as the ¡°Holy Winged Legion¡±. Holy Capital Elsphere, La Shaim Castle, Hall of Flight ¡°I heard the news about the Crimson Knights¡¯ defeat, is that true?¡± After sitting down regally in the extravagant throne, Sofitia hel Mekia asked her retainer kneeling down before her¡ª Chiliarch Amelia. ¡°It is as you say, Great Saint.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s true¡­ Was their opponent the First Army?¡± Sofitia was familiar with the name of the First Army¡¯s commander, the ever victorious Cornelius Wim Gruening. After all, she just needed to flip through history texts to find his name, and played a prominent part in the last Great War. The floundering Farnesse Kingdom was only hanging on because of Cornelius¡¯ First Army. ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t the First Army.¡± However, contrary to Sofitia¡¯s expectations, Amelia shook her head. ¡°Oh? It¡¯s not?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, according to the report from the ¡®Owl¡¯, the Crimson Knights was defeated by Paul von Balza and his Seventh Army.¡± The ¡°Owl¡± refers to the secret unit responsible for gathering intel. They had a close relationship with the Priests and devotees found in the Churches of Saint Illuminas all over the continent. In terms of information gathering, they far outclassed ¡°Heat Haze¡± of the Empire. ¡°Paul von Balza? Ah, I remember, the famous general known as the Demon God, right? He is said to have easily killed 50 enemy soldiers single handedly.¡± Sofitia said as she recalled the documents she read in the past. Amelia nodded silently with a blank expression in response. ¡°But, don¡¯t you find it baffling? If the Seventh Army is strong enough to defeat the Crimson Knights, then why is the Farnesse Kingdom forced into such a dire situation?¡± Sofitia raised a question of her own. Farnesse Kingdom lost its strategically important Fort Kiel, and its 3rd, 4th and 5th Army had been decimated. With the economic embargo by the Confederation of Sutherland to the south, they even had trouble securing enough supplies. Going by the report, the national power of the Farnesse Kingdom had been weakened by more than half after the war started. If the Seventh Army had been fighting actively from the start, they wouldn¡¯t have fallen into such a terrible state. ¡°From the analysis of the intel we have collated, a girl known as the ¡®Death God¡¯ had been piling up great exploits. She enlisted voluntarily with the Seventh Army last year.¡± Amelia answered Sofitia¡¯s query immediately. ¡°So there¡¯s a Death God behind the Demon God¡­ There sure are a lot of Gods in the Seventh Army, what a busy place.¡± Sofitia smiled sinisterly, which sent a chill down Amelia¡¯s back. The Goddess of Creation, Citresia, was the patron deity of the Holy Nation of Mekia. It might just be nicknames, but using Gods and Demons in their names still felt unpleasant to her. ¡°The Crimson Knights¡¯ commander Lady Berlinetta was heavily injured, and from our investigation, it appears to be the doing of the Death God.¡± ¡°Oh, is that so? That Death God girl is pretty strong then, since she wounded Lady Berlinetta so badly¡­ However, it is a pity that she didn¡¯t die though. Don¡¯t you think so, Amelia?¡± After Sofitia asked that with a refreshing smile, Amelia nodded quietly. ¡°So Amelia thinks so too. It¡¯s regrettable that she¡¯s still alive, but this is still a good opportunity. Let¡¯s make full use of this chance.¡± For the Empire, that ¡°Death God¡± girl was probably a troublesome existence. If the Empire was a huge lifeform, then that girl was like the sudden onset of an illness. It might be trivial in the beginning, but with time, the entire body would be affected. Sofitia felt it would be best for Mekia to leave the Death God alone, and observe from the sidelines. The Death God had blown new life into the floundering Farnesse Kingdom, so it would be a waste to not make full use of that, and let the Farnesse Kingdom put up a grueling fight against the Empire. ¡ªIt wasn¡¯t time yet. Sofitia smiled in her heart. ¡°Amelia, tell me about the Crimson Knights¡¯ current situation.¡± ¡°The Crimson Knights had retreated greatly to northern Kingdom borders, and relocated their base to Fort Astra. Lady Berlinetta had been escorted back to the capital Orsted for treatment.¡± ¡°And the number of troops garrisoned in Fort Astra?¡± ¡°Around 10,000.¡± ¡°I see¡­ This is the Crimson Knights¡¯ first defeat, and Lady Berlinetta is absent, so morale must be low in Fort Astra.¡± Sofitia said as she stood up from the throne and knocked her silver sceptre onto the floor. The clear ringing sound echoed in the Hall of Flight. ¡°Chiliarch Amelia Stolast, In the name of the Holy Angel Sofitia hel Mekia, I command you to lead 3,000 soldiers to ¡®send them our regards¡¯.¡± ¡°As you wish, Great Saint.¡± Sofitia quietly approached Amelia who accepted the decree with her head bowed. She stood before Amelia, and looked closely at her light blue hair. She then gently covered the ¡°Dark Blue Sorcery Circle¡± on the back of Amelia¡¯s left hand with her palms. ¡°There is no need to show any mercy to the Crimson Knights, use your Sorcerer prowess as you please, Amelia. May the Goddess Citresia be with you.¡± Sofitia showed Amelia the gentle smile that the masses called the ¡°Smile of a Goddess¡±. Amelia slowly raised her head, and on her head was a twisted nefarious smile. ¡ª¡ª Oh, what a wonderful person. Volume 3, Prologue: The Bearer of the Azure Cross Sword Volume 3, Prologue: The Bearer of the Azure Cross Sword Translator: Skythewood Editor: Hiiro Arsbelt Empire Imperial Capital Orsted After exiting Listerine Castle, the residence of Emperor Ramza the 13th, and walking south for 15 minutes, one would reach a heavily guarded castle wall and moat. But after crossing the drawbridge, the scenery would change. The residents would be mesmerized by the statues of the gods and the fountain surrounded by the sculpture of six dark lions. Along the pristine stone paved path, many elegant shops and extravagant mansions could be found. This was a special zone where only the grand nobles were permitted to reside in¡ª Nordrhein. In the center of Nordrhein was a manor that was like a rare frost-like flower¡ª with a garden covered in winter roses. The master of this manor known as ¡¶Winter Rose Garden¡·, was one of the Empire¡¯s Tri-General, commander of the top elite Azure Knights¡ªFelixus von Sieger. Lunar Calendar 999, early winter. The Sieger manor was covered by snow that started to fall in the morning, and was glistening in the night. The specks of light from the window dyed the ground red. The moonlight illuminated the snow covered ground with a silvery gleam. Serenity was the theme of this wide and clean world, and the snow flakes falling out of the trees from time to time was a dreamy sight. Inside the manor, in an extravagant dining hall, two people were having dinner. One of them was Felixus, who had a well built body and fine facial features. Whenever he attends a ceremony or party, the daughters of noble houses would be mesmerized by him. He was accompanied by one other person. She was a girl that had a beautiful face like Felixus, but had a smaller stature than him. She was Felixus¡¯ sister, Luna von Sieger, who just turned 14 recently. Felixus asked Luna who was seated opposite him on the dining table: ¡°You seem down. What¡¯s the matter?¡± It had been a while since they ate dinner together, but Luna looked really gloomy. Her meal was still untouched. Luna¡¯s face looked fine, so she wasn¡¯t feeling unwell. Luna¡¯s eyes were dejected, and that was the face she made when something was weighing on her mind. Felixus waited for a while, and Luna who finally made up her mind lifts her head and said: ¡°Dear brother, may I ask a question?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± With that, Felixus slowly placed his cutlery onto his plate, and wiped his mouth carefully with his napkin, getting ready to listen to Luna. ¡°Well¡­ I heard you will be leaving a while for official business, is that true? You haven¡¯t been home much recently too¡­¡± ¡°¡­ It¡¯s true. Did Klau tell you that?¡± Luna nodded gently. Felixus cast his gaze to his diagonal right. One of the servants standing by the wall, the butler Klau Zelenade who had a magnificent white beard, bowed respectfully. Felixus didn¡¯t order this to be kept a secret and was planning to inform Luna after dinner. So he had no intentions of blaming Klau. ¡°How long will you be gone?¡± Luna¡¯s voice was as quiet as a mouse. Felixus smiled wryly in his heart, and gestured Luna to his side. He gently stroke her silky black hair and said: ¡°The job this time is more troublesome, so I will be away for at least 2 months.¡± Before Felixus even finished, Luna exclaimed ¡°Two months!?¡± She then held her breath, and her asymmetrical colored azure and jade eyes started tearing up. She clenched the hem of her skirt tightly, as if she was holding something in. After their parents succumbed to illness, Felixus who inherited the Sieger house at just 14 put everything he had into caring for Luna who was just 7. Luna was a sensible child, and understood the difficulties of her brother, and was seldom wilful. And Felixus had a soft spot for her because of that. No matter how powerful his foe was, Felixus showed no fear, but he would yield immediately to his sister¡¯s tears. Felixus felt embarrassed about that, and Rosenmarie would laugh at him if she learned about it. (But even so, she is my one and only sister in this world.) Felixus wiped away the crystal like tears with his hand, and gently took Luna¡¯s delicate hands. ¡°Luna, it¡¯s been a while since we last went out together. Why don¡¯t we do that tomorrow?¡± ¡°Go, out¡­?¡± Luna asked with a trembling voice. Felixus nodded firmly. ¡°That¡¯s right. Let¡¯s see¡­ this is the right season for a stroll by Esuna lake.¡± The destination was in a forest to the west of the Capital Orsted, a scenic place where the colors of the water would change with the seasons. It was a clear blue in spring. A fiery red in summer. Deep green in autumn. And in winter, it would turn a dark shade of blue, renowned to be the most beautiful of all the seasons. Luna smiled, probably thinking about the beautiful sights of Esuna lake. But she pursed her pink lips the next moment. ¡°Is it not to your liking?¡± Felixus asked, and Luna shook her head and refuted: ¡°Not at all! I¡¯m very, very happy¡­ But¡­ will your work be fine?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mind me, it¡¯s just one day, it will be alright.¡± Felixus patted his chest to indicate it was fine, but to be honest, now wasn¡¯t the time for him to relax at Esuna lake. Rosenmarie was out of commission, and Field Marshal Graden tasked him with command of the Crimson Knights. Felixus needed to set off the day after tomorrow to the Crimson Knights¡¯ base in Fort Astra, and has loads of things to do. Fortunately, he had an outstanding adjutant, Second Lieutenant Theresa, to assist him. Felixus felt guilty about pushing all his work onto her, but she would definitely finish all of it perfectly. ¡°Really?¡± In response to Luna¡¯s dubious eyes, Felixus left his chair and knelt down, placed his right hand respectfully onto his left chest, and said in an exaggerated tone: ¡°Deceiving Princess Luna is a crime punishable by death. It is only fair for you to be unhappy with your brother¡¯s lack of attention towards you. Can I have the honor of escorting you out for a stroll?¡± ¡°Really now, Dear Brother¡­¡± Luna¡¯s gloom was wiped from her face, and Felixus smiled at the sight of that. ¡ª After finishing their dinner... ¡°I will retire to my room now. Marina, please prepare two lunch boxes for tomorrow.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Lady Luna, I will get it done.¡± Another servant of the Sieger house, Maria Kastra answered respectfully with her head bowed. ¡°Oh, I need to choose my clothes for tomorrow.¡± ¡°Luna, I know you are happy, but don¡¯t stay up too late.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Luna bowed gently, then left the dining hall with brisk steps. Her face was like a rainbow after the rain, as if her tears from earlier was an illusion. After Luna¡¯s footsteps grew distant, Felixus sighed and headed to the drawing room next door, and sat heavily into the couch by the fireplace. ¡°Thank you for your hard work, Master.¡± Klau said as he laid a teacup onto the table. Felixus answered with an awkward smile: ¡°Am I spoiling her a little?¡± ¡°You are spoiling her plenty. Like feeding her Peach wine made from honey.¡± This reminded Felixus about the time when Peach wine was trending in the capital. When he asked Klau to procure some, Klau rejected him, saying ¡°that thing isn¡¯t suited for your palette.¡± ¡°Hmm. So I¡¯m spoiling her too much. You are very forthright on this.¡± ¡°Yes, but this is also your strong point. Tomorrow will be a memorable day for Lady Luna.¡± Klau shrugged with a confident face. Of all the servants in the Sieger house, Klau was the only one who could offer advice to him directly without reservation. The Imperial system in Arsbelt has an unsurpassable difference in social standings. In the 8th century of the Lunar Calendar, the legal statute known as the ¡®Carteana System¡¯ was passed in the Arsbelt Empire, establishing a nation that divides its people between aristocrats and commoners, where the line was set more prominent than any other nation. By the time of Ramza¡¯s reign, the difference in clothing and food had been eased for the two social classes, but their residential zones were still strictly divided. On top of that, Felixus and Klau had the added layer of being master and servant, so if anyone overhears them, Klau would get punished for nothing. However, Felixus was happy with this relationship. Klau had served the Sieger house for three generations, and was still working well into his 60s. For Felixus who inherited the household at a young age, Klau was a godsend that guided him onto the right path in place of his parents. Felixus only felt gratitude towards Klau, and would never hold any grudge. ¡°A memorable day, huh¡­ but instead of me, won¡¯t she prefer going out with her beau?¡± Felixus took a sip of his steaming Housen tea and muttered. Klau shook his head in response. ¡°Hmm...? I don¡¯t think it¡¯s possible, but could it be that she doesn''t have a significant other?¡± He couldn¡¯t speak for himself, but Felixus thinks that a 14 years old girl should be curious about love. Luna might be sensible and well mannered, but she shouldn¡¯t be an exception. ¡°There is no need to even speculate. Even asking is a waste of time.¡± Klau answered as if this was obvious, and Felixus felt displeased. Even putting aside his biases as a brother, Luna was a beauty, and raised as a true maiden of nobility. Felixus couldn¡¯t accept Klau¡¯s firm dismissal. ¡°Are you saying that Luna lacks feminine charms?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Klau smiled wryly. ¡°Then what¡¯s the reason?¡± Felixus was getting a little impatient, and Klau answered with a soft sigh: ¡°I will be blunt then. Master, it is your fault that Lady Luna had not found any man she fancies.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my fault?¡± Felixus didn¡¯t expect that at all, and repeated the question. Klau¡¯s answer was exactly the same. What did I do wrong? Seeing how baffled Felixus was, Klau sighed resignedly. ¡°Don¡¯t you understand? You might be her brother, but with someone like master beside her, other men will just look like stones on the roadside. She won¡¯t even consider them.¡± Klau added ¡°Master, you are really a sinful man.¡± then rubbed the corner of his eye. By the way, he didn¡¯t shed a single tear. As for Felixus, Klau¡¯s words came as a shock, and he was dumbfounded. ¡°It can¡¯t be that bad.¡± In the ¡¾Imperial Gem Moon Academy¡¿ that Luna was attending, Luna was the top choice for most of the grand nobles scions. That doesn¡¯t mean all of her schoolmates were outstanding talents, but there were definitely some who would become a pillar of the Empire in the future. Many of the important positions in the Imperial Army were filled by graduates from the Imperial Gem Moon Academy. There must be a young man who can win the heart of Luna. Felixus argued vigorously, but Klau only smiled wryly. Deciding to end the discussion, He leaned his aged face close and said: ¡°Master, your only, and greatest fault, is your lack of awareness of your charm. No matter what you say, this is an irrefutable fact.¡± Felixus tensed his face from the pressure, and nodded. Klau then straightened his posture with satisfaction. ¡°Pardon me. I¡¯m too old to be agitated like this.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I will leave the manor and household affairs to you.¡± The conversation was heading in a strange direction, so Felixus changed the topic. ¡°Understood. Leave Lady Luna and the other matters to me¡ª But this is really a surprise. After the defeat of the army in the south, the Crimson Knights are defeated this time.¡± The peaceful air was gone, and Klau¡¯s face was serious. ¡°There had never been an undefeated army in the history of mankind. But this is really a surprise though.¡± Despite what he said Felixus thought to himself: ¡°Is it such a surprise for the Seventh Army that have the Death God Olivia on their side to win?¡± ¡°You are right, Master¡­ However, will the Farnesse Kingdom ride on this momentum and invade our lands?¡± ¡°The chance of that happening is very low, but there is always a possibility. That¡¯s why I¡¯m rushing to Fort Astra.¡± If the Royal army wished to invade the Empire, they had two feasible options. One was to pass through the central region of the Kingdom and turn north. The route wasn¡¯t suitable for long marches, since they had to scale mountains and cross rivers. And Fort Kiel garrisoned by Graden and his Sun Knights stood menacingly in the central region, effectively making passage impossible. So the Royal Army could only take the second option. Striking the northern Fort Astra that lies at the borders of these two nations. However, reports from their agents state that the Seventh Army suffered significant losses in the previous battle. Their morale might be high after defeating the Crimson Knights, but that wouldn¡¯t be enough to field an army. They need to administrate the recovered territories and handle the aftermath of the battle too. Felixus estimated that the Royal Kingdom would need three months to invade Fort Astra, or at best two months if they rushed. (If the Seventh Army attacks Fort Astra, the Death God Olivia will definitely be there. Will I be able to fend her off?) At this moment, fluffy flakes of snow started falling again. Felixus thought about the delicate face of that girl as he watched the shimmering light in the fireplace. Chapter 1: Chaos in Fort Astra! ¢ñ Farnesse Kingdom, Royal Capital Fizz The snow covered Royal Capital Fizz was bustling with life because of the first festival held here in years. In the plaza where the statue of the founding Emperor of the Farnesse Kingdom Julius Zu Farnesse stood at the center, a dancer was dancing to the rhythm of flutes and drums. Her flimsy clothes that showed off her skin from time to time earned the cheers of the men watching from below the stage. This was a traditional dance with a long history in the Kingdom, Ritual Dance of the Lion. ¡°Hear ye hear ye! Don¡¯t just look at the dance, check out my wares too! The Royal Capital¡¯s famous Grilled Lion Balls! Buy five get two free!¡± A man with a bandana held skewers of grilled omelettes high up as he promoted his stall loudly. ¡°Get your Pleiades Lion bangles here! Stocks are limited, get yours now!¡± A woman raised her right hand high, marketing the wares she was wearing. The plaza was full of stalls, and the owners shouted loudly to draw customers in. The St. Germu plaza was so lively because of the Seventh Army''s consecutive victories in the south and the north. Bards had already spun the exploits of the Seventh Army into popular songs, and sang them heartily. However, the threat of the Empire still hung over them, and the war was going badly for the Second Army in the Central War Theatre. The people ignored the harsh realities for a time, and let loose in the brief celebration of victory¡ª ¡°¡­ We need to hurry, Second Lieutenant Katherina.¡± ¡°Yes Sir!¡± The First Army¡¯s adjutant, Brigadier General Neinhart made his way through the crowd, while his aide, Second Lieutenant Katherina Reiners followed hastily. They ran into this festival on their way back to the city. ¡°They really held the festival. This is as big as the Lion King Festival.¡± The Lion King Festival was held annually in the Royal Capital Fizz before the start of the war. However, it had been cancelled after the war situation grew bleak. Katherina seemed to be intrigued by the events in the plaza, and darted her eyes that way from time to time. The crowd was getting hyped up, and more people started to join the dance. ¡°¡ª How about dancing together?¡± ¡°Ehh!? W-What do you mean?¡± Katherina was shocked when she heard that, and she blushed a little. She brushed her shoulder length hair and muttered ¡°What should I do~¡± Neinhart was puzzled by this, and said: ¡°What else can I mean? You want to dance together with that girl there, right? She is a famous dancer in the capital, so I can understand. Don¡¯t worry, we still have time.¡± Katherina puffed her cheeks before Neinhart even finished. ¡°Ah~ I get it, I get it. It¡¯s my fault for expecting anything at all. I¡¯m so stupid. I don¡¯t want to dance, let¡¯s hurry to the castle.¡± ¡°Are you sure? If you are worried about work¡ª¡± ¡°No need!!¡± Katherina yelled loudly, then ran off, leaving Neinhart behind. The girls who heard their conversation started whispering. And for some reason, they looked at Katherina with sympathetic eyes. ¡°¡­ Does she want to shop the stalls instead?¡± Neinhart mumbled and ran after her, but Katherina was long gone. Leticia Castle, Neinhart¡¯s Office (Sigh. His Excellency is so dense¡­) Once she reached the office, Katherina opened the windows angrily. When she saw the mirror on a table, Katherina smiled at it. (Hmm~ I think I look fine. Is my hairstyle too dull?) Katherina bundled up her hair and imagined. At this moment, an icy breeze brushed against her nape. Katherina shivered, and closed the windows she just opened. ¡°Phew¡­ That should be enough for ventilation.¡± Katherina made excuses that she wasn¡¯t cutting corners, and huddled by the fireplace. She took out a firestarter from a can, and lit the fire in a hurry. After warming herself up there for a while, she heard the door open behind her. ¡°¡­ You are slow.¡± ¡°No, you are just too fast.¡± Neinhart answered without thinking, and took off his coat quickly, hanging it on the couch. He then sat by his desk, and started browsing his piles of documents. He had already forgotten about that incident at St. Germu. (His Excellency probably doesn''t even know why I was mad.) Katherina sighed in her heart, and shifted Neinhart¡¯s coat to the appropriate place, and sat by her own desk. She started tidying her documents like Neinhart. Silence hung over the office¡ª ¡°Hmm?¡± Katherina¡¯s startled voice attracted Neinhart¡¯s attention. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Katherina didn¡¯t answer directly, and handed him a document instead. The intrigued Neinhart browsed through it. ¡°A request for an audience? ¡ª So First Lieutenant Claudia and Major Olivia are in the Capital¡­¡± ¡°Probably. Why are they looking for you?¡± Katherina was familiar with the name Claudia Jung. A graduate from the 275th class of the Royal Military Academy, she was Neinhart¡¯s cousin, and the heir to the Jung house that produced plenty of knights. Claudia was a knight and was said to be a beauty. The other person was the new elite feared by the Imperial Army as a Death God, Olivia Valedstorm. Katherina was surprised that these two who were famous for various reasons were seeking an audience. ¡°Who knows. Then today¡ª¡± ¡°Your Excellency¡¯s schedule for today is so full that I can¡¯t even squeeze a pussy cat in.¡± ¡°¡­ Pussy?¡± ¡°I misspoke. I can¡¯t even squeeze an ant in.¡± Katherina said preemptively with a smile. ¡°¡­ Can¡¯t you reschedule something?¡± ¡°Impossible.¡± ¡°Making it possible is the job of the aide¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s impossible.¡± Katherina turned him down mercilessly. She was getting revenge for what happened at St. Germu plaza. After Neinhart got promoted to Brigadier because of his contribution in the Battle of Iris, he got even busier. So it wasn¡¯t a surprise for his schedule to be full. ¡°¡­ They came all this way to meet me, so it must be important. I hope you can help me make the arrangements, Second Lieutenant Katherina.¡± Katherina knew very well that Neinhart was incredibly stubborn when he adopted that tone. She had learned that after working as an aide for so long. ¡°Sigh¡­ I understand. I can postpone your 2pm inspection of the Kingdom¡¯s southern zone to tomorrow. Will you be fine if I slot in the audience into that freed slot?¡± ¡°That will do. Sorry for always troubling you, Second Lieutenant Katherina.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, I will make the arrangements.¡± Neinhart acknowledged her, and started sorting out his paperwork again. Katherina took out a notebook to amend the schedules, and peeked his way. (Really now, he always smiles at me so gently at times like this. How sly.) Despite her complaints, Katherina felt a warmth in her heart as she turned the door knob. ¡ª Three hours later. ¡°Your Excellency, it¡¯s almost time¡ª¡± Before Katherina even finished, there was a lighthearted knock on the door. Neinhart gave permission to enter, and Olivia who had a large crate in her arms appeared. The Death God girl who was the bane of the Empire had such an outstanding face, that Katherina was dumbfounded. Neinhart had the same reaction when he first met Olivia, and felt a sense of camaraderie towards his aide. Claudia who was behind Olivia had a straight face like usual. Olivia greeted him cheerfully, and placed her crate on the desk. ¡°¡­ This is...?¡± Neinhart alternated his gaze between the crate and Olivia as he asked. ¡°Report¡ª this is a gift for Brigadier General Neinhart!¡± Olivia then smiled brilliantly. Neinhart frowned at that. With how unstable the Kingdom was, there were plenty of people who offered him bribes under the guise of gifts. From merchants to nobles, they came in all varieties. After his promotion to Brigadier, the frequency increased further, which irritated Neinhart to no ends. But Neinhart knew very well that Olivia didn¡¯t harbor such ambitions. From what he remembered, Olivia was only interested in food. Given what he knew, Neinhart was curious about what this gift might be. ¡°Can I open it?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Olivia seemed eager for him to open it, so Neinhart removed the cover. And... ¡°Fish¡­?¡± He saw many glistening grey fish inside. On a closer look, they were a type of river fish called Sarau. From the clearness of their eyes, they were freshly caught. Neinhart was surprised by this unexpected gift. ¡°I worked hard to catch them all!¡± Olivia puffed out her chest proudly. An awkward air hung over the office. Katherina coughed quietly, and Neinhart snapped out of his daze and said: ¡°Major Olivia, are you a master baiter?¡± Neinhart immediately regretted asking that. He didn¡¯t want to know the answer at all. To calm himself down, Neinhart took a sip of tea. ¡°I¡¯m just your average baiter. My fishing skills are self taught.¡± ¡°I-I see.¡± ¡°Brigadier General Neinhart, you love fish, right?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t dislike them.¡± Given a choice between fish and meat, he would prefer fish. Winter was the right season for the Sarau river fish that Olivia brought. Their flesh would taste the best during this time, and just grilling would be enough to make them a delicacy. However¡ª (I don¡¯t remember telling Major Olivia that I like fish¡­) He didn¡¯t say anything when they first met in Fort Gallia¡¯s commander¡¯s office, and he didn¡¯t bring up such a subject when he visited her to offer his thanks for avenging Major General Florenz. They met a few times in Castle Kasper, but he didn¡¯t remember anything related to that. (Could it be¡­ Claudia told her?) Their relationship was distant now, but since their age was similar, they were quite close when they were young. The image of Claudia following him with a wooden sword was still fresh on his mind. It wouldn¡¯t be a surprise if Claudia knew what food he liked. At this moment, Neinhart looked to the left, and saw Claudia hanging her head with her shoulders trembling slightly. ¡°First Lieutenant Claudia.¡± ¡°¡ªWhat?¡± Claudia raised her head and answered with a serious face as before. ¡°Did you tell Major Olivia about this?¡± ¡°¡­ You must be misunderstanding something. I have no idea what your favourite food is, Neinhart-nii. This is a sincere gift from Major Olivia, I hope you will enjoy it.¡± Claudia then lowered her head with quivering shoulders again. Not wanting to drag this on any further, he decided to set the matter about the gift aside for now. ¡°By the way, what¡¯s with the sudden visit?¡± ¡°Major Olivia is the one looking for you, I¡¯m just accompanying her. She needs your help with something, Neinhart-nii.¡± ¡°My help?¡± He looked at Olivia, and she suddenly leaned forth with her eyes wide open. Her movements were so sudden that Katherina almost fell over. ¡°I want to go into the library! Can I?¡± ¡°¡ªHah? Library?¡± Olivia¡¯s words confounded Neinhart, and Katherina whispered to him: ¡°Maybe she wants you to vouch for her?¡± Neinhart knew that, he just didn¡¯t understand why Olivia wanted to visit the library. After he asked for further explanations, Claudia started explaining on behalf of Olivia who didn¡¯t state the main points¡ª ¡°¡ª I see¡­ I get it now. I won¡¯t ask why you are so obsessed with the family name you inherited. I will contact the Royal Library shortly.¡± Neinhart gave Katherina a look. She got his message, and left the office. ¡°You mean I can visit the library now?¡ª Ah, no, do I have permission to make use of the library¡¯s facilities now?¡± It was rare to see Olivia this nervous. ¡°Yes you may.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Really. Like I said before, Major Olivia did a favor for me by avenging my dear friend Major General Florenz. I have always wanted to repay you, and this will be a good chance. Considering your merits on the battlefield, this is just a trivial matter.¡± Entering the library would normally require a lot of paperwork, but the Seventh Army¡¯s victory bypassed these processes. Furthermore, Olivia was the key figure who won them this victory. Neinhart would not hesitate to exercise his authority on this matter. ¡°Thanks! ¡ªAh, no, thank you very much!! Thank you too, Claudia!¡± The beaming Olivia hugged Claudia¡¯s arm. Claudia smiled awkwardly and muttered: ¡°Looks like I don¡¯t have to headlock Neinhart-nii.¡± Volume 3, 1 Volume 3, Chapter 1 Translator: Skythewood Editor: Hiiro ¢ò Holy Nation of Mekia, Holy Capital Elsphere, La Shaim Castle Holy Capital Elsphere was surrounded by double city walls. There was a main tower in the center, and 8 watch towers around it. The jade colored roofs, pure white walls and tidy streets could be seen clearly from there. This was La Shaim castle. Not only was the scenery great, La Shaim was erected into an impregnable stronghold with no regards to its cost, by importing augite, the hardest and toughest stone in the world. This was funded by Mekia¡¯s bountiful reserves of rare minerals. In a corner of the place known to the citizens as the impregnable castle, there was a courtyard filled with flowers and the statue of the Goddess Citresia right in the center. The statue was made with a rare ore called ¡®Blue Quartz¡¯. (I was wondering why I couldn¡¯t find her, so she was here¡­) Lara Mira Crystal found her target beside a delicate round table the moment she entered the courtyard. As the butterflies fluttered amongst the flowers, that person was sipping tea gracefully. Lara sighed and walked to the round table. ¡°Lady Holy Angel.¡± ¡°Hmm? So you found me.¡± The ruler of the Holy Nation of Mekia, Sofitia hel Mekia, shrugged like a kid who got caught in the middle of her prank. ¡°Why do you sound like it¡¯s a shame I found you? And you don¡¯t have any guards with you. What if something happens? Please be more aware of your position?¡± Lara glared at the attendants nearby as she said that. They couldn¡¯t hide the wavering in their hearts, and lowered their heads. Some were even quivering in fear. After all, Lara could take their lives on a whim. ¡°Don¡¯t be so harsh on them, I¡¯m the one who insisted.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°Enough about that. The weather is pleasing today, why don¡¯t you have some tea?¡± Sofitia gestured with the teacup in her hand and smiled faintly. A breeze fluttered her long lustrous light purple hair. ¡°Thank you for your kind offer, I will gladly take up on it then.¡± It was impudent to sit together with the Holy Angel, but Sofitia detest unnecessary etiquettes. Lara didn¡¯t protest, and sat in a chair that a fearful attendant prepared for her. Another attendant timidly poured tea for her. The refreshing fragrance of the tea rose with the steam and into Lara¡¯s nose. In the meantime, Sofitia ordered an attendant to prepare another portion of snacks. ¡°¡ªWhat brings you here? You seem to be in an ill mood.¡± Sofitia faced Lara and asked in a playful mood. ¡°Pardon my impudence, but may I ask why you dispatch Amelia for this task? Lady Berlietta might be absent, but she would still be facing the Crimson Knights. In my humble opinion, she¡¯s not a suitable choice.¡± Amelia was promoted to Chiliarch fairly recently. She was capable, but definitely lacked experience. If anything untowards happens, she might not be able to react appropriately. So Lara felt she would be the best candidate for this task. ¡°¡ª I understand what you are saying¡­ But aren¡¯t you underestimating the capabilities of your subordinates?¡± ¡°Underestimating them? Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes. You are judging them by using yourself as the standard, right?¡± Sofitia gently put down her teacup and looked at Lara with a stern gaze. Lara was taken aback for a moment, but still reflected on Sofitia¡¯s words. Lara wasn¡¯t confident enough to reject this assertion right away. Sofitia was right, Lara always compares her subordinates to herself, and felt disappointed by their ineptitude. ¡°It is as you say, Holy Angel.¡± Lara admitted, and Sofitia smiled in response. ¡°Amelia isn¡¯t as formidable as you. She is young, and is still immature in many areas. However, I¡¯m not worried about her at all. If not, I wouldn¡¯t have promoted her to Chiliarch in the first place.¡± In ascending order, the military ranks of the Holy Nation of Mekia were ¡¶Sentinel¡·, ¡¶Decanus¡·, ¡¶Senior Decanus¡·, ¡¶Centurion¡·, ¡¶Senior Centurion¡·, ¡¶Chiliarch¡·, ¡¶Senior Chiliarch¡· and ¡¶Holy Legate¡·. Normally, when a commoner graduates from the only Military Academy in the Holy Nation of Mekia, St. Endumion, they would be given the rank of Decanus, while nobles would be appointed as Centurions. However, things were different when they reached the rank of Chiliarch. Aside from outstanding capabilities, the ability to cast magic was a mandatory requirement. In other words, ¡¶Chiliarchs¡·, ¡¶Senior Chiliarchs¡· and the ¡¶Holy Legate¡· were all Sorcerers. But those with an innate talent for Sorcery were rare. And most of them would die young from their sorcery prowess going out of control. The Pope of the main Church of Saint Illuminas, Krishna Halbert, also lamented the drop in suitable candidates for the past decade. Because of all these reasons, Sorcerers were like trump cards for the Holy Nation of Mekia. ¡°¡­ I understand. I¡¯m also a Holy Legate, and won¡¯t have any objections about the will of the Holy Angel.¡± Lara got up from her seat, and knelt before Sofitia. ¡°I understand your concerns, but this mission is to weaken the Crimson Knights, not seize their territories. In that sense, Amelia is well suited for that task. Furthermore¡ª¡± Sofitia stopped mid sentence, and silence hung over the courtyard. Lara raised her head slowly, and saw Sofitia smiling coldly. Lara¡¯s throat felt parched, and she gulped before asking tensely: ¡°Furthermore?¡± ¡°Fufu. Furthermore, her smile is the most beautiful on the battlefield.¡± Imperial Army, Fort Astra Main Gate In the wee hours of the night, two soldiers stood sentry at the main gates of Fort Astra. One of the sentries, Derek curled himself with his legs trembling couldn¡¯t take it anymore, and complained: ¡°Hey, is the next shift here yet? If they don¡¯t come, I will freeze to death.¡± The middle aged soldier beside him, Kyle, clamped his spear under his armpit, and glanced at Derek before answering: ¡°Given the damn weather, they are probably hiding by the fireplace.¡± ¡°Tch! That¡¯s very possible.¡± Derek clicked his tongue and looked inside the gates. He then clicked his tongue grudgingly again. They were assigned as night sentries because of their outstanding skills in the Crimson Knights, even so¡ª ¡°Hmm? ¡ªHey, there¡¯s movement, and it¡¯s heading our way.¡± Derek who sounded tense quickly scanned the area. Aside from having outstanding skills, his keen hearing was another reason why he was selected for night sentry. Kyle braced his spear and looked ahead warily. A while later, someone in a white cloak appeared before them with quiet footsteps. ¡°¡ªWoman? Oh~ it¡¯s a woman.¡± ¡ªDerek sounded much more relaxed. ¡°Don¡¯t let your guard down even if she¡¯s a woman.¡± Fort Astra was built to defend against attacks from the Farnesse Kingdom, and the surroundings were barren. In other words, it was unnatural for anyone aside from their allies to show up. Kyle stared at the woman that appeared and observed the surroundings, but didn¡¯t sense anyone else. ¡°You there! What are you doing here, woman?¡± The woman didn¡¯t react to Derek¡¯s question, and approached slowly like a phantom. ¡°Hey, halt!¡± Kyle yelled. They had orders from Colonel Gaier to not let anyone near the gates, not even children. ¡°This is your last warning. If you take another step closer¡ª¡± Derek stepped forward quickly and drew his sword. It was clear from his face that this was a threat. But even so, the woman didn¡¯t stop. ¡°¡­ You have guts.¡± A murderous gleam appeared in Derek¡¯s eyes, and he lifts his blade in preparation to strike. How about, a few steps out of sword range, the woman suddenly fell over. ¡°¡­ She fell?¡± ¡°Looks like it¡­¡± They looked at each other and walked forth together. As Kyle checked on the woman, Derek leaned forward and asked: ¡°Is she dead?¡± ¡°No, she¡¯s still breathing. She just lost consciousness.¡± ¡°Tch! So she didn¡¯t hear what we said.¡± The flustered Derek sheathed his sword and kicked a rock with his feet. The sound of the rock rolling echoed in the night. ¡°Forget that, look at the woman¡¯s cloak.¡± At a glance, this was just a run of the mill cloak, but on closer inspection, not only was the cloak of excellent quality, there was intrinsic embroidery on it from the collar to the shoulders. ¡°This silver wings emblem¡­ She¡¯s a devotee of the Church of Saint Illuminas?¡± Derek looked tense, and Kyle was the same. ¡°That should be it. And she¡¯s of high standing too.¡± ¡°I think so too. So, what do we do?¡± ¡°Even if you ask me, I don¡¯t know¡­¡± If she was just a normal devotee, there would be no problem with dumping her out in the wild. But the problem was, she was of high standings. The influence of the Church of Saint Illuminas was wide. If they ignored her, she would freeze to death. If the Church finds out about this, it would get messy. As Kyle was thinking about reporting this up the chain of command, the woman moaned and turned her body to face down. Her white thighs were fully exposed, and Derek gulped from that lewd sight. ¡°Hey¡­ Don¡¯t even think about it. She¡¯s way out of your league.¡± On a closer look, the woman looked gorgeous. Derek was known for being lecherous, so Kyle warned him in advance. ¡°Y-You don¡¯t have to tell me that.¡± Despite saying that, Kyle¡¯s gaze towards the exposed thighs were incredibly perverted. The girl seemed to be waking up, and she tried to stand up while swaying her head. Her cloak fell off and her long light blue hair turned loose. ¡°Hey! Are you alright?¡± Seeing the girl almost fall again, Kyle quickly supported her. After blinking a few times, the girl sighed in relief. Understanding what was happening, she said timidly: ¡°I-I¡¯m very sorry for troubling you.¡± ¡°No, not really¡­ but what are you doing here?¡± Kyle asked. The girl was apparently attacked by bandits during her pilgrimage. Her companions were killed one by one, and she escaped here after a desperate struggle. As she recounted her tale, the girl started to tremble again, probably from the fear welling up in her heart. ¡°How terrible.¡± ¡°You are right¡­ By the way, did anyone escape here?¡± Kyle shook his head in response to the girl¡¯s sincere gaze. He couldn¡¯t say it as this was too blunt, but going on a pilgrimage in the middle of the night was insane. They would be an exquisite meal for the bandits. He was dumbfounded by this, and couldn¡¯t sympathize with her at all. ¡°No one else came.¡± Kyle answered coldly. Refusing to accept this, the girl asked again: ¡°Am I really the only one?¡± ¡°Yes. Unfortunately, you are the only one who made it.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± The girl looked crestfallen when she heard that, and pressed her face onto Kyle¡¯s chest. When he caught a whiff of her fragrance, Kyle had to suppress his worldly urges. (How torturing¡­) Kyle told himself to stay calm, while Derek complained: ¡°I should have given her a shoulder if I knew.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the bandits won¡¯t pursue you here. If they dare lay their hands on the Crimson Knights, they will have hell to pay.¡± Kyle laughed sinisterly after saying that. ¡°So you are from the Crimson Knights¡­ I escaped here in my stupor, it seems like luck is with me.¡± The girl looked at Kyle with passionate eyes, and Kyle¡¯s ears turned red. ¡°T-That¡¯s right. I can¡¯t let you in, but do have some water to calm down.¡± Kyle offered her the canteen hanging on his waist. The girl thanked him, and drank from the canteen. ¡°¡ªHow is it? Do you feel better?¡± ¡°Yes, thanks to you.¡± The girl answered with a smile. ¡°Good¡­ By the way, we haven¡¯t introduced ourselves yet. I¡¯m Kyle. The creepy guy there is Derek.¡± ¡°Introductions are fine, but what do you mean by creepy!?¡± Derek grunted unhappily. The girl then left Kyle¡¯s chest, got up slowly, and bowed formally: ¡°I¡¯m saved by you two gentlemen in my hour of need. Sorry for my late introduction. I¡¯m Amelia. How do I put this¡­ Please allow me to return the favor.¡± ¡°No no, we didn¡¯t do any¡ª¡± ¡°Please look here.¡± Amelia cut Kyle off, and reached her hand out, as if she was holding some water in her palm. Their attention was drawn in, and a blue flame suddenly appeared in Amelia¡¯s hand. ¡°W-What¡¯s going on!?¡± ¡°A-Are you a Sorcerer!?¡± The two of them were shocked, and Amelia soothed them with a gentle voice: ¡°It¡¯s fine, please calm down.¡± ¡°How can we stay calm!¡± ¡°Just look at this flame¡­ That¡¯s right¡­ carefully¡­ observe it.¡± Amelia''s hypnotising voice quickly seized control of their bodies. Kyle¡¯s mind turned cloudy, and Derek was drooling with a blank face. ¡°Isn¡¯t this fire beautiful?¡± ¡°Ohh¡­ Yes¡­¡± ¡°This fire¡­ so beautiful¡­¡± The howl of a beast from the distance pierced through the dark night. And Amelia¡¯s smile was like the crescent moon hanging high in the night sky¡ª ¢ó Fort Astra, Colonel Gaier¡¯s office ¡°Colonel, you should have a rest. I don¡¯t mean to preach, but you are overexerting yourself.¡± Gaier returned his empty cup back to the saucer, and found his aide Vim looking at him with concern. Gaier glanced at the clock, and realized it was late into the night. Gaier put down his pen and sighed deeply. ¡°That won¡¯t do. It might be temporary, but I¡¯m still the Acting Commander. When Her Grace returns, I don¡¯t want her to yell at me for leaving things in a mess.¡± Gaier said with a self-deprecating laugh. Vim shook his head in disagreement: ¡°Pardon me for being blunt, but Lady Rosenmarie would never say that. Colonel, if you collapse from exhaustion, I won¡¯t be able to face Lady Rosenmarie. Please take better care of yourself.¡± Vim bowed deeply with that. Their conversation didn¡¯t converge, like two parallel lines. Gaier was grateful for his subordinate¡¯s concern, and stood up slowly. ¡°¡­ I understand. Then I will take a short break.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t make it short, and have a good rest.¡± Vim pushed open the door, and saluted in an overt attempt to chase Gaier out. Gaier smiled awkwardly in his heart and headed to his room. ¡°¡ª It¡¯s noisy.¡± Recurring footsteps in the corridor woke Gaier who had just slept. He looked out the windows, and saw that it was almost dawn. The troops wouldn¡¯t be so rowdy at this time for no reason. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Gaier jumped out of his bed and got dressed swiftly. Right after that, one of his guards barged in in a panic. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I-It¡¯s a surprise attack!¡± Gaier frowned at that. He suspected the Seventh Army might pursue the Crimson Knights to build on their victory, and gave strict orders to the gate guards. But they were still caught off guard with a surprise attack, and that enraged him. ¡°Is the enemy the Seventh Army?¡± Gaier suppressed his rage and asked calmly. But the agitated guard gave an unexpected response. ¡°Not the Seventh Army! The enemy is from another nation!¡± ¡°Another nation¡­!?¡± Gaier¡¯s face contorted at this news. The continent unification war had raged on for four years. And now, there wasn¡¯t any nation that would dare defy the Empire, and it was only a matter of time before the Empire ruled the entire continent. Despite these facts, the guards said that Fort Astra was attacked by an army of unknown affiliation. In that instant, the Confederation of Sutherland which controls the south flashed across Gaier¡¯s mind, but given the secret alliance it had with the Empire, the possibility was slim. (No matter what, the trigger for this is the defeat of the Crimson Knights¡­) When that occurred to him, Gaier¡¯s felt that his shoulders were as heavy as lead. ¡°How¡¯s the situation?¡± ¡°W-Well¡­ That¡¯s¡­¡± The eyes of the guard were wavering, which meant they were in serious trouble. ¡°Is the battle going badly?¡± It might be a surprise attack, but the assailants were from some unknown place. They were different from the Seventh Army that had the Death God. Gaier didn¡¯t expect the Crimson Knights to have a hard time. Which was why the attitude of the guard made him uneasy. ¡°That¡¯s correct, Sir. The enemy had broken into the fort, and there¡¯s intense fighting inside¡­¡± ¡°What¡­!? Impossible! How did they break through the gates!?¡± Fort Astra¡¯s gates were made from the strongest stone, augite. Even if siege weapons like battering rams were used, it would take a long while to destroy. ¡°The intel we got is a mess, and we can¡¯t ascertain if this is the truth, but¡­¡± The guard¡¯s stammering reports made Gaier doubt his ears. The gate guards on duty killed all the soldiers in the guard room, destroyed the door bar and opened the gates for the enemy. If that was true, it made sense how the enemy broke in so easily. ¡°You are saying proud soldiers of the Crimson Knights colluded with the enemy?¡± The guard nodded with cold sweat on his brows. ¡°Judging from the situation, there are definitely traitors.¡± ¡ªTreason in the army. The unbelievable answer from the guards shocked Gaier, and he wasn¡¯t done yet: ¡°And the soldiers who betrayed us¡­ possess inhuman prowess and agility.¡± ¡°Inhuman?¡± ¡°Y-Yes Sir. The elites who tried to stop them were slaughtered in an instant¡­ That¡¯s right, they are like ferocious beasts.¡± The reports were getting more and more ridiculous, and Gaier became more confused. ¡°Colonel Gaier, your orders please.¡± The guard looked like he was grasping at straws. Gaier patted his shoulder to calm the guard and himself down, and said: ¡°I will access the situation personally first.¡± Gaier equipped the sword beside his bed, and left the room quickly. After the gates were opened, the Holy Winged Legion flooded in. The Crimson Knights were in chaos from the betrayal and surprise attack. Amelia who created this chaos killed ten enemy soldiers, and licked her blade that was stained with blood. ¡°Hmmp. The Crimson Knights are just wild monkeys. Monkeys should just be like one and go back to their hills.¡± As Amelia watched the intense battle between the two sides an out of breath Sentinel ran to her. His collar badge had the marking of a Decanus. ¡°Chiliarch Amelia, the surprise attack was a success, our army has the overwhelming advantage.¡± ¡°¡ª Don¡¯t tell me things that are so obvious. What do you want to report?¡± ¡°Mdm Chiliarch, we found our secondary objective, the food warehouse.¡± Amelia flicked her long hair and said: ¡°Then burn it down. If you fail¡ª you know what will happen, right?¡± ¡°Yes Mdm!¡± The Decanus did a two fingered salute and quickly left the scene. Amelia watched the Decanus go, and slowly raised her left hand. The deep blue Sorcery circle on the back of her hand was shimmering. ¡°My cute dolls should be reaching their limits.¡± Amelia glanced at the yelling soldiers, and headed deep into the fort alone. After leaving his room, Gaier sprinted up the spiral staircase of a watch tower to get a better view of the battle. Finally, he saw the intense fighting before him along with the morning sun. ¡°So that¡¯s the enemy¡­¡± ¡°Yes Sir.¡± ¡°I have never seen their armor before. Which country do they belong to¡­¡± The enemy soldiers of unknown allegiance wore light green armor and purple waistband. They were definitely not from the Empire. ¡°The one going berserk in the center is the aforementioned traitor.¡± Gaier took the telescope offered by the guard, and looked at the spot indicated by him. He could see a soldier swinging his spear around and shouting something. ¡°So that¡¯s the one¡­¡± ¡°Yes Sir. If he¡¯s not dead, there should be another person nearby.¡± Gaier looked to the side, and saw a soldier riding on top of his enemy, and tearing out his opponent¡¯s neck with his teeth. He was clearly insane. ¡°I see, they are really like beasts¡ª Hmm?¡± Gaier who felt a sense of dissonance looked to the down right. He found a girl who seemed very relaxed in the chaos of battle. She had light blue hair, and was walking towards the city. She was in shining white armor and wore a purple cloak. She appeared to be the commander, but the strange thing about her was her left hand. For some reason, her left hand was glowing with a blue light. Gaier put down the telescope and rubbed his eye. He then watched through the telescope again, and saw the same thing. (What is that glowing blue light...? Could it be!?) Gaier suddenly remembered something Rosenmarie told him recently. ¡ºAccording to Felixus, Sorcerers have a Sorcery circle on the back of their hands. When they use Sorcery, their hand will glow.¡» ¡ºDoes that mean if someone¡¯s hands are glowing, that means they are Sorcerers?¡» ¡ºThat is correct ¡ª but I¡¯m not interested in that, and didn¡¯t give it much thought.¡» And now, what he saw matched the profiles of a Sorcerer described by Rosenmarie. To conceal his fears from the guard, Gaier gulped and said: ¡°Inform all units. We are taken by surprise, but the enemy numbers are small. We have the advantage in terrain, and with the pride of the Crimson Knights on the line, we must destroy the enemy.¡± ¡°Yes Sir!¡± ¡°Make sure you relay the message.¡± ¡°Huh!? Wait! Colonel Gaier, where are you going!¡± Ignoring the cries from behind him, Gaier rushed down the spiral staircase¡ª After easily infiltrating deep into the fort, Amelia kicked down one door after another. The Crimson Knights that attacked her behind the door were all killed by her. ¡°This tower seems to be a barrack. So, I have to go further in?¡± Amelia flicked her blood stained sword, and continued forward in the corridor filled with corpses. After making it out of the barracks, Amelia stopped when she saw the entrance to another tower. ¡°They are scurrying around like rats¡­¡± A group stood in Amelia¡¯s path. From their stances, they seemed stronger than the soldiers she had killed so far. ¡°But I baited out a big shot. White hair and black eyes, Colonel Gaier Neurat, I presume?¡± Amelia pointed at a man glaring her way and asked. ¡°¡ª!! Why do you know!?¡± Gaier opened his eyes wide in surprise. The murderous soldiers of the Crimson Knights drew their swords, and Amelia continued speaking calmly: ¡°Not just your name. Let¡¯s see¡­ For example, you have a beautiful wife and cute twin girls in the Imperial Capital Orsted. I know that too.¡± ¡°W-Why do you know¡­!?¡± Gaier¡¯s face turned pale. Amelia wondered if his reaction would be bigger if she told him that his wife was expecting. ¡°Because the Owl knows everything.¡± ¡°Owl¡­? Just where are you from?¡± ¡°We are from the Holy Nation of Mekia. Nice to meet you.¡± Amelia told him the truth. ¡°Holy Nation of Mekia?¡­ The country to the west where the main base of the Church of Saint Illuminas lies?¡± ¡°That is correct. The country that had been blessed by the Goddess Citresia.¡± ¡°¡ª I don¡¯t understand, why are answering so honestly?¡± Gaier looked at Amelia suspiciously. Amelia didn¡¯t get why Gaier was doubting her since he was the one who asked in the first place, and tilted her head. ¡°I don¡¯t get you. What¡¯s wrong with answering honestly?¡± ¡°Do you think the Empire will leave the Holy Nation alone after hearing that? The Empire will crush a small nation like yours in the blink of an eye.¡± ¡°Ohh, so that¡¯s what you mean. Don¡¯t worry, the Holy Nation of Mekia isn¡¯t fragile enough to be threatened by the Empire. And so what if you know where we are from? Do you think you will live to tell the tale?¡± ¡°¡­ The enemy is a Sorcerer, keep your guard up.¡± Once Gaier said that, the Crimson Knights guards charged Amelia. There were six of them including Gaier. Amelia licked her lips, and raised her left hand towards Gaier¡¯s group. She focused the mana in her body, and her Sorcery circle glowed in blue¡ª ¡°C-Colonel Gaier!? M-My body!?¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on! I can¡¯t move!¡± ¡°You wench! What did you do to us!?¡± Amelia looked pitifully at the soldiers standing still and lashing out at her. ¡°What a boring question. I want to ask you instead, didn¡¯t you hear Colonel Gaier¡¯s warning? He said the enemy is a Sorcerer.¡± ¡°¡ª¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious that Sorcerers will use Sorcery??¡± Amelia walked towards the soldiers immobilized by ¡°Movement Bind¡±, and stabbed their heart one by one. They showed horrified faces before dying after screaming in despair. ¡°¡ª Alright, you are the only one who is left, Colonel Gaier¡­ What a surprise, you are not completely immobilized?¡± ¡°Ughh! Y-You won¡¯t have your way!!¡± ¡°It seems you have some talent for Sorcery.¡± Gaier was still trying to fight and swing his sword. Amelia felt sympathy at the sight, leaned in to Gaier¡¯s ear and thanked him: ¡°I will avoid the vitals. You can probably live for 5 minutes. Consider it my thanks for you showing up on your own, and saving me the effort of searching for you.¡± With that, Amelia gently hugged Gaier at the waist with her left hand, and stabbed him in the chest. She enjoyed the sensation of stabbing into flesh as she watched the blade exit from Gaier¡¯s back. Gaier¡¯s pupil dilated as he shivered. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Unlike those soldiers, you didn¡¯t scream. As expected of Lady Berlietta¡¯s adjutant.¡± ¡°Your Grace¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ¡°Well then, may Goddess Citresia be with you, Colonel Gaier.¡± ¢ô East of the Empire, Liana Highlands Felixus who was tasked with the command of the Crimson Knights was on his way to Fort Astra with 50 escorts. ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s great to camp outside occasionally.¡± Felixus stretched his back as he basked in the morning sun, and heard someone laughing behind him. He turned, and realized it was his adjutant Second Lieutenant Theresa. ¡°Did I say something strange?¡± ¡°No, I just think you looked more energetic compared to how you are in the office.¡± Theresa said as she offered him a cup of Housen tea. Felixus thanked her and sipped on it. After warming himself up with tea, Felixus sighed with satisfaction. ¡°How do you find the taste?¡± Theresa looked at Felixus and asked. ¡°It¡¯s much better than the Housen tea I usually drink.¡± Felixus answered as he looked at the steaming cup of Housen tea. ¡°That¡¯s great. I actually added a few drops of honey to sweeten it.¡± Theresa smiled brilliantly as she flicked her hair gently. Felixus felt something was off from that, and quickly noticed what was different. ¡°By the way, why did you let your hair down today?¡± Felixus had always seen Theresa with her hair tied up. Now that he thought about it, this was the first time he had seen Theresa with her hair down. Felixus was surprised by how much a change in hairstyle affected his impression of her. ¡°Fufu, it¡¯s rare to hear you say that, Your Grace. I wonder if it will rain today? Or should I say snow?¡± Theresa made a show of looking up into the sky. ¡°Was what I said really that strange?¡± ¡°Who knows?¡± Theresa smiled deviously. Felixus wanted to ask further, but she left with the excuse that she had to make breakfast. ¡ª Eight am, the sun was completely up. Felixus¡¯ group rode quickly, and would reach Fort Astra shortly. What Theresa said in jest didn¡¯t turn true, and the weather was clear with no rain nor snow. Even the cold wind hitting their faces was subsiding. ¡°Your Grace, we are almost there.¡± Theresa who was traveling alongside Felixus alerted him. Just when Felixus was about to respond, he smelt something burning. ¡°This smell¡­¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Halt the unit.¡± Theresa nodded after hearing that, and stretched her hand out horizontally and ordered: ¡°Everyone, halt!!¡± On her orders, the men stopped their horses with their outstanding horsemanship. Felixus ordered the unit to watch the surroundings carefully, and used his telescope to look ahead. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± The commander of his bodyguard, Captain Matthew, approached him with his hand on his hilt. ¡°¡­Fort Astra might be in trouble.¡± The information he could get from the telescope was limited, but there was definitely white smoke rising in Fort Astra¡¯s direction. Theresa beside Felixus picked up the telescope by her waist in a panic. ¡°¡­! There¡¯s smoke from the fort¡ª Could it be the Seventh Army!?¡± Theresa¡¯s words caused a stir amongst the men. The Death God Olivia was mentioned multiple times. The Death God Olivia was also famous amongst the Azure Knights. ¡°No, it¡¯s too soon for them to launch an attack. That¡¯s too unlikely.¡± Felixus refuted Theresa¡¯s speculation, and told his men the reason. ¡°¡ª I see, they will need some time to take over their recovered territories. You are right, Your Grace. The Seventh Army won¡¯t be able to move for the time being.¡± Matthew crossed his arms, and looked at the ground in deep thought. ¡°Then what is causing those smoke?¡± Felixus couldn¡¯t give a clear answer to Theresa¡¯s question. ¡°I don¡¯t know, I hope it¡¯s just a false alarm¡­ But I have a bad feeling about this.¡± ¡°And for better or worse, His Grace¡¯s premonitions are really accurate.¡± Matthew said with a head scratch. ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s hurry on over.¡± Felixus gave the order to move out, and spurred his horse forth. His trusty steed ¡®Red Phoenix¡¯ galloped forth. ¡ªNoon. ¡°Your Grace¡­¡± Theresa checked her surroundings with a frown. ¡°Yes, I know.¡± After passing through some meandering roads, the group finally reached the slope before Fort Astra. They caught the whiff of blood stench. It was a stench Felixus was familiar with¡ª the smell of the battlefield. Theresa immediately signalled the men behind her, and they formed a wedge formation around Felixus. The Azure Knights were transformed into a merciless lance with strong penetrative prowess. The destroyed fort gate loomed before them, and Felixus saw many soldiers in green armor. The enemy also detected Felixus¡¯ presence, and quickly took action. ¡°Your Grace! They don¡¯t appear to be from the Farnesse Kingdom!¡± ¡°No matter, we will charge right in. Second Lieutenant Theresa, stay close.¡± ¡°Yes Sir!¡± Felixus ordered his men to shoot arrows to stop the enemy from mustering. Those arrows then pierced the enemy with incredible precision. Felixus was even more formidable, shooting three arrows at once. After breaking through the gates, he saw a pinned Crimson Knight who was about to get stabbed. In a blink of an eye, Felixus drew out a shortsword from the saddle and threw it at the enemy. ¡°Ehh¡­?¡± The enemy swayed and fell slowly with surprise all over his face. ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°I will kill you!¡± Felixus jumped off Red Phoenix, and two enemy soldiers immediately pounced on him. ¡ª One aimed for his head. ¡ª The other aimed for the side of his abdomen. Felixus nimbly dodged their strikes, and used his gaze to mislead them to correct the path of their attacks and hit each other. And so¡ª ¡°Ahh¡ª?¡± ¡°Ehh¡ª?¡± The two soldiers whose chest were pierced had a look of confusion. The troops around them couldn¡¯t believe what they saw. ¡°What¡¯s going on!? Why are our allies attacking each other!?¡± ¡°Azure armor¡­ Could it be the Azure Knights!?¡± ¡°The strongest elite of the Empire, the Azure Knights!?¡± The enemy shouted as Felixus reached out to the dumbfounded Crimson Knight on the ground and ask: ¡°Are you alright?¡± The soldier nodded and grabbed Felixus¡¯ hand. ¡°L-Lord Felixus¡­ It¡¯s Lord Felixus!!¡± The deeply moved soldier cried out Felixus¡¯ name. Drawn in by his voice, everyone present focused on Felixus. ¡°It¡¯s Lord Felixus!¡± ¡°Ohh! Lord Felixus¡¯ reinforcements are here!¡± ¡°¡°¡°Ohhh¡ª!!¡±¡±¡± The Crimson Knights were in an uproar. Felixus asked a soldier who was looking at him with eyes of admiration for a situation report. ¡°¡ªI see, so there¡¯s a traitor. No wonder the gate fell so easily¡­ I understand the situation. Where is Colonel Gaier?¡± ¡°Colonel Gaier¡­¡± ¡°Colonel Gaier is here.¡± A cold female voice cut off the soldier. Felixus looked in the direction of that voice, and a woman in white armor appeared from the shadows. ¡°Colonel Gaier¡­¡­¡± Felixus tightened his grip on his sword hilt. In the woman¡¯s left hand¡ª was Gaier¡¯s mutilated head. ¡°¡ª¡± Theresa averted her face at that sight. ¡°Is this what they call a ¡®touching reunion¡¯?¡± The woman tossed Gaier¡¯s head out. The head rolled to Felixus¡¯ feet with a cloud of dust. Felixus glared at the woman who showed herself, and put his hand on Theresa¡¯s right shoulder. ¡°Sorry, I retract what I said. Please stay away from me for now.¡± ¡°Yes Sir¡­¡± Theresa answered, but didn¡¯t move. Seeing that, Felixus smiled at her and said: ¡°Don¡¯t worry¡ª Captain Matthew, please protect her.¡± ¡°Yes Sir! Leave it to me!¡± Matthew patted his chest and acknowledged the order. Leaving Theresa who looked uneasy behind, Felixus walked towards the woman who showed herself. The woman approached Felixus with a blank face too. When they were barely within sword range, they stopped. After coming nearer, the woman¡¯s icy eyes left a strong impression on Felixus. ¡°You are the commander, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Can I ask you a question?¡± The woman raised a finger as she said that. ¡°If it¡¯s something that I can answer.¡± ¡°I heard them address you as Felixus, could you be one of the Empire¡¯s Tri-General, General Felixus von Sieger?¡± ¡°¡­ That¡¯s me.¡± ¡°Thank you for your answer.¡± ¡°May I have your name?¡± ¡°¡ªAmelia Stolast.¡± Amelia drew her sword, with a sinister smile replacing her expressionless face. ¢õ ¡°Is this what they mean by ¡®getting a free lunch¡¯?¡± With an explosive sound, Amelia stepped forth with her right leg. At the same time, a shining blade slashed right at Felixus¡¯ neck. (Fast. And there¡¯s a strange light too. She probably cast Sorcery on the blade. Because of that, I can¡¯t grasp the distance properly.) Felixus backdashed, and evaded the attack by millimetres. This surprised Amelia, who said in awe: ¡°You dodged the secret technique ¡®thin ice¡¯ from so close, that¡¯s surprising. By the way, that was almost the full extent of my prowess. As expected of a Tri-General of the Empire.¡± She said she used all of her prowess, but Amelia seemed unfazed. Or rather, she seemed to be enjoying this situation. Felixus knew that this reaction meant his enemy had a trump card, which afforded them with such confidence. ¡°Well then, what should I do now?¡± Amelia waved her sword, as if to confirm her body¡¯s movement, before holding it horizontally. She lowered her body as low as she could in an instant, and unleashed a flurry of thrusts. (She could go even faster¡­) Felixus didn¡¯t retreat, and advanced instead. Amelia¡¯s face was colored with surprise. Felixus leaned to dodge the blade aimed at his heart, and punched his left hand out at the instant they passed each other by. It hit Amelia squarely on the side of her ribs. ¡°Ughh!!¡± Amelia¡¯s face contorted from the pain, and she staggered back. ¡°Fufu, even consecutive ¡®thin ice¡¯ didn¡¯t work¡­ And you punch a lady on such a spot too. You might look like a gentleman, but you aren¡¯t gentle when you fight. As expected, a fight has to be like this.¡± Felixus furrowed his brows when he saw Amelia¡¯s smile. ¡°Do you like fighting so much?¡± ¡°Not just any opponent can satisfy me, you know? It has to be someone that is powerful enough¡ª be it in games or battles.¡± Amelia raised the corners of her lips creepily as she slowly extended her left hand. When he saw that, Felixus pulled out a dagger on his waist and threw it out. It tore through the air and pierced Amelia¡¯s left hand, making her scream. ¡°Ughh¡­ I was careless. You know I¡¯m a Sorcerer?¡± Amelia¡¯s gleeful expression was gone, as she pulled out the dagger with cold sweat on her brow. ¡°That¡¯s right. There is a queer Sorcerer in the Empire too.¡± All Sorcerers have a Sorcery circle on the back of their left hand. According to that Sorcerer staying in the Empire, the place where all the mana in the body flowed to was called a ¡®mana nest¡¯, and that was the back of one¡¯s left hand. So when one cast Sorcery, it would be from the left hand. Also, when casting Sorcery preparation time on par with the power of the Sorcery was necessary. With this knowledge, it wasn¡¯t difficult to stop a Sorcerer from casting their spell. ¡°So the Empire has Sorcerers too¡­ This is the first time I heard that.¡± ¡°That Sorcerer has grown tired of the world and retired to a life of solitude. It¡¯s only natural that you don¡¯t know.¡± Because of that person¡¯s wishes, there were few who knew where he lived. And even if someone found out the place, it wasn¡¯t possible for the average man to reach there. Felixus felt that he was the only one who could go there. ¡°I have no interest in the Empire¡¯s Sorcerer. No wonder you are able to detect my attacks so swiftly. If not you would have been defeated by my Sorcery long ago.¡± ¡°Really? Sorcery isn¡¯t as omnipotent as you say.¡± ¡°Sorcery isn¡¯t omnipotent? ¡ªyou sure have guts saying that before a Sorcerer that wields the power of God.¡± Amelia smiled wryly as she quickly bandaged her left hand. The bandage was quickly dyed red by blood. ¡°You say that Sorcery is the power of God¡­¡± ¡°What? You don¡¯t think so?¡± Amelia frowned slightly. ¡°Sorcery is a power beyond the wisdom of men. But it¡¯s not meant to be abused. Because using Sorcery comes with risks too.¡± ¡°¡­ You seemed really knowledgeable about this.¡± Amelia appeared wary for the first time. Felixus removed the latch on his sheath, and drew out the sword bestowed to him by Emperor Ramza, ¡®Godslayer¡¯. ¡°I dabble in it a little. It¡¯s my turn now.¡± As Amelia stood ready with her left arm stained with blood, Felixus sprinted to her face with just one step. Amelia was shocked, but still managed to step to the side. Felixus pursued closely with a reverse diagonal slash. Amelia blocked with her sword in a hurry, but her footing was unsteady, and she fell down in a cloud of dust. ¡°Hah, hah!¡­ What¡¯s going on? Your movements just now? ¡ªAre you a Sorcerer too?¡± Amelia stood up with unsteady steps, and crudely wiped the blood from her lips. Amelia was mistaken, and Felixus replied calmly: ¡°I can¡¯t use Sorcery. That was just armed combat techniques.¡± ¡°You are calling that incredible speed just an armed combat technique?¡± Amelia¡¯s gaze was filled with doubt, but Felixus insisted: ¡°That¡¯s right. But not everyone can pull it off.¡± ¡°¡ªForget it, it¡¯s my miscalculation that you are this strong. I can¡¯t win even if we continue. What a pity.¡± Amelia sheathed her sword with ragged breath. Her determined attitude filled Felixus with unease. ¡°Then yield. There¡¯s lots of things I want to ask.¡± First would be the problem of the traitor. Since Amelia was a Sorcerer, Felixus assumed that she used Sorcery to create this situation. ¡°You want me to yield? Are you serious?¡± Amelia blinked her eyes covered by long lashes, and tilted her head. She looked just like a girl that had not grown up yet.. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Fufu, how interesting. Are the other Tri-Generals as humorous as you?¡± ¡°¡­ You won¡¯t yield?¡± ¡°Do you even need to ask? Look at the battle right now.¡± Amelia spread her arms out, gesturing Felixus to look around him. New life had been injected into the Crimson Knights with the arrival of Felixus, but the Crimson Knights were still losing. Rosenmarie was absent, but it was unimaginable that the elite Crimson Knights were being overwhelmed by an army not known for their prowess. It was clear that the casualties would mount given more time. ¡ª but that was exactly why... ¡°That¡¯s why I have to capture you.¡± ¡°I see, an army is powerless without their commander. It¡¯s a good idea, but unfortunately, I have already achieved my goals. I even got intel about you, who rarely appears on the battlefield. Allow me to take my leave.¡± ¡°Why do you think I will let you get away?¡± Felixus took a stance, and Amelia extended her left hand for the third time. ¡°It¡¯s futile¡ª¡± ¡°Ahaha! You let your guard down.¡± Amelia laughed as she turned her left hand from Felixus to Theresa who was fighting alongside Matthew. ¡°Oh no¡ª!?¡± Theresa¡¯s body froze as if she was bound, and suddenly sent Matthew besides her flying with a kick. That abnormally powerful kick was obviously not possible for Theresa, and Matthew groaned bitterly when he was knocked into the wall. After that, Theresa slowly pushed her sword towards her throat. She resisted desperately, but it was clear she wouldn¡¯t be able to hold on for long. ¡°Second Lieutenant Theresa!¡± ¡°It seems you don¡¯t have the time to catch me. See? If you don¡¯t hurry, she will kill herself.¡± Amelia said sadistically. If Felixus chooses to apprehend Amelia, then Theresa will definitely die. And the fact was, he didn¡¯t have a choice. ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. That¡¯s the face I want to see from you¡ª May we meet on another battlefield some day.¡± Amelia waved at Felixus behind her, and gave the order for her men to retreat. Felixus rushed over with Fleet footed dash, and made it to Theresa¡¯s side in a blink of an eye. ¡°Y-Your Grace¡­¡­¡± ¡°I will save you.¡± Felixus tried to snatch the sword from Theresa. But she had a vice grip on it, as if it had melded into her hand. Afraid of crushing her hands, Felixus didn¡¯t dare to use more strength. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ for getting¡­ in your way.¡± Theresa had a pained expression. Felixus held her gently, stroked her blonde hair and said: ¡°Sorry, but I will have to knock you out. You can scold me later if you want.¡± ¡°Fufu¡­ even during times like this¡­ I¡­ I¡¯m fine¡­¡± Theresa tried her best to smile, and calmly closed her eyes. Felixus quickly chopped at her neck, and carried Theresa who went limp after that. Amelia was long gone. ¡°¡ª Amelia Stolast. I will return the favor one day.¡± Volume 3, 2: Royal Library Volume 3, Chapter 2: Royal Library Translator: Skythewood Editor: Hiiro ¢ñ In the distant past when the existence of Odic force was common knowledge, there was a minority race called the ¡°Abyss Clan¡±. They possess strong Odic force, and had eyes that were darker than black. Back then, a group of foreigners known as the ¡°Dragon Fang Tribe¡± came from another continent by ships. In order to break the stalemate in their war against the ¡°Dragon Fang Tribe¡±, the king cast his gaze towards the Abyss Clan who possess outstanding physical capabilities. ¡ºWhen we win this war, I will bestow the Abyss Clan with fame and fortune that will last for generations.¡» Abyss Clan believed the words of the King, and joined the fray against the Dragon Fang Tribe with spears and swords in hand. ¡ªA few years later. The fantastic performance of the Abyss Clan turned the tide against the Dragon Fang Tribe. And finally, in a battle where both sides commit all their forces, the Dragon Fang Tribe was defeated, and retreated from the continent. The long war had finally ended, and the light of peace returned to the Dubedirica Continent. The Abyss Clan lost many clansmen in the war, but the thoughts of their bright future filled them with joy. ¡ª However, the King went back on his words. Two months after the Dragon Fang Tribe retreated from the Dubedirica Continent, the peaceful capital was suddenly caught in an uproar. ¡ºThe Abyss Clan sneaked into the King¡¯s chamber and attempt to assassinate the King.¡» Of course, that was all nonsense. The King summoned a member of the Abyss Clan in secret, made him drunk and killed him. He was then framed for attempted murder. This came as a shock to the Abyss Clan. They requested for a chance to explain, but was denied. In the end, the prowess of the Abyss Clan made the King fearful, and he was worried about his throne falling into the hands of the Abyss Clan. And so, the heroes who saved the Dubedirica Continent became detestable traitors. The King even hired the only assassination group that could fight on equal footing with the Abyss Clan, ¡°Asura¡±, and personally led an army of 100,000 to attack the home of the Abyss Clan. The Abyss Clan might be incredibly powerful individuals, but they were just a small clan of 300. As they were attacked in waves day and night, the Abyss Clan members fell one after another. And so, on the dawn of the seventh day of the battle¡ª ¡°¡ª What happened on the dawn of the seventh day?¡± The tavern owner Abel poured wine into a man¡¯s cup and urged him to continue. The man smiled bitterly, finished the wine in his cup and asked: ¡°Really now, what¡¯s with your reaction. Aren¡¯t you only asking this in passing?¡± A guest came in the middle of the night, sat by the counter and said: ¡°Give me a glass of wine.¡± That man¡¯s silver hair was rare in these parts, so Abel asked if he had any interesting tales. After hesitating for a while, the man told this story slowly this whole time. ¡°Don¡¯t mind me. Your story sounds awfully real, and seems really convincing.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± The man smiled bitterly again. ¡°So, was the Abyss Clan wiped out?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, none of them survived. The story ends here.¡± The man shook his empty glass, and his tone seemed somewhat lonesome. He looked like he experienced the events of the tale himself, but Abel was more disappointed in the abrupt ending of the tale. ¡°What¡¯s the deal with that? A story will normally have one survivor that takes revenge on the king to make things interesting. The Abyss Clan will be too pitiful if you end it like that.¡± ¡°Sorry for not meeting your expectations.¡± The man shrugged exaggeratedly, took out a few copper coins and laid them on the counter before getting up. ¡°What, you are leaving?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Stay a while longer and tell me more stories. Drinks on me. It¡¯s boring here out in the boondocks, so a tale like yours will make good material for drawing in customers.¡± ¡°Sorry, but my companion is here to fetch me.¡± The man said as he looked towards the entrance of the tavern. Before Abel even realized, a woman carrying a baby about 6 months old had appeared at the door. The tavern was noisy because of the mercenaries in it, but the baby was sleeping soundly. ¡°Dear, it¡¯s almost time¡­¡± The woman sounded a little anxious, and the man nodded gently. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m coming.¡± Abel stopped him in a hurry when he heard that: ¡°Do you have a place to stay?¡± ¡°No, we are leaving town¡­¡± ¡°You are leaving town¡­ Where do you want to go in the middle of the night with a baby? I will save the lecture, just spend the night in my place. I will make it cheap as a favor for your story.¡± Abel took a key from the wall and offered it to the man. He wasn¡¯t trying to get more business, and was just worried about the baby. But that man turned him down with a shake of his head: ¡°Thank you for your kind offer, but we can¡¯t linger.¡± ¡°But why?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Some kind of trouble?¡± Abel observed the man¡¯s dressing in detail, and saw scale armor under his cloak. The woman who came to fetch him was probably wearing the same thing. It was clear they weren¡¯t on a leisure trip, and they had a baby that was still nursing with them. As for the man, he was scratching the back of his head with a troubled face. ¡°Never mind, I shouldn¡¯t pry. If you are leaving town, be careful of the bandits. The weather is warming up, and those goons are attacking all day and all night.¡± ¡°¡ªThanks for the warning.¡± The man smiled gently, and left the tavern with his arms around the woman¡¯s shoulders. Abel kept the glass on the counter and thought about the face of the woman he saw earlier. ¡°Speaking of which, she sure is a beauty. And I have never seen dark eyes like hers before¡­ Haha, no way.¡± Abel¡¯s mumble was drowned out by the noise in the tavern. ¢ò Royal Capital Fizz, Central Zone The sound of the bell tolling came from the iconic clock tower in the capital, signaling the start of the morning, and the stone paved roads were already filled with people. But even amongst the crowd, two ladies stood out prominently, turning the heads of all the young men who passed them by. ¡°Well, it looks more shabby than I imagined.¡± Before them was a building erected with white bricks. Olivia sounded a little disappointed as she watched the Royal Library that was built in the Glock style popular in the 5th Century of the Lunar Calendar. ¡°Major, this is an archaic style. Like I said, this is a relic site that shows the history of the Farnesse Kingdom. Despite how it looked, it had been repaired numerous times. By the way, the last restoration was in¡ª¡± ¡°Alright, alright, let¡¯s hurry on in.¡± Claudia finally got the chance to show off her knowledge, but Olivia wasn¡¯t interested at all. The door to the library was tightly shut, so Olivia dragged Claudia by the arm to the guard room besides it. ¡°Excuse me.¡± The place wasn¡¯t blocked by the door, and three men in bureaucratic dressing were inside. Two of them who had the physiques of security guards looked Claudia¡¯s way. ¡°May we go in?¡± Olivia asked as she showed her Knight¡¯s badge to the men on duty. A meek looking man pushed his black rimmed glasses and asked: ¡°Such a young knight¡­ May I have your family name?¡± ¡°Valedstorm.¡± Olivia¡¯s voice was full of energy. The man frowned when he heard that: ¡°Valedstorm? ¡­ I¡¯m not familiar with that house. Your peerage?¡± ¡°Peerage? I¡¯m a Major.¡± ¡°That¡¯s your military rank. I¡¯m asking you for your peerage as a noble.¡± ¡°Noble peerage? What¡¯s that?¡± Olivia tilted her head and looked at Claudia. There are five levels of noble peerage for the Farnesse Kingdom, Duke, Marquis, Earl, Viscount and Baron. On top of that, there¡¯s the ¡®Pleiades peerage¡¯ that lasts only one generation, which goes from Dark Purple Sash, Red Purple Sash, Green Purple Sash, White Purple Sash, Dark Sash, Red Sash, Green Sash. For noble peerage of the same level, their standings were differentiated by whether they possess the Pleiades Peerage, and the colors of their sash. When Olivia was knighted, this was all explained to her, but she must have forgotten about it. Claudia sighed in her heart, and told the man that Olivia was a Baron. The man¡¯s face became stern when he heard that: ¡°I presume that you already know that you will need someone of a high standing to vouch for you if you are to be granted entry. Are your documents for this in order?¡± ¡°Yes, we have it ready.¡± ¡°¡ª Really?¡± The man looked at them with suspicious eyes. He probably doubts Olivia knew any powerful nobles who could vouch for her, given her young age. Which was why he was taking her lightly. Claudia took out a tidily folded letter. ¡°This should suffice.¡± With that, she unfolded the letter and showed it to the man. This was a permission slip Neinhart gave her in case there were any problems. Neinhart probably anticipated this. ¡°Hmm? A letter of guarantee, huh¡­¡± The man leaned in to read the contents of the letter, and yelped mid way: ¡°M-My apologies! I understand the situation now, please come in.¡± The man quickly gave instructions to open the door, and bowed towards the two ladies. He was quick to bow to power. Claudia felt speechless as she accompanied the gleeful Olivia through the doors of the library¡ª ¡°Amazing amazing amazing!! Claudia, there¡¯s so many books here!!¡± Olivia had a cheerful smile that befitted her age, and expressed her overflowing excitement. In contrast to its heavy exterior, the inside of the library was an open two story wooden structure, making it look big. On either side of the library¡¯s center passage were evenly spaced out shelves. Statues were placed all over the place, giving it an atmosphere of grace. At the end of the central passage was a round counter made from plain wood, where a few staff were attending to guests. ¡°It will be difficult to find what you want with these many books. Why don¡¯t we consult the library staff?¡± Olivia immediately agreed with Claudia¡¯s suggestion. After a short wait, when a staff member was free, they asked a lady who was returning books to the shelf: ¡°Excuse me, is this a convenient time?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡ª Ara ara, this soldier lady sure is pretty. How may I help you?¡± The lady named Claris observed Claudia from top to bottom carefully. The freckles under her red rimmed spectacles and her evenly cut bangs left a strong impression. ¡°I want to investigate the reason for the demise of an aristocratic house.¡± ¡°The reason behind their demise? You can just check the catalogue of house names, and can save a trip to the library.¡± Claris pushed up her red framed glasses as she said that. ¡°But it¡¯s not stated there.¡± ¡°Not stated?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± It would be quicker to show her, so Claudia took out the catalogue of house names from her bag. She already added a bookmark, and flipped to the page of the Valedstorm house in no time. ¡°This is it¡­¡± Claudia pointed out the issue, and Claris started reading dubiously. ¡°¡ª Hmmm. The Valedstorm house that died out 150 years ago¡­ Uwah! Crossed scythes and a skull, what a discomforting emblem¡­ I see, the reason for their demise isn¡¯t stated¡­¡± Claris muttered to herself as she pushed her red framed glasses. When she saw this, Claudia thought: ¡°That man in the guard room and this lady too, does the library staff like to push their glasses?¡± ¡°Only the Valedstorm house doesn''t have any records. Do you know how we can find out why?¡± After some investigation, she realized that the demise of the other houses were all properly documented. Claudia wasn¡¯t as concerned about this as Olivia, but she was still curious about this. ¡°It¡¯s hard to determine with just this¡­¡± ¡°Is it difficult?¡± ¡°Kind of, but I¡¯m sure of one thing; this isn¡¯t just a lapse in record keeping.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I mean the records had been erased by someone.¡± Claris said as she closed the book. ¡°Someone erased it¡­¡± When she heard that, Claudia¡¯s eyes returned to the catalogue in her hand. ¡°Sometimes, those in power would cover up or falsify facts that were inconvenient for them. That much was common, but in this case, only the reason for their demise was erased. In other words, everything else is left intact.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°It means that this isn¡¯t that important, at least for the Kingdom right now.¡± After a short silence, Olivia suddenly appeared from behind Claris, which made her scream. ¡°Then, what should we do to find out the reason for their demise?¡± ¡°Is she with you?¡± ¡°Actually, I¡¯m accompanying her.¡± And so, Claris started observing Olivia carefully. ¡°I see¡­ She is incredibly beautiful too¡­ Let me think¡­ In the first place, the emblem is creepy, an emblem that can be easily related to death won¡¯t normally be used.¡± ¡°Is that so? I think it looks cool.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s ominous. It¡¯s no joke if the house gets wiped out because of the emblem. While, the Valedstorm did end. I¡¯m curious why they chose such an ominous looking emblem.¡± ¡°¡­ Hey, Claudia.¡± Olivia tugged at Claudia¡¯s sleeve with a troubled face. She must be troubled by Claris who was ignoring her and kept droning on. Claudia felt the same way too. ¡°Ahem¡ª So how is it? Is it possible to find out why?¡± ¡°Hmm? ¡­ I won¡¯t know until we actually try. However, there are almost 40,000 books in the Royal Library. It had been categorized, but it would still take a lot of effort to search through them.¡± Claudia felt dizzy when she heard the word 40,000. Claudia knew that it was difficult to investigate something from 150 years ago, but this went beyond her imagination. They might not make any headway before the season turns, Claudia thought. ¡°Unfortunately, we can only stay in the capital for five days. Can you think of something?¡± ¡°Only five days...? That¡¯s asking for the impossible.¡± Claris lamented, since that was the truth. ¡°I know it¡¯s hard, but this is important.¡± ¡°¡­ Alright then. I¡¯m intrigued too, so I will help.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really grateful¡­ But is that really fine?¡± Claudia said as she glanced to the side, where the other speechless staff was looking on. They probably overheard this conversation. Claris answered without a care in the world, as if she wasn¡¯t aware of their gazes: ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine, this is part of my job. But even if you count me in, there will only be three of us. I hope we can get one more person.¡± ¡°One more person, huh¡­¡± The figure of a certain youth flashed across Claudia¡¯s mind. The next day after Claudia and Olivia¡¯s visit to the Royal Library. At the main door of the Royal Library, a youth with blonde hair and blue eyes couldn¡¯t hide his nervousness. The youth who seemed unreliable at a glance¡ª was Warrant Officer Ashton Senefelder. ¡°F-First Lieutenant Claudia, do I really have permission? I will be troubled if you tell me there is some mistake¡­¡± As the staff opened the door in a hurry, Ashton kept looking at the guards beside them. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I already told you that Brigadier General Neinhart has given his permission. If not, the guards would have already chased you away. Just how many times are you going to make me repeat myself?¡± After leaving the Royal Library yesterday, Claudia went to meet Neinhart again to tell him about their problems. And so, Neinhart made an exception and granted Ashton permission to enter the Royal Library. When they returned to the hotel and brought this news to Ashton, he jumped with glee. But as time went by, he grew more and more anxious. By dinner time, Ashton kept asking if there had been some mistake. Thanks to that, Claudia didn¡¯t get to enjoy the hotel¡¯s specialty dish. ¡°B-But I¡¯m a commoner.¡± Now that the door was open, Ashton couldn¡¯t muster the courage to step forward. He looked at Claudia to check with her. In contrast, Olivia beside them couldn¡¯t contain her excitement and started skipping around. ¡°Of course I know that. This means your accomplishment during the battle with the Crimson Knights had been acknowledged.¡± The outstanding war merits of Olivia overshadows him, but Ashton¡¯s reputation as a strategist was on the rise. In fact, Claudia felt that only Ashton was capable of immobilizing 30,000 of the enemy¡¯s soldiers. Neinhart granted an exception for Ashton to visit the Royal Library after taking into account this fact too. Unfortunately, Claudia¡¯s chance to strangle Neinhart slipped away again. ¡°No, those are different matters¡­¡± Seeing Ashton had not changed his timid attitude, Claudia narrowed her eyes, deciding it was time to educate him,. ¡°You are granted permission because it¡¯s a related matter. Really now¡­ This might be your good point, but also your weak point too. You need to evaluate yourself accurately, or it will upset others.¡± Claudia smacked Ashton hard on his butt. Ashton yelped awkwardly. ¡°Haha, Ashton got smacked in the ass. Will your butt turn red like a monkey? Or will it break into two?¡± Olivia said as she smacks her own behind. ¡°Buttocks already come in two halves!¡± Ashton said as he rubbed his bum, and Claudia concluded with an awkward smile: ¡°Let¡¯s hurry, we don¡¯t have much time.¡± ¡°Sorry. I have calmed down after getting hit on my backside. It¡¯s fine now.¡± Ashton lowered his head docilely, and walked in while Olivia teased him. Claudia sighed heavily behind them. (Really now, he always worries me. Is this how it feels to have a younger brother¡­? No, my brother will definitely be more steady and mature.) Leaving the saluting guards behind, Claudia walked in through the entrance. It was still early, so the library was quiet. The sunlight coming in through the roof window illuminated the place, as the dust shimmered in the air. (Uwah. So this is the Royal Library I have always dreamed about visiting¡­) Ashton¡¯s eyes fell on the bookshelf nearest to him. With just a glance, he could find many rare tomes. Overwhelmed with emotions, he surveyed his surroundings and found a few staff tidying the shelves and cleaning the place. Amongst them was a petite woman dusting the books, and Ashton was drawn to her. (Hmm? She¡¯s¡­) While Ashton was searching through his memories, Claudia walked to that lady: ¡°Good morning, we will be in your care today too.¡± ¡°Good morning, you are early today.¡± ¡°We are short on time after all.¡± ¡°Right, let¡¯s get started then¡­ Let¡¯s see, this must be the helper you mentioned yesterday¡ª Oh? Aren¡¯t you...?¡± Ashton somehow attracted the lady¡¯s attention, and she approached him with a push to her glasses. ¡°Ehh! Ms Claris¡­ You are working in the Royal Library?¡± ¡°Yes, and you seem well, Ashton Senefelder. I believe it has been two years since we last met?¡± Claris sent Ashton a flirting gaze, as if she was licking him from head to toe. Ashton gulped at the sight of that. ¡°I-it has been that a while.¡± ¡°By the way, Ashton Senefelder, I never expect you to enlist in the army. I thought you would become a scholar.¡± Claris flicked at Ashton¡¯s collar badge with a seductive smile. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t volunteer for the army.¡± Ashton realized he misspoke, and quickly glanced at Claudia. He felt uneasy, afraid that she would lecture him. ¡°¡ªHmm? It¡¯s fine. In the first case, we are at fault for sending someone like you into the battlefield.¡± Claudia said awkwardly. Ashton was relieved that he didn¡¯t get admonished. ¡°That aside, do you two know each other?¡± ¡°Why yes, we are acquainted. We graduated from the same school.¡± Ashton studied in the ¡°Lion King Academy¡±. It was a famous school that produced many excellent bureaucrats, and Claris was two years his senior. Back then, Claris would always dump troublesome matters on Ashton¡¯s lap. ¡°Ashton Senefelder. Our relationship isn¡¯t just acquaintances. You are being too distant, we did all sorts of things day and night in the academy.¡± Claris said suggestively as she leaned into Ashton¡¯s chest. The scent of a lady entered Ashton¡¯s nostrils. ¡°Is that so?¡± Claudia shot a condescending look at Ashton. ¡°No, nothing strange happened! Ms Claris, please don¡¯t say things that are so misleading. You just locked me into a room to help you with your thesis.¡± Ashton pushed Claris away and looked at Olivia. Olivia was looking at their interaction with a gleeful smile, and didn¡¯t seem to mind the conversation just now. Ashton felt relieved, but also kind of deflated. ¡°Fufu. You are still the same as always, Ashton Senefelder, it¡¯s so much fun teasing you. Back to the topic, with you around, the efficiency in our investigation will increase exponentially.¡± Claris pushed her red rimmed glasses and led the three of them further in. ¢ó On the fourth day of their visit to the capital. Although Ashton¡¯s joining in increased the efficiency of their investigation by a lot, they didn¡¯t achieve any results. Ashton and Claris were having a difficult conversation in front of the bookshelf. By the way, Claudia who was sitting beside a mountain of books was staring at the ceiling with a blank expression. It feels as if something weird will float out of her mouth at any moment. Olivia closed the book that was thick enough to be a weapon and sighed heavily. ¡°Farnesse Kingdom expanded its military at the end of the warring era. It¡¯s national power fell steeply because of that. Are they paying the price for that now?¡± Back then, under the reign of King Raphael, the kingdom started a war by using their powerful military and strong economic prowess. The Kingdom was unstoppable at the start, but as the warfront widened, the supply lines were stretched further. However, the Kingdom took the supply lines lightly, and didn¡¯t arrange for any escorts for the supply units that was the lifeline of an army. As a result, their supply lines were cut off. No matter how strong an army was, they couldn¡¯t win any battles on an empty stomach. With the knowledge she learned from Z, Olivia felt this was as good as suicide. ¡°¡ª My grandfather often complained about that. It was said that the king and the army were blinded by their greed of conquering the continent. And now, the Empire is the one that wants to unite the continent, while the Kingdom has been forced to the brink, how ironic¡­ By the way, what has this got to do with our investigation?¡± ¡°I see. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s related, but I think there¡¯s no harm in understanding the history of the Kingdom. We might even find a clue from there.¡± ¡°I see¡­ you are right, Major.¡± Claudia nodded in agreement, and Olivia grunted as she puffed out her breasts proudly. Right after that, the sound of something dropping came from the side. Olivia turned towards the sound, and found Ashton staring with his mouth wide open. ¡°Ashton, you want to eat something? Unfortunately, I don¡¯t have any biscuits on me. Food is prohibited in the library.¡± Olivia turned out her pockets, and biscuit crumbs fell onto the floor, earning the ire of a staff nearby. ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean! I¡¯m just shocked that Olivia actually said something proper.¡± ¡°Ehh? Ashton, why are you saying nonsense?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not talking nonsense!¡± Seeing how angry Ashton was, Olivia answered with a face that said it was obvious: ¡°Everything I said is proper.¡± ¡°You¡­ No, are you serious?¡± Ashton had a complicated face, and Olivia looked the same. ¡°Ashton, do you always joke like this? If there¡¯s a joke competition, you will get a good placing with your talent. You might even win it all. Don¡¯t you think so, Claudia?¡± Olivia looked towards Claudia, but Claudia kept coughing as she flipped through a book. Maybe she suddenly caught a cold. As for Claris, she was saluting Olivia with a brimming smile, and she kept pushing her red rimmed glasses. They were all acting weird. Their investigation proceeded in silence after that. Ashton and Claris picked out the books that might be related to the Valedstorm house, while Olivia and Claudia browsed through them. Time passed slowly, but eventually, the evening sun shining through the windows dyed the room red. And so, there still wasn¡¯t any progress on the fourth night. ¡°¡ªSigh. It¡¯s hard to read in this dim light. Let¡¯s call it a day..¡± Claudia quietly closed the book and stretched her back. ¡°Ehh~ I can still read clearly, so it¡¯s fine.¡± On the table were the books; ¡¾Heraldry¡¿ ¡¾Light and Shadows of the Farnesse Kingdom¡¿ ¡¾The Clan of Darkness¡¿ They had not read these books yet. For Olivia, who used to live in the deep forest where lighting was sparse, this was not a problem at all. ¡°Unfortunately, it¡¯s almost time for the library to close.¡± And right on cue, the tolling of the bell from the clock tower reached Olivia¡¯s ears. The staff started to prepare for the library¡¯s closing. ¡°Only one day left, huh. Comrade Olivia¡¯s reading speed is really fast, so there¡¯s no problem in efficiency¡­ But five days is too rushed.¡± Claris said as she tidied the table. She seemed set on calling Olivia her comrade. Olivia wanted to ask why, but there was something about Claris that reminded her of Guile, so she gave up on it. She didn¡¯t want to touch on the subject even with a ten foot pole. ¡°¡ª Well then, see you tomorrow.¡± Bidding Claris farewell, Olivia and the rest who didn¡¯t make any headway left the Royal Library. When the three of them passed through the commercial zone and were walking towards the southern zone where the hotels were, a lady in military garb approached them with her back to the sun. She stopped before Olivia and saluted smartly. ¡°I remember you are fish¡­ Brigadier General Neinhart¡¯s aide?¡± ¡°Yes Mdm! I¡¯m Second Lieutenant Katherina Raynurse.¡± ¡°You need something from me? The fish I brought last time is all the gift I have. I don¡¯t even have any biscuits with me.¡± With that, Olivia turned out her empty pockets, and Katherina shook her head: ¡°You are mistaken, I¡¯m not here for fish or biscuits. I¡¯m sorry, but please report to Leticia Castle immediately.¡± ¡°Leticia Castle?¡± ¡°Yes Mdm. Brigadier General Neinhart is waiting for you in his office.¡± When she heard that, Olivia started thinking. Did her fish give Brigadier General Neinhart a tummy ache, and made him mad? She caught those fish herself, so they were still fresh though. Olivia looked towards Claudia, but Claudia was tilting her head in confusion too. Ashton said ¡°There¡¯s no way I would know¡± when Olivia turned his way. ¡°Can I ask why?¡± ¡°My apologies, it¡¯s confidential so I can¡¯t say it here¡­ Please find out directly from Brigadier General Neinhart.¡± With that, Katherina turned and headed for Leticia Castle. The baffled group followed behind her. Neinhart¡¯s Office Led by Katherina, the group entered the office, and Neinhart stopped writing with his pen. ¡°I apologize for summoning you on such short notice.¡± Neinhart¡¯s face looked a little pale. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°I will start with the conclusion. The Sun Knights had been mobilized. If we don¡¯t do something, the Central War Theatre will get overrun.¡± Claudia broke out in cold sweat when she heard that. The Sun Knights were the ones that seized Fort Kiel, and their soldiers all wore silver armor. Instead of their individual prowess, they were more proficient in group battles. And their commander was the highest ranking military officer of the Imperial Army. ¡°Will the First Army move out to engage? With the Seventh Army defending the north, you don¡¯t have to worry about our defences.¡± ¡°I know that, but things are complicated.¡± Neinhart couldn¡¯t state the reason, but Claudia had an idea why. She asked: ¡°Is His Majesty¡ª¡± ¡°Stop. I don¡¯t want to lock First Lieutenant Claudia up for L¨¨se majest¨¦.¡± As expected, Claudia thought. Neinhart¡¯s face told her that this wasn¡¯t open to discussion. The short moment of silence between Claudia and Neinhart felt like an eternity to Ashton. On the other hand, Katherina looked uneasy as she looked at Neinhart¡¯s profile. ¡°¡ªPardon me, but why did you call us here? I don¡¯t think it¡¯s possible, but you won¡¯t be sending the Seventh Army out for this one, right?¡± The Seventh Army defeated the Crimson Knights, but they suffered substantial losses too. Right now, the Seventh Army¡¯s priority was to stabilize the newly recovered north of the Kingdom, and couldn¡¯t spare the effort to reinforce the Central War Theatre. Claudia was just asking in passing, she was sure Neinhart already considered that. ¡°Of course I know that is impossible.¡± ¡°Then what is it?¡± ¡°We are mobilizing the guards in the Central region, and we expect to muster a force of 6,000. ¡°Could it be...!?¡± Neinhart nodded firmly, and turned to Olivia. ¡°You are right, First Lieutenant Claudia. We hope Major Olivia can lead this unit to reinforce the Second Army.¡± However, Olivia rejected Neinhart without any hesitation. ¡°Don¡¯t wanna. My investigation isn¡¯t done yet. Besides, Ashton promised to treat me to delicious cakes in the capital, and I had not eaten any yet.¡± ¡°Hey, hold up. Now isn¡¯t the time to talk about that.¡± Ashton advised her, but Olivia turned her head away with puffed cheeks. From Claudia¡¯s experience, it was incredibly difficult to convince Olivia when she was like this. As expected, no matter how hard Ashton tried to persuade her, Olivia¡¯s cheeks remained as puffed as a frog, and she showed no signs of giving in. ¡°I feel bad about forcing Major Olivia too...¡± Neinhart was still seated, but he lowered his head in apology. It should be noted that Neinhart wasn¡¯t just any officer, but literally a general. Before Katherina could say anything more, Olivia answered: ¡°Then send someone else. I already said I¡¯m busy with my research in the library.¡± Olivia was adamant. Normally, the orders of her superiors were absolute, but Olivia didn¡¯t care about all that. Right now, Olivia had an air about her that said if they forced her to obey this order, she would just resign and leave. That was how important the demise of the Valedstorm house was to her. Even though the reason she was so obsessed with it wasn¡¯t clear. As the tension started to rise in the office, Ashton¡¯s eyes started wavering. Neinhart who created this situation rested his elbows on his table, and slowly interlocked his ten fingers. This was a classic Neinhart posture that Claudia was familiar with. ¡°¡ª I will make an offer that will benefit you greatly then, Major Olivia.¡± ¡°Benefit me?¡± Intrigued by this new topic, Olivia turned her head slightly in Neinhart¡¯s direction. ¡°That¡¯s right, an offer you won¡¯t want to miss. If you accept my request, then I will let you stay and research in the library as long as you want. And of course, I will iron things out with lord Paul. In any case, you need to report back to the Seventh Army the day after tomorrow, correct?¡± Brilliant move, Claudia thought. As Neinhart said, no matter what the results were, they only had one day left in the capital. And to Claudia, it was unlikely for them to determine the reason even if they had one more day. Olivia probably understood that too. Neinhart¡¯s proposal was tempting, and her puffed cheeks quickly subsided. He had not interacted with Olivia much, but Neinhart knew how to push her buttons. As expected of the First Army¡¯s adjutant known for his wiles. ¡°¡­ Really?¡± ¡°I swear on the name of Neinhart Blanche.¡± ¡°Okay! ¡ªI mean, yes Sir! Major Olivia will lead the guards to reinforce the Second Army!¡± Olivia saluted with her most brilliant smile of the day. ¢ô Royal Capital Fizz, Southern Zone In the south of the capital, there were many arenas and old buildings. On either banks of the clear Misuri rivers were filled with inns and hotels. And some of them had signboards with intrinsic and unique designs. The innovative signboard of a crow spreading its wings marked the ¡°Grey Crow Pavilion¡± that Olivia and the others were staying in. Because Ashton said this hotel¡¯s bread was tasty, Olivia who likes bread immediately agreed to lodging here. The next day after they agreed to Neinhart¡¯s request to reinforce the Second Army. Olivia¡¯s trio ate breakfast on the first floor¡¯s diner. The other guests were probably still sleeping, so the round table that could fit twenty was less than half filled. Olivia was enjoying freshly baked bread when a buffed woman came over with a tray. She was the famous owner of the Grey Crow Pavilion¡ª Anne. ¡°Olivia-chan, do you like the freshly baked walnut bread?¡± With that, Anne laid out the plates with practiced movements. It was cream stew with loads of vegetables and meat. The fragrance spurred Olivia¡¯s appetite. ¡°Yiss! Seimmij ym deltsur yllaer taht! Tespu eb ot deen on si ereht!!¡± ¡°Sigh¡­ Major, don¡¯t talk with your mouth full. I told you that so many times already. Or do you think there¡¯s no value in listening to me?¡± ¡°Hey, are you doing that on purpose?¡± Olivia shook her head hard in response to Claudia and Ashton¡¯s exasperated faces. She realized that she had stumped them again. ¡°Ahaha! Ms Claudia is as strict as ever. It¡¯s fine, this is just a mediocre dish. Olivia-chan, just do what you like.¡± Anne collected the empty plates and said with a hearty laugh. The owner in the kitchen heard that, and popped his head out. Akagi, whose broad nose and sunken eyes left a deep impression on others, grumbled unhappily: ¡°Sorry that my cooking is mediocre.¡± Anne snorted dismissively. Claudia wiped her mouth with a napkin, sat up and said: ¡°Thank you for your hospitality, Ms Anne, but this won¡¯t do. As a noble, she has to observe the adequate etiquettes when she dines.¡± Olivia shirked before Claudia¡¯s sharp gaze. She could sense that Claudia was admonishing her. Anne alternated her gaze between Olivia and Claudia, and looked dejected. ¡°Being a noble sure is hard¡­ By the way, Olivia-chan is leaving today? That makes me sad.¡± ¡°You¡¯re sad that I¡¯m leaving?¡± ¡°Of course. There aren¡¯t many customers who enjoy the food here as much as you do.¡± Anne showed a lonely smile. When she saw that, Olivia said energetically: ¡°Ms Anne, it will be fine. I will come back in no time after taking care of the Imperial Army. I still have things to do in the capital.¡± They already explained to Claris about their sudden orders to reinforce the Second Army, and Claris was asked to continue with the research. And of course, Olivia wanted to return as soon as possible to the library to search for clues on Z. In order to do so, she had to defeat the Sun Knights as fast as possible. ¡°I see. I will treat you to a good meal when you come back then.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°But if you encounter any danger, you have to run away. Be it nobles or commoners, you only have one life. God is fair on that point.¡± ¡°Hey, how long are you going to take? The guests are waking up¡ª Really now, women are really long winded.¡± The owner then realized that it was true, sleepy patrons were walking down the stairs and filling up the seats. ¡°Coming!! ¡ªSigh, what a boorish man. Alright then, the three of you make sure you come back safe¡ª and Ashton.¡± Ashton looked at Anne, surprised that she called him out. ¡°You are a man, so protect Olivia-chan well.¡± ¡°Ah, erm, yes.¡± Claudia smiled awkwardly at that, while Ashton kept nodding. Anne nodded gently, and rushed back to the kitchen. A while later, the sound of two people arguing and plates smashing came from there. Ashton looked towards the kitchen in shock, while Claudia took out a map, cleared her throat, signalling the other two to discuss the main topic. ¡°Let¡¯s discuss our plans. First, we will head to the guards mustering point, Fort Gracia. After the troops are ready, we will take the western route to reinforce the Second Army.¡± Claudia used her finger to draw out the route leading from Fort Gracia to the Central War Theatre. ¡°But will it be fine? It¡¯s a substantial number, but this is just a gathering of mobs. I don¡¯t even know if they will obey our orders. And the Sun Knights are adept in group battles, so even if we join the fray, the situation will still be dire.¡± Ashton furrowed his brows, and Olivia concurred with him. No matter how great their numbers, a loose mob wouldn¡¯t be able to win battles. ¡°Ashton is right, but we don¡¯t have the time to train them. The Second Army¡¯s situation is getting worse by the second.¡± ¡°I know, but¡­¡± Ashton still couldn¡¯t accept it, and crossed his arms with a mumble. Olivia felt she should say something that befitted a commander during times like this. So she raised her index finger and said: ¡°How about this? We tell them that those who fight hard will be rewarded with books or snacks. I¡¯m sure everyone will be motivated if we did that.¡± ¡°Hey, this isn¡¯t the time for jokes.¡± Ashton protested, but Olivia wasn¡¯t jesting at all, so Ashton¡¯s reaction surprised her. No one in the world would be dissatisfied with books and snacks. ¡°I¡¯m not kidding. Listen well, Ashton. The difference between humans and beasts is¡ª¡± ¡°Right. Olivia, I have a good idea.¡± Ashton cut off Olivia with a malicious smile. He was probably up to no good, that much was clear from his smile. Claudia felt something, and looked at Ashton in surprise and asked: ¡°Hey, are you thinking about using the Major to do something nefarious?¡± ¡°Nefarious? ¡ªI¡¯m not thinking about that at all. It¡¯s just that...¡± ¡°Just what?¡± Claudia leaned right into Ashton¡¯s face, and Ashton leaned back together with his chair. ¡°Wait! Too close! Your face is too close!¡± ¡°Forget about that, answer me now.¡± ¡°W-Well, I¡¯m thinking we should gather all the soldiers and let Olivia perform in an open exhibition¡­ Ahaha.¡± ¡°Oh? Open exhibition? What exactly do you want the Major to perform?¡± Claudia refused to let the matter rest, and Ashton averted his eyes. ¡°N-Nothing special¡­¡± ¡°Spit it out.¡± ¡°P-Put a couple of strawman on stage, and let Olivia showcase her sword skills or something.¡± Ashton glanced at Olivia. ¡°Let the Major showcase her sword skills?¡± ¡°Yes. If we did that, the soldiers will follow orders properly out of fear.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ Command them with fear, and make them obey orders like slaves?¡± ¡°Slaves is a little¡­ exaggerated, but something like that¡­¡± ¡°I see, I see. Haha. You really thought up an interesting idea.¡± ¡°R-Right¡ª Ah that hurts!¡± Claudia laughed dryly and pulled Ashton¡¯s ear. Olivia covered her face when she saw that, thinking that it was over, the demon was here. ¡°Really now¡­ the Major¡¯s armor too, why do you have all sorts of crooked ideas? Should I cut open your head and check your brains?¡± Olivia felt true terror when she heard that. She imagined Claudia smiling as she cut open Ashton¡¯s head with a knife, and found it horrifying. ¡°Please spare my head! And that incident with the armor couldn¡¯t be helped!¡± ¡°E-Erm, Claudia. I think there¡¯s no problem with me showing off my sword techniques¡ª¡± Olivia said timidly, and Claudia snapped her head towards Olivia before she could finish. For some reason, a few strands of hair were stuck to her mouth. Oh no, Olivia was sure she would have a nightmare tonight. ¡°¡ª As if. That¡¯s not good, Ashton.¡± ¡°O-Olivia!?¡± ¡°I will be going now, bye.¡± Olivia quickly swept up the rest of the stew, and ran out of the dining hall. Ignoring Ashton¡¯s eyes that were pleading for help. This wasn¡¯t desertion from the frontline, but a tactical retreat. Olivia tried to convince herself with that. Intermission: Temptation North of the Kingdom, Windsam Castle, Commander¡¯s Office ¡°This is a really tempting report.¡± Paul shared his thoughts after reading the report submitted to him. In short, Fort Astra was attacked by an army of unknown affiliation. It wasn¡¯t clear which faction had shown open hostility towards the Empire, but the content of the report was shocking. That wasn¡¯t all. It couldn¡¯t be confirmed yet, but the report states that the Crimson Knights were forced to the brink at one point. That was why Paul felt it was very tempting. Consecutive defeat would burden a unit both physically and mentally. Even the elite Crimson Knights were no exceptions. If the Seventh Army used this chance to launch an attack, there was a good chance they could seize Fort Astra. Once they achieve that, Fort Astra would serve as a bulwark against the Empire. For the Kingdom that was in dire straits, the significance of this was larger than just taking one single fort. ¡°By the way, the situation in the north has more or less stabilized.¡± Otto mentioned it as a side note, which made Paul smile awkwardly. ¡°What do you make of this?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You know what I mean.¡± ¡°¡­ Personally, I¡¯m against it.¡± ¡°You are against it¡­ the reason?¡± ¡°First is our manpower. We can only mobilize 15,000 troops at the most. In contrast, Fort Astra has around 7000 to 8000 soldiers. As Your Excellency already knows, the attacker would normally need to outnumber the defender three to one for siege battles. Even if we consider the difference in morale, we lack the numbers.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ that¡¯s what I expect from you. And the other point?¡± ¡°The problem with supplies. This is more difficult than the issue with numbers. The situation in the north has stabilized, but the supply of food is still grim.¡± ¡°Is it that bad?¡± ¡°It is. The north was hit the hardest by the economic sanctions from the Confederation of Sutherland. We just recovered the territory from the Empire, so there had not been any riots yet, but¡ª¡± Otto was hesitant to continue, and looked at Paul silently. Paul rubbed his bald head and sighed heavily. ¡°I know what you want to say. If we leave for an expedition now, we will need to take food supplies from the citizens. That¡¯s as good as playing with fire.¡± ¡°It is as you say. And food isn¡¯t the only supply that we are lacking.¡± Otto said as he handed over a list of items, which showed a deficiency in warhorses, weapons and other supplies. He already expected Paul to ask, and prepared this ahead of time. Otto was impeccable in his work. (This is such a pity.) Paul felt it was a waste after reading the report. The Crimson Knights were on their last legs, something that had never happened before. If they let this chance slip, it wouldn¡¯t come again. And of course, it would be difficult to get Alphonse to agree to this, but the Seventh Army had successfully recovered the South and North of the Kingdom. So Alphonse might have a change of heart. With Cornelius¡¯ support, Paul felt he could get permission from the king. As for the problem with food supply, they could get them from the depot in the capital, although it would take some time to transport it here. On the other hand, compared to mobilizing the troops at the expense of the citizens, this was also a good chance to tidy up the administrative affairs while the Crimson Knights were bogged down. ¡°Your Excellency, according to my calculations, if we just send 7,000 troops, then we won¡¯t need to tax the citizens¡¯ food supply.¡± Otto knew Paul¡¯s concern, and offered his suggestion. However, the content of his suggestion was strange. ¡°Did you forget what you just said? I don¡¯t think your memory is getting hazy with age, right?¡± ¡°Of course I didn¡¯t. But there are always exceptions.¡± Otto raised the corners of his lips as he said that. ¡°¡ªIs it Major Olivia again?¡± Paul said with a tone of resignation, but Otto¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°It is as you say, Your Excellency. The fame of the Death God is far bigger than we imagined. There¡¯s no reason for us not to exploit that.¡± ¡°That might be so, but aren¡¯t you overburdening her?¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes it is. I will remind you again, no matter how strong she is, she¡¯s still a girl in her teens. The daughters of noble houses around her age are all enjoying their youth right now.¡± During the Battle of Carnac, all the Seventh Army units were having it tough, and only Olivia¡¯s Autonomous Cavalry Regiment was winning their fights, and even heavily injured their commander, forcing the Crimson Knights to retreat. In the pursuit battle that follows, Olivia¡¯s unit performed admirably too. There was nothing wrong with including fear into strategies. It was a fact that during the battle of Castle Kasper, the Imperial Army surrendered early out of fear of Olivia. However, Olivia was only human. Considering her age, consecutive battles like this would be hard on her. Otto had a point, but Paul found it hard to agree with this. However, Otto didn¡¯t think much about Paul¡¯s argument. ¡°Your Excellency, why even bring that up at this juncture. That girl isn¡¯t normal at all. You just need to feed her properly, and she will charge into battle with a full head of steam.¡± ¡°What do you mean by feeding her properly, you are really¡­¡± ¡°Your Excellency, the war is turning in our favor for the past year and a half. But we can¡¯t rest on our laurels. Like I said back then, I will use anyone I can, even girls or old ladies. That¡¯s all there is to it.¡± Otto¡¯s brutal ideology rendered Paul speechless, but he wasn¡¯t done yet: ¡°As for the concrete plan¡­ How about this. We will prepare 100 banners with the Valedstorm emblem. The Major will brandish these banners when she marches in. It won¡¯t cost much, and will produce great results.¡± Otto smiled nefariously as he laid out his schemes. Paul thought to himself, ¡°So this man that the others call the iron masked man is so emotive.¡± ¡°No matter what, we will need the support of the Lord Field Marshal. And to execute your plans, we will need the key figure, Major Olivia, who isn¡¯t here right now.¡± ¡°I remember she is in the capital right now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. She should be coming back soon¡­¡± With that, Paul leaned back heavily into his chair and closed his eyes. ¡ª Some time later. An urgent report from Neinhart defied the expectations of Paul and the others. The Sun Knights that had been conserving their strengths were finally hoisting their war banners. Volume 3, 3: The Dark Flower Dancing in the Line of Death Volume 3, Chapter 3: The Dark Flower Dancing in the Line of Death Translator: Skythewood Editor: Hiiro ¢ñ Central War Theatre, Second Army, Basecamp ¡°Your Excellency, the second defence line has fallen. The commander Major Ignatz was killed in action. The Sun Knights will start their assault on the third defence line soon.¡± Captain Liz couldn¡¯t hide her nervousness. Two weeks had passed since the Sun Knights clad in silver armor showed up in the Central War Theatre. The Second Army resisted with all their might, but were still losing ground steadily. ¡°The Sun Knights, huh¡­ To think the first and second defence line got broken so easily.¡± ¡°They are different from their average unit.¡± ¡°True. It¡¯s no wonder that they took down Fort Kiel.¡± Brad answered as he looked at the deployment map on the long table. There were stone walls around the third defensive line, and the roads were narrow. The defenders had a great advantage in terrain here, making this a terrific place for a smaller force to hold out against a larger one. ¡°Are we all set?¡± ¡°Yes. We have set up steel nets along their attack routes, which would slow down the enemy. Our longbowmen would lay down continuous fire in six stages of volley at their front and top.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good enough. We should be able to buy some time with that¡ª More importantly, any news on our reinforcements?¡± Liz¡¯s face twitched at the mention of reinforcement, and Brad didn¡¯t miss that. ¡°¡­ An urgent message came in, the First Army still needs some time to move out.¡± ¡°Tch! So the king wants us to die?¡± ¡°Your Excellency! ¡ªYou are too loud. You will get executed for lese majeste. I understand your dissatisfaction, but don¡¯t lose your composure.¡± Cautious of the soldiers¡¯ gazes, Liz said with a self deprecating tone. Brad didn¡¯t care and smacked the table angrily. Liz quickly changed the topic: ¡°In their stead, Major Olivia of the Seventh Army will be coming to our aid with reinforcements.¡± ¡°Major Olivia? ¡ªThe girl that the Imperial Army calls Death God¡­ Isn¡¯t the Seventh Army bogged down in the north?¡± Brad was aware of the Seventh Army¡¯s victory over the Crimson Knights. It was great news, but the Seventh Army also suffered serious losses. Right now, the Seventh Army had their hands full just with the defence of the north, even Paul couldn¡¯t spare the troops to support the Central War Theatre. ¡°Major Olivia just happens to be in the capital. According to the reports, the guards in the Central region are being mustered on the orders of Brigadier General Neinhart.¡± ¡°Just happen to be there, huh¡­¡± Brad lit a cigarette. Brad had no idea how good that Death God girl actually was, but he couldn¡¯t wager the life of the entire Second Army on a girl he had never met before. In that case, he had to make a decision. Brad smiled sinisterly to motivate himself. ¡°Your Excellency?¡± ¡°Captain Liz, just to be safe, make preparations for a retreat. And of course, I will take on the role of rearguard.¡± ¡°Your Excellency!¡± Liz looked at Brad with a sharp gaze. Brad understood what she wanted to say, but he refused to barge on this. This was a matter of Brad¡¯s pride. ¡°Don¡¯t be so mad. I¡¯m not honorable enough to sacrifice everyone in order to protect our kingdom. It will be fine, don¡¯t worry. I will take responsibility for this.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not worried about that! I¡¯m¡ª!¡± ¡°Captain, I gave you an order. Repeat it back to me.¡± Seeing that Liz was refusing to back down, Brad stared at her sternly. ¡°¡­ Yes Sir, I will make the preparations to retreat.¡± ¡°Good. Get it done.¡± Liz saluted weakly, and left the place with heavy footsteps. ¡°¡ªPeople shouldn¡¯t live to protect their country, it is the country that exists to protect the people. That¡¯s what you always say, Gramps Paul.¡± Brad watched the sun sink below the horizon and blew out a puff of white smoke. Holy Nation of Mekia, La Shaim Castle, Hall of Flight Outside the Mekia style window frame, everything was covered in snow. The snow reflected the brilliant light from the sun, making the Hall of Flight look even more elegant. ¡°Amelia. Good work with your trip to ¡°send them our regards¡±.¡± Sofitia complimented Amelia who was kneeling before her. ¡°Thank you for your kind words. It¡¯s a pity that the results aren¡¯t as good as I hoped.¡± Lara quivered when she heard what Amelia said. ¡°The results aren¡¯t good? That¡¯s strange. I heard you completed the mission?¡± According to the report from the Owl, Amelia dealt a heavy blow to the Crimson Knights with a surprise attack. They also suffered some losses, but it was trivial when compared to the enemy. Amelia¡¯s performance was definitely great. ¡°The report I received also stated that the mission was a success. Chiliarch Amelia, refrain from sprouting nonsense before the Holy Angel.¡± Lara glared at Amelia. ¡°It¡¯s not nonsense. I encountered one of the Imperial Tri-General, Felixus von Sieger, but failed to take his head.¡± Amelia raised her head with a vexed expression. ¡°Oh, you mean that. Don¡¯t mind that, your opponent is Lord Sieger that commands the Azure Knights after all, killing him is no easy task. Or rather, you did well to return back safely after running into him. So, Amelia, you have gathered information about him, right?¡± Out of all the Imperial Tri-Generals, Felixus von Sieger was the only one who was shrouded in mystery. He seldom appears on the battlefield, and even the Owl had a hard time collecting intel on him. As a Chiliarch, Amelia wouldn¡¯t let such a great opportunity slip. As expected, Amelia answered with a nod: ¡°Of course.¡± Sofitia smiled at that. ¡°There¡¯s no problem then. Amelia, you did great, I will give you your reward later. Have a good rest for now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m deeply honored by your grace, Holy Angel.¡± Amelia stood up, bowed, and left the Hall of Flight. ¡°¡ªFufu. So Lara, I told you so. Amelia completed her mission splendidly.¡± ¡°Yes, my lady. I¡¯m impressed by your foresight, Holy Angel.¡± Lara bowed deeply. Her lustrous silver hair hung from her shoulders to her chest. ¡°There¡¯s no need to flatter me. By the way, have the Sun Knights that have been hiding in Fort Kiel finally moved?¡± ¡°It is as you say, our reports say that they have already engaged the Second Army.¡± ¡°I see¡­ Who do you think will win?¡± The Hall of Flight fell silent for a moment, but Lara quickly answered: ¡°¡ª The commander of the Second Army is said to be very outstanding, but the Sun Knights will most likely win. After all, the differences in numbers are too great.¡± Sofitia largely agreed with Lara¡¯s opinion. The Second Army was probably exhausted, but still managed to defend the Central War Theatre by themselves so far. Like Lara said, they definitely had a great commander. If possible, Sofita would want to recruit him to her cause. You can never have too many good ¡®chess pieces¡¯. ¡°The Empire has finally run out of patience.¡± ¡°The Imperial Army suffered consecutive losses. They still had the overwhelming advantage, but they couldn¡¯t let this situation continue. This was the right time for the Empire to launch an attack.¡± Sofitia rests her cheek on her right hand and sighed. ¡°This will be difficult. If the Holy Winged Legion interferes any further, the Empire will catch on to us¡­¡± The Imperial Army weren¡¯t fools, and they also had the intel bureau Heat Haze. It would only be a matter of time before they found out that Fort Astra was attacked by the Holy Nation, but it was still too early to publicize this truth. The Holy Nation still needs some time to prepare, before they would be ready to engage the Imperial Army directly. But if the Second Army fell, the Empire might march right for the Royal Capital. The Farnesse Kingdom would then be just one step short of being ¡®checkmate¡±, and the Arsbelt Empire¡¯s dominance over the continent would be assured. This dilemma stood before Sofitia. ¡°Holy Winged Legion is ready to strike. What are your orders?¡± Lara requested Sofitia to make a decision, and the Knight escorts standing by the wall all knelt down. The creaking of armor echoed in the Hall of Flight. ¡°¡ªWe will watch from the sideline this time. No matter how ignorant King Alphonse is, he will have to send out the First Army to engage the enemy. This might sound strange, but let¡¯s pray to Goddess Citresia for the Royal Army¡¯s victory.¡± ¡°The will of the Holy Angel shall be done.¡± Lara placed her left hand that was glowing with the jade green light of the ¡°Sky Serpent Sorcery Circle¡± onto her chest, and bowed respectfully. Royal Capital Fizz Leticia Castle, Audience Hall ¡°Your Majesty, I already explained the urgency of the matter, won¡¯t you grant us your permission?¡± The commander of the First Army, Field Marshal Cornelius stepped forth with an expression of grief. It was noon. The Audience Hall illuminated by the sun was filled with tension. ¡°Stop nagging, gramps. I have repeated myself many times. I will never send out the First Army. Besides, the guards in the Central Region had already been mustered and sent to reinforce the Second Army.¡± From the very start, Alphonse objected to the mobilization of the guards too. Sending them away would result in the deterioration of public order, and adversely affect the economics of the city. Even so, Alphonse would rather send the guards instead of the First Army, so he reluctantly agreed to that. If he despatch the First Army now, that would be putting the cart in front of the horse. ¡°But they are only 6,000 strong.¡± ¡°6,000 is one whole division, is that not enough?¡± ¡°Your Majesty, the Sun Knights number 40,000. If we add the other units participating in their campaign, they will have 80,000 men. In contrast, the Second Army has just 2,000 troops. Even with 6,000 reinforcements, the gulf in numbers is too great.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it the duty of the soldiers to turn the situation around with strategy and tactics? You can¡¯t expect the numbers on both sides to be even for every battle, right?¡± ¡°Pardon me for being blunt, but there¡¯s a limit to that. Your Majesty will be right if the difference in number is within a certain threshold. But like I said, this is far beyond that limit. Furthermore, our opponent is the Sun Knights, commanded by the leader of the Imperial Army. Please reconsider my liege.¡± Cornelius stared at Alphonse with bloodshot eyes, with the vigor no one would expect from a 70 years old man. Before Alphonse even realized it, his back was drenched in sweat. ¡°¡­ But the Seventh Army defeated the Crimson Knights. How do you explain that?¡± The Seventh Army overturned the overwhelming disadvantage in numbers, and won against the Crimson Knights. The situation back then was somewhat similar to the present. However, Cornelius concluded that the Second Army couldn¡¯t achieve the same thing. Alphonse didn¡¯t feel that the Crimson and Sun Knights were all that different, and wasn¡¯t convinced. ¡°Please think of that victory as an exception. Not anyone can repeat that feat, not even me.¡± Alphonse asked angrily: ¡°Gramps, is that something the Field Marshal of the Royal Army should be saying!? Why don¡¯t you hand your post over to Paul, and demote yourself to General instead?¡± Alphonse¡¯s bodyguards gasped when they heard that, and focused their gazes onto Cornelius. After a moment of silence, Cornelius said slowly: ¡°If this is what it will take for your permission to mobilize the First Army, then I have no complaints.¡± Cornelius knelt on one knee and hung his head reveredly. Alphonse didn¡¯t expect Cornelius to agree, and changed his tone: ¡°Forget that, I was just speaking in jest.¡± ¡°¡ªYour Majesty, I will use this chance to make this clear. After the Second Army falls, it won¡¯t be long before the Royal Capital Fizz is caught in the flames of war. When that happens, the doom of the Farnesse Kingdom would be inevitable. The Kingdom that spanned for nearly 600 years will then end with King Alphonse.¡± Cornelius raised his head and offered his harsh advice. He was implying that Alphonse¡¯s mistake will be the downfall of the Kingdom. Alphonse was enraged when he heard that: ¡°Damn it¡­ Even if it¡¯s you, Gramps, those words deserve death!¡± Alphonse turned around and reached for his bodyguard¡¯s waist. ¡°Y-Your Majesty!! What are you...!?¡± ¡°Give it to me!¡± ¡°Y-You can¡¯t!!¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Alphonse snatched a sword from the bodyguard who was backing away in panic, and looked at the kneeling Cornelius with rage in his eyes. ¡°Brace yourself.¡± Alphonse slowly walked down from the elevated platform to Cornelius, and placed the blade on his throat. All the bodyguards desperately plead for his mercy. Death awaits if he didn¡¯t take action, but Cornelius was unfazed. This made Alphonse even more mad. ¡°¡­ You think I¡¯m playing!?¡± Cornelius shook his head gently. ¡°I¡¯m already prepared for this. I would rather not see the fall of the Kingdom, and Your Majesty¡ª My young liege Alphonse walked up to the execution grounds. So end me here.¡± With that, Cornelius placed his sword on the floor and closed his eyes. He showed no fear in the face of imminent death. Alphonse looked at him silently, then retracted his sword weakly. ¡°¡ª Alright then, it¡¯s my loss. I won¡¯t say anything more, so do what you want, Gramps. If the Kingdom ever falls, I won¡¯t bear a grudge towards you.¡± Alphonse then patted the shoulder of Cornelius who had his eyes closed. Alphonse would probably never forget the scene before him. There was no way he would forget the tears of the Ever Victorious General, the hero whose fame reached the very end of the continent. (It¡¯s finally over¡­) The sentry moved, and the door to the Audience Hall opened slowly. After catching sight of Cornelius, Neinhart hurried up to him and asked: ¡°Field Marshal Sir¡­ what happened?¡± Neinhart noticed that Cornelius¡¯ eyes were red. ¡°¡ªHmm? Neinhart, huh¡­ Don¡¯t mind me, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Cornelius stroked his white beard, and waved his right hand to indicate that there weren''t any problems. ¡°I see¡­ so what¡¯s the verdict?¡± After asking the matter that would decide the future of the Kingdom, Neinhart gulped. Cornelius paused for a moment, then gently patted Neinhart¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Prepare the First Army to move out. Pass down the news.¡± ¡°You mean...?¡± ¡°His Majesty granted us his permission.¡± Cornelius who looked a little tired smiled faintly. ¡°That¡¯s wonderful news!¡± ¡°And His Majesty conferred me with command of the military in the near future.¡± ¡°What!?¡± It was a rare sight to see Neinhart raise his voice. Command of the military. That means Cornelius would be free to deploy the army without needing to consult with Alphonse. He didn¡¯t know what they discussed, but this was an unexpected piece of good news. ¡°I will command this battle personally. We will field an army of 40,000. General Lambert will stay and defend the capital with 7,000 troops.¡± ¡°I understand, Sir.¡± ¡°¡ª Hoist the banner of the First Army in the capital.¡± ¡°Yes Sir!!¡± Neinhart saluted crisply. ¢ò Central War Theatre, Sun Knights Basecamp In the middle of a war conference, Field Marshal Graden received a report from a messenger that the First Army had set off from the capital. ¡°¡ªI see. The First Army has finally made their move.¡± Since the start of the battle, the First Army had not left their post of defending the capital. The slumbering lion has finally woken, and Graden felt his blood was boiling. ¡°The First Army is around 40,000 strong. They have reached the foot of Koborg mountain.¡± When the officers heard that report, they looked at the map laid out on the table. The Koborg mountain was just a hill away from the Second Army¡¯s defence line. ¡°It seems that the First Army intends to cut off our retreat path.¡± The Sun Knights¡¯ head strategist, Brigadier General Oscar Remnant, said as he pointed at the Nobis Plains. That was right behind the Sun Knights¡¯ basecamp. ¡°I see, they are planning a pincer attack before the Second Army is defeated. That¡¯s a surefooted strategy¡­ Gentlemen, what are your thoughts on this?¡± Graden surveyed the room and asked. A man seated in the corner stood up excitedly. He was the youngest officer present¡ª Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Galli. ¡°Field Marshal Graden Sir, the Second Army is on their last legs. In my humble opinion, we should crush the Second Army in one sweep, and head straight for the Royal Capital Fizz.¡± Alexander waved his hands as he laid out his grand plan, his eyes filled with narcissism, rendering the rest of the officers speechless. ¡°Are there any other opinions?¡± Graden asked again, and Brigadier General Oscar said: ¡°In any case, the First Army is still the most elite unit of the Kingdom. I propose we turn around and engage them with the full might of the Sun Knights.¡± All the officers save Alexander expressed their consent. Alexander wanted to protest, but Graden waved him off. ¡°I know what you want to say, Alexander. Crushing the Second Army in one sweep is one option. But this time, I have decided to go with Head Strategist Oscar¡¯s proposal.¡± Alexander¡¯s face started twitching midway through. ¡°¡ª I don¡¯t mean to question the Field Marshal¡¯s decision, but may I know the reason why?¡± ¡°Do you even need to ask? Because the enemy commander is probably the Ever Victorious General Cornelius.¡± A mocking laughter made Alexander¡¯s face twitch even more. It came from Lieutenant General Patrick who was in his forties. He was a burly and rotund man who earned numerous war merits in the Sun Knights. His contributions were instrumental in the capture of Fort Kiel. ¡°I have long heard of the Ever Victorious General Cornelius. My ears almost grew numb from hearing about him in the Military Academy. Pardon me for being forthright, but he is just a moldy old man now. There¡¯s no need for Field Marshal Graden to fight him personally.¡± Alexander¡¯s words made Graden smile awkwardly. ¡°It¡¯s good to be young, but sometimes, it will kill you. You need to study a little more.¡± ¡°¡­ My apologies, but may I know what you mean?¡± Alexander frowned and was clearly upset. Graden sighed in his heart. It seemed that Alexander was doomed to be short lived. This war in the Central War Theatre was a harsh place where soldiers with excessive pride like him would die. Leaving that aside, Graden craved to engage Cornelius in this battle. During the ending period of the warring era, Cornelius¡¯ accomplishments were as numerous as the stars. It was an honor to parley with a great hero like the Ever Victorious General. As the highest ranking officer of the Imperial Army, and as a soldier, Graden was determined not to let this chance slip. ¡°You will understand at the end of this battle¡ª Well then, we will reorganize our forces. I will take 30,000 Sun Knights main forces and 10,000 reserves to engage the First Army. The rest will continue the battle with the Second Army.¡± Ignoring Alexander who was sitting down reluctantly, Graden issued his orders. He divided his 80,000 troops equally in half. Graden assigned more Sun Knights under his command, as he was wary of the First Army. ¡ªThe officers nodded in agreement, and Patrick stood up and said: ¡°Field Marshal Sir, please leave the Second Army to me.¡± No one objected to his request. Despite his brusque appearance, Patrick was calm and organized in his planning. When he goes on the offensive, the attack prowess of his men were unmatched. Everyone felt he was the best choice. ¡°Alright then, I will leave the attack on the Second Army to you. Don¡¯t let your guard down, a cornered rat will bite the cat.¡± ¡°Yes Sir! This matter is in good hands. I will destroy the Second Army swiftly and remove the threat of a pincer attack, so you can have a good fight against the First Army.¡± ¡°Well said, I hope you keep that in mind.¡± Patrick saluted, and the seated Graden nodded to acknowledge him. The Second Army was putting up a more stubborn resistance than expected. The commander was clearly formidable, since he managed to hold the Central War Theatre with just his lone army. Graden didn¡¯t think Patrick would lose, but war was full of uncertainties. No victory could be guaranteed. After all the officers left, Oscar who was holding a cup in his right hand asked: ¡°Your Grace, is it really fine to leave this to Lieutenant General Patrick?¡± Graden took a sip of tea, and looked at Oscar who seemed troubled. It seemed the head strategist had something to say. ¡°You are worried?¡± ¡°¡­ More or less. The fact is, the commander of the Second Army is the type who uses unorthodox strategies. On the other hand, Lieutenant General Patrick¡¯s character trends towards fighting fair and square. I¡¯m not saying his character isn¡¯t good, but he is a bad match for his opponent.¡± Graden already knew the problem Oscar pointed out. But when he put courage and compatibility on a scale, it tipped towards courage. Patrick was reliable on this aspect. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I made my decision after considering this issue.¡± ¡°In that case, I won¡¯t speak further. I will proceed with the reorganization of the unit.¡± ¡°I will be counting on you.¡± ¡°Yes Sir.¡± Oscar saluted and left the tent briskly. ¡°In this battle, I will personally wipe the Ever Victorious General from the face of the earth.¡± Graden muttered with a sinister smile on his face. Central War Theatre, Second Army Basecamp When Liz rushed over, Brad was formulating battle plans with his subordinates at a table. She saluted Brad as usual, caught her breath, then said: ¡°Your Excellency, a report from the Third Defence line.¡± ¡°Hmm? Didn¡¯t we just get a report?¡± Brad said as he took out a watch that had a dull shade of gold. He opened the cover and checked, confirming that the last report came less than an hour ago. Brad furrowed his brows. ¡°The situation has changed. The Sun Knights have stopped their attack, and are withdrawing in an orderly fashion.¡± ¡°Withdraw...? Did we deal such a serious blow to them?¡± The Second Army had the upper hand in the Third Defensive line, but the enemy kept up their attacks. Brad was just speaking in jest, he didn¡¯t think his unit could inflict a heavy enough loss on the enemy to force them to retreat. Brad wasn¡¯t that optimistic. ¡°No, the enemy¡¯s losses aren¡¯t that great. The commander of the Third Defensive line, First Lieutenant Alabaster, was baffled by this too.¡± Liz said with a confused expression. ¡°We didn¡¯t inflict a heavy blow on them, which means¡­¡± The most likely reason was that something happened to the enemy commander. Maybe he fell ill and couldn¡¯t command, and had to retreat. If he boldly let his mind loose, maybe Emperor Ramza¡ª (No, that¡¯s too delusional¡­) War wouldn¡¯t progress in the way he wanted. Brad laughed at himself, and Liz looked at him with worried eyes. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I just thought that the enemy commander might have fallen ill or something.¡± When Brad said that out loud, he realized how delusional that sounds. If that was true, the enemy wouldn¡¯t be retreating orderly, and there would be some disarray in their movements. Hence, the enemy was retreating with a purpose in mind. ¡°That might be so, but from the measured movements of the enemy, that seemed unlikely.¡± Liz arrived at the same conclusion. Brad lit a cigarette, took a big puff, and then asked: ¡°¡ªThen why did they pull back?¡± ¡°Let me think¡­¡± A moment later, Liz continued: ¡°Maybe Major Olivia¡¯s unit is nearby? The Empire fears Major Olivia, so they decide to withdraw and reorganize.¡± After hearing Liz¡¯s thoughts, the officers all looked at each other with faces that had lightened up. Brad looked at them with pitiful eyes and said: ¡°I don¡¯t mean to throw a cold blanket, but this isn¡¯t the reason.¡± ¡°Why do you say that?¡± Brad laughed wryly in response to Liz¡¯s combative eyes. The other officers more or less reacted the same way. Like them, Brad wanted to grab onto a lifeline too. ¡°Think about it. No matter how much the Empire fears the Death God, she only has 6,000 men with her. That¡¯s not enough to force an army to retreat. But your idea is on the right track¡­¡± After listening to Liz, Brad was sure of it now. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Like Captain Liz said, the Sun Knights are withdrawing to reorganize.¡± ¡°But Your Excellency, you just refuted that¡­ Oh!?¡± Liz yelped, and Brad looked at her with a malicious smile. ¡°You finally got it.¡± ¡°Yes! The First Army is finally here!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Liz clasped her hands before her breasts and tears in her eyes. Her prayers had finally been answered. He knew this didn¡¯t suit his style, but Brad still took out a handkerchief and stuffed it into Liz¡¯s hands. ¡°T-Thank you very much.¡± Liz was surprised. She took off her glasses to wipe her eyes, then smiled brilliantly. Brad felt a little bashful and scratched the back of his head. (Alright¡­ the real battle starts now.) If Brad was right, the First Army should be nearby, and the situation would turn for the better. However, it would take some time for the First Army to get to the battlefield. Before that, the Second Army was still in dire straits. The nonstop battles had pushed their unit to exhaustion. Brad cleared his throat and ordered Liz: ¡°The enemy¡¯s withdrawal is a good chance. Let the men have a proper rest.¡± ¡°Yes Sir.¡± ¡°And make sure their bellies are filled.¡± ¡°Yes Sir!¡± The voice of Liz¡¯s light hearted response penetrated deep into Brad¡¯s heart. ¢ó From the Desert City Keffin, and traveling one day on horseback to the northwest, you would reach Fort Gracia. Fort Gracia was built on an island in the middle of a lake, where the water was clear and abundant. Erected in the warring era, Fort Gracia was a small but sturdy fort. There was only one stone bridge that led into the fort, and enemies could be easily taken out by defending that bridge. At a glance, it was great for defences. However, the Royal Army in the current day didn¡¯t place much importance in Fort Gracia. The reason was simple, Fort Gracia¡¯s supply line would be cut off by blockading that very bridge. In other words, Fort Gracia had many flaws from its fundamental designs. The older generation wondered why a fort would be built in such a place, and it was still a mystery now. Currently, Fort Gracia¡¯s commander was a high ranking officer who lost in a political power struggle. This useless fort became the final appointments for these exiled officers. And so, Fort Gracia was secretly called ¡°Dusk Fort¡± by the Royal Army. After leaving the Grey Crow Pavilion, Olivia and company bid farewell to Neinhart and Katherina, then headed for Fort Gracia. With Olivia on her trusty steed Comet in the center, 20 burly built male soldiers formed a ring around them. They were Neinhart¡¯s soldiers, tasked with the escort of Olivia¡¯s group. Olivia turned him down in the beginning, as she felt there wasn¡¯t a need. She could protect herself, and it was the same for Claudia. Ashton needed an escort, but Olivia could do that herself. She only agreed because of Claudia¡¯s gloomy smile. The riders moved swiftly towards Fort Gracia. Three days later¡ª ¡°Major, this is Fort Gracia.¡± After passing through a road in the woods, Claudia pointed the fort out. To the open space to the west, a round fort built in the center of the lake could be seen clearly. The sun dyed the sky red as if it was on fire, and this sight was reflected on the lake, creating a fantasy-like scene. ¡°So pretty! Look, Ashton. It¡¯s so beautiful, like a scene out of a drawing book.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t particularly care about the scenery. Olivia, you are always so carefree and without worries.¡± Ashton who was riding beside her said lacklusterly. ¡°Why do you look so pale?¡± The book said that people who weren¡¯t moved by beautiful sceneries have mental issues. Olivia regurgitated this fact to Ashton, and he sighed heavily. ¡°We will be battling the Sun Knights next, I¡¯m not in the mood to admire the scenery.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°I see¡­ You are taking things so lightly, and aren¡¯t worried about anything.¡± ¡°That¡¯s my strong point. Isn¡¯t that right, Comet?¡± Olivia tapped Comet¡¯s neck, and it neighed with gusto. ¡°Don¡¯t say that yourself. And don¡¯t seek affirmation from a horse.¡± ¡°Ashton, haven¡¯t you heard about man and horse being of one mind? If you want to ride freely on the battlefield, it is important to communicate with your horse¡ª Right, Comet?¡± Comet neighed again, and Olivia puffed out her breasts proudly. ¡°Ughh! I¡¯m actually convinced by your logic. Fine, I can¡¯t understand horses or master basic swordsmanship either.¡± Ashton shrugged, and stared ahead weakly. Claudia observed their interaction from the side with a faint smile. As they walked along the lake and crossed the lone stone bridge, Claudia¡¯s group finally made it to the fort gates. It was probably untouched by the flames of war, so despite being a fort erected in the warring era, it didn¡¯t look battered at all. Claudia took a deep breath, and yelled at the guards on the walls: ¡°I¡¯m a Royal Knight, First Lieutenant Claudia Jung! You should have been notified already! Open the gates!¡± ¡°R-Right away!¡± The soldiers whispered to each other, and was quickly gone. Claudia and company dismounted and waited for a while, and the gates slowly opened with a creak. A stout man leading a large group of soldiers appeared behind the gates. ¡°You must be tired from your long journey. I¡¯m the commander of Fort Gracia, Dominic Eckhardt.¡± Dominic whose uniform might burst at any moment introduced himself. On his collar was three silver stars that signified the rank of Colonel. ¡°We¡¯re honored that the commander came to welcome us personally. I¡¯m First Lieutenant Claudia Jung of the Seventh Army, and this is¡ª¡± ¡°Yes, no need for introductions. The famous Death God, Olivia Valedstorm, I presume?¡± Dominic looked at Olivia with a lewd grin. It was unpleasant, but they couldn¡¯t complain directly since he was a superior officer. In any case, this man left a terrible first impression. ¡°Yes! I¡¯m Major Olivia Valedstorm!¡± On the other hand, Olivia didn¡¯t mind Dominic¡¯s attitude and answered obediently. ¡°I see. I already heard about your beauty, but didn¡¯t expect you to be at such a high level.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, like a unique piece of art.¡± Dominic said as he checked Olivia out with a lewd gaze. Claudia could hear Ashton behind them clicking his tongue. (I know how Ashton feels. What a shameless man.) Claudia stood before the oblivious Olivia and asked about the mustering of the troops. Dominic stood stiffly for a moment before continuing: ¡°You mean the mustering of the guards? It¡¯s already done.¡± Claudia suppressed her anger towards Dominic¡¯s nonchalant attitude, and said as calmly as possible: ¡°In that case, we will leave with the troops first thing tomorrow morning¡ª¡± ¡°No no no, First Lieutenant. That won¡¯t do.¡± Dominic cut Claudia off, waving his arms exaggeratedly. It was Claudia¡¯s turn to become stiff. ¡°¡ªHuh? What did you just say?¡± ¡°Your hearing is going at such a young age? I said that won¡¯t do.¡± Dominic shrugged, and loudly ordered his subordinates to close the gate. At the same time, the soldiers around him surrounded Claudia¡¯s company. Their weapons that should be pointed at the enemies, were directed at their allies. ¡°Colonel Dominic, what¡¯s going on here? If this is a joke, then you are going too far.¡± Claudia stayed near the hapless Ashton, and gripped the hilt of her sword. Neinhart¡¯s men had already drawn their weapons. ¡°Joke? ¡ªUnfortunately, I hate jokes.¡± Dominic sneered as the hundred soldiers slowly tightened their encirclement. Now that she thought about it, the signs were all there. When she requested for the gates to be opened, the soldiers acted very suspiciously. The commander welcomed them personally, so he was prepared for this. And the large number of armed guards. There had already been cases of traitors appearing in the Royal Army, but Claudia didn¡¯t expect a Colonel who was a commander of a fort to do so. (I¡¯m still too green¡­) Claudia unleashed her Celestial Eyes, and prepared for the worst. ¡°¡ª May I know the reason?¡± ¡°Reason? The reason, huh¡­ very well, I have a soft spot for beauties after all¡ª Do you know what the troops call Fort Gracia in secret?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Dust fort.¡± Dominic nodded unhappily. ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m an outstanding man, but got exiled here because of bad fortune. The life here is terrible. There¡¯s no fragrant wine nor pretty ladies to spend the night with me. This is no different from a prison.¡± Dominic lamented his misfortune. To the others, his reasons were nonsensical. Claudia had gone beyond being angry and just felt speechless. ¡°You betrayed the Kingdom just because of that?¡± ¡°Just that? What do you mean by ¡®just that¡¯? You won¡¯t understand how I feel about being relegated to this damn place!¡± Dominic threw his command baton into the ground and stomped on it furiously. A man who looked like his attendant tried to soothe him. ¡°Hah, hah¡­ Forget it. I¡¯m outstanding enough for the Empire to take me in, but if I present them with the head of the Death God, they will give me a high post. Your visit isn¡¯t a coincidence, it must be the blessing of Goddess Citresia for all the good deeds I have done.¡± ¡°¡ªHey, so Colonel Dominic is the enemy?¡± The confused Olivia asked, and Claudia nodded: ¡°He is planning to betray the Kingdom and join the Empire.¡± ¡°I see. So he is the enemy!¡± Olivia nodded, finally figuring out the situation. Dominic said with an apologetic face: ¡°Oh, forgive me. Forgive me, as I have to kill a beauty like you. Your head is more valuable than any gem in the world. I will at least pray that it will be painless¡ª¡± It happened in a blink of an eye. Claudia couldn¡¯t have kept track of Olivia if she didn¡¯t activate her Celestial Eyes. Olivia sprinted to Dominic with lightning speed. One beat later, Dominic¡¯s head rolled onto the ground. Blood then spurted out of his body that fell with a loud thud. Both sides were stunned, and Olivia¡¯s bell-like voice rang out: ¡°One done. Who else is the enemy?¡± Olivia rested the blood stained dark sword on her shoulder, and looked around her enthusiastically. The soldiers finally realized the situation, and tossed aside their weapons before kneeling down. Fifteen minutes after Dominic started his revolution. Fort Gracia fell into Olivia¡¯s hands. ¢ô Central War Theatre, Freiberg Highlands, Patrick Army Basecamp Patrick, who had been tasked by Graden to defeat the Second Army kept breaking through the defence lines of the Second Army, and finally pushed them to the Freiberg Highlands. Pushed to the brink, the Second Army had nowhere else to run. If they crushed the Second Army here, the way to the capital would be clear. ¡°Looks like they found their hill to die on.¡± Twin star gold lion. At the sight of the numerous banners of the Second Army, his adjutant Major Ares said: ¡°Yes, it finally came to this.¡± ¡°Mere parlor tricks, how revolting.¡± For Patrick, there was no point in battles that weren¡¯t fair and square. However, he couldn¡¯t force his opponents to act in the way he wants. Using steel webs to stall the enemy, digging trenches to change the river flow, breaking river dams, and even simple pitfalls. This went completely against a straight up fight, which disgusted Patrick. ¡°Sir, war is a dirty affair. Battles are full of deceits, and the enemy commander is proficient at that. If possible, I even want to recruit him to our cause.¡± However, Ares had opposite views from Patrick. ¡°Hmmp. You are really enamoured with the enemy.¡± ¡°Outstanding individuals deserve praise, be they friend or foe.¡± Ares who was a well learned military scholar explained his principle. That was enough for Patrick to vent out the anger that had been accumulating all this time. ¡°You are lecturing now!? Why do you like to drone on about unnecessary things!?¡± Ares shrugged with an awkward smile. Patrick sighed at Ares¡¯ attitude, and looked at the triangular formation of the Second Army. ¡°But to use a wedge formation at this juncture¡­ They are not giving up.¡± ¡°Unlike us, they are already exhausted¡­¡± Ares was implying something, and Patrick knew that. ¡°Hmmp. They must have received news that the First Army is coming.¡± To stop the Second Army from getting intel about the First Army¡¯s arrival, Graden deployed a large number of work teams in the area to block any flow of information. Even so, the Second Army¡¯s morale showed no signs of waning, so the reason was obvious. ¡°That should be it. We didn¡¯t place much hope in it working in the first place.¡± Patrick grunted at Ares. ¡°Of course. This might sound rude to the Field Marshal, but the information blockade is just a waste of time. Instead of using tricks like that, we are better off crushing the enemy head on.¡± ¡°Leaving that aside for now, what should we do? Normally, we should attack in waves to probe the enemy.¡± ¡°Stupid question. You should know what I¡¯m thinking.¡± ¡°Well, Your Grace¡¯s train of thought is quite easy to grasp.¡± Ares smiled faintly at that. He had a tendency to nag, but Ares was a competent man that Patrick trusts deeply. ¡°It¡¯s settled then. What we need to do is to keep up the pressure and continue advancing. Probing isn¡¯t my style. Since the Second Army is using a wedge formation, then we will destroy them with our crane wing formation.¡± ¡°I will make the arrangements.¡± Ares turned crisply and headed to the place where the messengers were standing by. Central War Theatre, Freiberg Highlands, Second Army Basecamp ¡°So this is the calm before the storm, huh¡­¡± Brad mumbled to himself. The two armies were staring each other down in the Freiberg Highlands quietly. Brad and Liz were exhausted, but they still insist on observing the enemy¡¯s movements. Three weeks had passed since they first fought the Sun Knights. Thanks to the First Army drawing away the bulk of the Sun Knights¡¯ main forces, the Second Army¡¯s burden has lessened considerably. Even so, the enemy still broke through the third and fourth defensive lines, and they suffered great losses. Their spirits had not been broken, but it was almost at their limits. ¡°Your Excellency, there¡¯s enemy movement.¡± Brad nodded at Liz. In front of them, the enemy formation was forming into a crescent shape, with the ends protruding out. They moved swiftly, and would be done in no time. ¡°A crane wing formation, huh¡­¡± ¡°Because of our wedge formation?¡± ¡°That must be it. They know our spirits aren¡¯t broken, and plan to finish us off.¡± ¡°What should we do?¡± Liz¡¯s face was gloomy as she asked. She knew very well that they had no chance of winning. But at the very least, they had to avoid defeat. ¡°¡­ You need a pair of wings to fly.¡± ¡°Are you saying we should crush one of the enemy¡¯s wings, and stall them out?¡± Liz understood what Brad was saying, and Brad was impressed by her quick wittedness once again. ¡°That¡¯s right. Unfortunately, the only thing we could do now was to buy time and pray for the First Army¡¯s victory.¡± Liz grasped Brad¡¯s intent, and relayed the orders to a messenger. Brad watched as he lit a cigarette. A while later, purple smoke started rising. ¡°¡ª By the way, Major Olivia¡¯s unit isn''t here yet. I could really use a hand right now¡­¡± After giving a series of instructions, Liz suddenly remembered that. Olivia¡¯s reinforcement was already on their way, but there were still no signs of them. ¡°A regular unit might reach here by now, but she is bringing a hastily gathered group this time.¡± ¡°You mean it¡¯s not properly organized?¡± ¡°That¡¯s very likely.¡± ¡°But they might already be nearby.¡± Brad nodded gently: ¡°I can¡¯t deny that possibility, but I won¡¯t bet on it either.¡± Right now, getting 6,000 reinforcements sounded very enticing. Normally, they would be very welcomed, but reorganizing them was in a sense more problematic than fighting the enemy. One wrong move, and it might cripple the chain of command, leading to the collapse of the entire army. Brad felt very conflicted. ¡°¡ªAlright, let¡¯s get started. We are stalling for time, but that isn¡¯t a reason for us to sit and wait for them to finish forming up. Let¡¯s target the enemy¡¯s left wing that is moving a little slower.¡± ¡°Yes Sir!¡± On Brad¡¯s orders, the Second Army started their assault on the enemy¡¯s left wing. ¡ª The intense battle started. After seeing the Second Army¡¯s clear attack, Patrick ordered heavy shield troopers to the front. In the orders of the unit commander, the soldiers blocked the front and flanks of the formation with tidy ranks of shields, without any gaps. This was the Sun Knights¡¯ famed defensive formation, the ¡¶Castle Tower Formation¡·. ¡°This is too hard for us to chew on¡­¡± Brad judged the formation to be too difficult to break, and changed his target to the enemy¡¯s right wing instead. A mediocre officer would just follow through with his plan, but the commander of the Second Army understood the importance of changing things up on the fly. ¡°The enemy is quick to react. Don¡¯t let them through.¡± And in response, Patrick swiftly sent reinforcements from the center to help out the left wing. The two outstanding commanders sloughed it out, and the battle was at an impasse. ¡ªThe second day of the battle. The first to show a lapse was the Second Army. A moment of carelessness resulted in a corner of their defence line breaking. Patrick who was adept in offence didn¡¯t miss this chance, and ordered an all out attack at this gap. On the other hand, Brad sent a message to Second Lieutenant Laina in order to fill in this gap. The reserves had been mobilized, but were stopped by an enemy¡¯s ambush. The battle had been decided. ¡°Your Excellency!¡± ¡°They are not giving us a chance to mend this gap. The enemy commander is really harsh.¡± Brad grabbed his hair roughly and said with a wry smile. ¡°Now isn¡¯t the time to be impressed by the enemy!¡± ¡°You are right. With the way things are, it will only be a matter of time before they break through our line. When that time comes¡­¡± Brad stiffened his face at that. ¡°You know what will happen, right?¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± Liz¡¯s lips trembled a little. ¡°Unfortunately, our time is up. We will start an orderly retreat. Take the unit to Castool low grounds in the east. We can build up a sturdy defence line there. Before everyone retreats, I will pin the enemy down here with 3,000 men.¡± ¡°Yes Sir! Leave it to me!¡± Colonel Carl-Heinz answered loudly. He was brave and smart, and will act as the rearguard alongside Brad. ¡°Allow me to stay with you to the end..¡± Liz stepped forth and requested to carry out her duty with Brad in a firm tone. Her deep blue eyes under her glasses had an indomitable will. Brad gently pat her slender shoulders and said: ¡°No, the war isn¡¯t over yet. Captain Liz, you have the obligation as my adjutant to lead the retreat of as many soldiers as possible. You understand? This is an order.¡± ¡°There are plenty of suitable candidates, including Major General Adam and many others. An adjutant has the right to refuse an unreasonable order.¡± ¡°¡­ This is the first time I have heard of that. Is there such a rule in the military doctrines?¡± Brad tried thinking back to his time in the military academy, but couldn¡¯t recall at all. If such a rule did exist, there wasn¡¯t any reason not to abuse it during his time as an adjutant. ¡°There isn¡¯t, I came up with it just now.¡± Liz said something ridiculous with a serious face. Brad forgot about the imminent danger and laughed out loud. ¡°You sure are bold to joke at a time like this.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not joking/ I want to fight together with Your Excellency until the end¡­¡± Liz calmly closed her eyes. ¡°¡ª And die by your side.¡± She opened her eyes after saying that, and smiled like a blooming flower. Liz¡¯s smile was whimsical, like a flower that would wilt with a touch. Unlike his usual self, Brad tensed his face: ¡°Captain, that¡¯s enough. I might not die here just yet, and I don¡¯t intend to. Like I said, dying for my country isn¡¯t my thing.¡± ¡°In that case, I don¡¯t see any problem.¡± Liz¡¯s smile brightened a little, and she leaned onto Brad¡¯s chest. Her sweet scent permeated right through Brad. ¡°¡­¡­Liz, please let go. There¡¯s no time.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Liz?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°Liz, can you hear me!?¡± Liz didn¡¯t react, and just looked behind Brad in a daze. Brad followed her gaze and¡ª ¡°Phew, I made it just in time. I must say, this is quite a flashy entrance.¡± Light cascaded down from the gaps between the clouds, illuminating the hills in the distance. And on that hill was a girl dressed in majestic dark armor. Beside the girl was a banner fluttering in the wind, with a skull and two crossed scythes on it. Volume 3, 3 Part 2 Volume 3, Chapter 3 Part 2 Translator: Skythewood Editor: Hiiro ¢õ When she saw the banner of the Valedstorm house flying on the hill opposite them, Claudia gripped her telescope tight with trembling shoulders. ¡°Hmm, Sergeant Eris is doing great. The banners are prominent too, we can probably fool the Imperial Army.¡± Ashton looked at the hill opposite them with satisfaction, while Claudia said out his name one syllabus at a time. ¡°Ashton Senefelder.¡± ¡°Here.¡± ¡°I have a question for you.¡± ¡°W-What is it?¡± ¡°I know about Major Olivia¡¯s body double. I didn¡¯t expect her to dye her hair and wear similar armor, let¡¯s leave it at that for now. But what¡¯s with those banners? Why have I never heard about them? When did you prepare them?¡± Claudia said as she pointed at the banners bearing the Valedstorm house emblem, as if she was pointing at her sworn enemy. If you look closely, Claudia¡¯s temple was twitching, and there was the sound of her telescope cracking too. Olivia pulled some distance away from the two of them. ¡°Huh? First Lieutenant Claudia, you didn¡¯t know?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, I didn¡¯t know at all. By the way, do you know about this, Major?¡± Claudia asked expressionlessly. By the way Olivia did know. Or rather, she took part enthusiastically. During that stay in Fort Gracia, Olivia not only agreed to Ashton¡¯s proposal, and even happily took part in the production of the banners. This was the first time Olivia worked together with everyone on something, making it a valuable experience. The guards were reserved at first, but had completely warmed up when the banners were done. When Ashton asked for a volunteer to be Olivia¡¯s body double, Eris shouted with ragged breath¡± Me me me! Please let me do it!¡± Olivia would notice Eris staring at her at times, but she didn¡¯t know why. After that, Olivia used her authority to distribute Dominic¡¯s private stash of food and wine with everyone. For some reason, they all gathered around Olivia and threw her into the sky, and Olivia accepted their gratitude happily. It was a night filled with fun memories. ¡°Yes, I know.¡± Olivia nodded timidly, and Claudia narrowed her eyes. The weather was warm, but Olivia felt a chill on her back. ¡°I see. I was the only one who didn¡¯t know¡­ So Ashton, you haven¡¯t answered my question.¡± ¡°W-We made these before leaving Fort Gracia.¡± ¡°Oh~ in just half a day. You must have put a lot of work into them? I can tell at a glance.¡± Claudia nodded as she crossed her arms. Her expressionless face reminded Olivia of the calm before the storm. ¡°You think so too, First Lieutenant Claudia? You are right, it took a lot of effort to do this. Thanks to the hard work of the guards, the results look great.¡± ¡°I see, I see.¡± ¡°Especially the scythes, they were a real pain to make them so realistic, as if it could cut off heads.¡± As Ashton explained passionately, Olivia thought: Ashton always says I can¡¯t read the mood, but if the ability to sense tension is reading the mood, then Ashton completely fails at that. Since she understood that, it meant she had grown. Claudia slowly approached Ashton who couldn¡¯t read the mood, grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him wildly. ¡°You jerk! Are you picking a fight!? Are you picking a fight with me!!?¡± ¡°Wait!? That''s not my intention! This is just using Olivia¡¯s infamy, no, her reputation as part of our plan! Thanks to that, the enemy had stopped their attacks!¡± Ashton was shocked, and pointed at the foot of the hill as he shook his head. Claudia felt he said something rude just now, but it was true that the enemy had stopped in their tracks, gawking at the banners in the distance. Olivia clapped her hands, drawing their attention to her. ¡°Keep it in moderation, alright? Ashton is right, the enemy has stopped. This is a good chance to rescue the Second Army.¡± ¡°Hah, hah¡­ Yes Mdm! My apologies for losing my composure! ¡ªI will remember this, Ashton, I will give you a good scolding later.¡± ¡°But why¡­ Anyway, everything is going as planned, what do we do now?¡± Ashton who was finally free from Claudia tidied his collar and asked. ¡°From what I can see, the Sun Knights are great at group battles. They are stronger than the Crimson Knights in that aspect.¡± Conversely, the Crimson Knights were better in individual combat. The Sun Knights were strong in their synergy and teamwork. ¡°I see. Their movements are more polished than the Crimson Knights, and they are better trained as a whole. That much is obvious.¡± ¡°Yes, but in this world, one¡¯s strength is closely linked to their weakness.¡± ¡°¡°Weakness?¡±¡± The two voices asked at the same time, and looked at each other. Claudia feigned a cough and said: ¡°May I know what their specific weakness is? I can¡¯t see any flaws¡­¡± ¡°I feel the same way as First Lieutenant Claudia. It¡¯s hard for me to imagine that formation being broken easily.¡± ¡°Hmmm~ So that¡¯s how you two sees it.¡± ¡°Do you see something different, Major?¡± ¡°Yes, I think the Sun Knights are too used to group battles. Once they lose their commander, they would be slow to react to changes.¡± ¡°So we will disrupt their command system by killing the commander. Olivia, you are saying that is our path to victory?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Olivia squatted down, and drew a circle with a branch. Claudia and Ashton squatted down beside her. ¡°First, we will proceed as planned. My body double Eris will lead 3,000 men to feign an attack to the right. And of course, we need to ensure the fake isn¡¯t exposed. The two of you will use this chance to attack the rear of the enemy with 2,000 soldiers. The rest of the troops will attack together with me from the left.¡± She drew three smaller circles, drawing lines from them towards the big circle. ¡°We will need to inform the Second Army of our plans. The commander of the Second Army seems very capable, and should be able to regroup while we engage the enemy. What do you think?¡± ¡°If this works, we can attack the enemy from all sides¡­ Not bad.¡± Ashton muttered as he looked at the map. ¡°I have no objections.¡± Claudia nodded. ¡°It¡¯s settled then! Send a messenger to the Second Army post haste. We need to get moving too.¡± ¡°¡°Yes Mdm!!¡±¡± The two of them stood up and saluted. On Olivia¡¯s orders, the battle officially started. Patrick¡¯s Army Basecamp Seeing the waves of uproar in his unit getting louder and louder, Patrick clicked his tongue unhappily. The silver haired girl in dark armor suddenly appeared on the hill, and looking calmly down on the plains. Besides her was a dark banner with a skull and two crossed scythes. It was clear that she was the biggest threat to the Empire right now, the rumored Death God Olivia. ¡°Your Grace, that¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°There¡¯s only one person who will brandish such an ominous banner.¡± Patrick¡¯s voice was filled with disgust. ¡°So it is the Death God Olivia¡­¡± Ares said with cold sweat on his brows. The Empire never expected the Death God Olivia, part of the Seventh Army, to appear in the Central War Theatre. Patrick had read Gaier¡¯s report that some of the officers called ¡¶The Death God Memoirs¡·. She was a terrifying opponent who toyed with the Crimson Knights, and injured Rosenmarie. But on the flip side, this was a good chance to kill Death God Olivia. ¡°Ares, send a message to Brigadier General Christoph. He is to lead 7,000 Sun Knights to deal with the Death God¡¯s unit.¡± ¡°7,000!? But we have less than 10,000 Sun Knights with us.¡± Ares stared with his eyes wide open, which clearly showed how abnormal Patrick¡¯s orders were. ¡°That¡¯s right. We can¡¯t take the Death God lightly. Gather the Sun Knights riders and pin her down on that hill.¡± ¡°But the Second Army aren¡¯t routed yet. If we send in all the Knights¡­¡± Ares didn¡¯t say it out loud, but he obviously didn¡¯t agree with Patrick¡¯s plan. ¡°You are not convinced?¡± ¡°¡­ Pardon my insolence.¡± ¡°It will be fine. We just have to destroy the Second Army with the rest of our forces.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t agree with that. Even if the Second Army is at the brink of defeat, we have to ensure your safety, Your Grace.¡± Patrick knew what Ares was trying to say. He was worried that if anything happens to Patrick, the entire unit would get routed. Since ancient times, an army that lost its commander never won any battles. A classic example would be the demise of the southern army when General Osborne was killed in action last year. As an adjutant, it was only natural for Ares to be worried. ¡°You have a point, but let me ask you instead, is it really possible to fight a battle in complete safety?¡± Patrick raised the corners of his lips. ¡°Sigh¡­ I already had an idea, but Your Grace can be really mean spirited at times. I will be blunt then, such sophistry is useless.¡± Ares wasn¡¯t pacified at all. At this moment, an escort walked forth. He was the captain of the escort unit, Captain Sieghard. ¡°Major Ares is right to be concerned, but don¡¯t worry. If His Grace falls into danger, the escort unit will protect him with our lives.¡± The moment Sieghard said that, the escorts around them fell on one knee. ¡°That¡¯s how it is. Besides, I still have this blade with me to protect myself.¡± Patrick drew out the Saber on his waist, and raised it high. The sunlight reflected off it brilliantly. A merchant sold this weapon that was like a piece of art to Patrick. He said that this was a peerless weapon from another continent, which was single edged with the blade bending slightly back towards the tip. True to the merchant words, the saber was incredibly sharp, and Patrick brought it at a high price when he saw what it could do. Ares stared at Patrick¡¯s sword, then stood at attention and saluted: ¡°I understand. Once you have made up your mind, Your Grace won¡¯t budge. I will contact Brigadier General Christoph.¡± ¡°We have no idea what the Death God is scheming. Tell him to keep his guard up.¡± ¡°Yes Sir!¡± Deception Detachment, Main Base Eris couldn¡¯t help laughing when she saw the Sun Knights¡¯ movements. ¡°Those fools think I¡¯m Olivia-Oneesama, and are charging our way. Really now, do I look that much like Olivia-Oneesama? Kufufu.¡± Beside the laughing Eris was a blonde hair blue eyed man who was staring at the Sun Knights with his arms crossed. He was Eris elder brother, Second Lieutenant Lucas. Lucas looked at Eris with an exasperated face and said: ¡°Really now, the enemy is upon us, and you are still in the mood to laugh. Our opponents are the Sun Knight commanded by an Imperial Tri-General, completely different from the bandits we usually deal with. Besides, you are five years older than her, aren¡¯t you embarrassed to call her ¡®Oneesama¡¯? Did the heat get to your head?¡± With that, Lucas reached out his hand in an attempt to touch Eris¡¯ forehead. Eris slapped his hand away angrily. ¡°You are annoying, who cares about all that. Don¡¯t just stand there, get ready to engage the enemy.¡± Eris who was entrusted by Olivia with an important duty was in high spirits. She never experienced anything like this back when she was a city guard dealing with bandits. In this battle, how much attention she could draw from the enemy would decide the battle, so Eris played an important role. Disguising herself as Olivia was the key to this battle. When she thought of that, Eris clenched her fist. When Lucas saw that, he looked at her with dubious eyes. ¡°¡­ What? Are you mesmerized by my beauty?¡± ¡°Hey, are you thinking something stupid like ¡®the key to winning this battle depends on me¡¯?¡± ¡°Tch!¡± ¡°So I was right¡­ You are really easy to read. You are just a foot soldier, and you are fantasizing about being the commander?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no harm in just thinking!¡± ¡°You are just Major Olivia¡¯s body double. That¡¯s all. And I¡¯m your superior officer, don¡¯t act all tough just because you are my little sister.¡± Lucas said as if he had seen through everything. It was annoying, but he was right. But whether Eris could accept that was a different matter. Eris clicked her tongue unhappily, and saluted pretentiously. ¡°Yes Sir! Pardon my impudence, I hope Second Lieutenant Lucas can be gracious enough to forgive me. Forgive me for being forthright, but can you please hurry up and engage the enemy.¡± With that, Eris pointed at the Sun Knights. The soldiers behind him let out muffled laughter. At the same time, the horn alerting them that the enemy was in bow range sounded out. ¡°Why you¡­¡± ¡°What, got a problem?¡± ¡°Forget it¡ª Archers, fire in three stage volleys. Pikemen, take care of anyone we missed out. We have the high ground, so make full use of the terrain.¡± ¡°¡°¡°Yes Sir!!¡±¡±¡± ¡°And don¡¯t let that stupid woman¡¯s identity get exposed.¡± ¡°Hold it, you jerkass brother! Calling your sister stupid is going too far!¡± Lucas ignored Eris and signalled with his left hand. The soldiers cut the ropes with axes, and logs rolled down the slope towards the sprinting Sun Knights¡ª Second Army Basecamp After Olivia and her troops appeared on that hill, the Sun Knights changed their direction of attack. When Brad saw that, he realized the mistake he had made. The Imperial Army took Olivia much more greatly than he imagined. The intel he could get on the battlefield was limited, but he still had much to learn. Brad couldn¡¯t help smiling wryly. ¡°Your Excellency, a messenger from Major Olivia.¡± Liz cut off Brad¡¯s train of thought. ¡°Sir, the unit deployed on the hills there are fake.¡± ¡°Fake? What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Yes Sir, allow me to explain.¡± What the messenger said surprised Brad. The person he assumed was Olivia, was actually a body double. Olivia was lying in ambush with her soldiers at the foot of another hill. ¡°Huh!?¡± Even Liz couldn¡¯t hide her surprise. Not just that, there was another unit waiting in ambush, ready to attack the rear and flanks of the enemy. The Second Army was requested to reorganize while Olivia¡¯s unit had the enemy¡¯s attention, and launch a counterattack in concert with the springing of the ambushes. Brad was certain that if the plan went smoothly, they could surround the enemy and had the chance to defeat the enemy despite having a smaller force. As Brad watched the messenger rode off galliantly on his horse, he said to Liz: ¡°Did you hear that? Major Olivia is bold enough to draw the enemy¡¯s attention and buy time for us to regroup. She even wants us to launch a counterattack, and give us a bunch of problems to solve.¡± ¡°Fufu. She thinks Your Excellency is capable of pulling it off. Major Olivia¡¯s judgement is right on point.¡± ¡°Right on point¡­? I want to know what you are basing that on.¡± ¡°My basis? Of course I have one.¡± Liz answered confidently. Brad was intrigued by that. ¡°Oh~ even though the subject himself said there isn¡¯t any basis?¡± ¡°Yes, a bystander will have a more objective view than the subject themselves.¡± ¡°I see, you have a point. Let¡¯s hear your reason.¡± ¡°Because I believe Your Excellency can do it.¡± Liz stared at Brad, and her tone was firm. Brad turned his head as if he was trying to escape her eyes, scratched his head and then said: ¡°¡ª Anyway, from the movements of the unit on the hill, the ragtag bunch is being properly commanded. I don¡¯t know how she did it, but Major Olivia¡¯s abilities are the real deal.¡± ¡°Major Olivia has already started fighting, we can¡¯t fall behind.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m the commander of the Second Army after all, and can¡¯t slow my proud subordinates down¡­ Captain Liz.¡± ¡°Send the casualties to the center, and deploy in a circle formation.¡± Brad laughed wryly, then continued: ¡°Yes, do that.¡± Because of Olivia¡¯s intervention, the battle on Freiberg Highlands was coming to an end. Claudia¡¯s Ambush Unit On Olivia¡¯s orders, Claudia and Ashton successfully went around to the back of the Imperial forces. ¡°Well, this is unexpected.¡± The battle on the hill made Ashton show a look of confusion. To counter the 3,000 soldiers of the Deception Detachment, the Sun Knights sent the bulk of their forces out. Claudia didn¡¯t like the Death God nickname, but she had to admit that Ashton¡¯s plan worked since it drew in so many enemies. But Olivia wasn¡¯t actually there. Even though Eris was somewhat skilled with a sword, she was just a normal soldier who dyed her hair and was wearing the same armor. ¡°It¡¯s thanks to the flashy banners Ashton prepared too. Even with the advantage in terrain, the Deception Detachment won¡¯t last long against the Sun Knights that had double their numbers. What do you plan to do, oh great strategist.¡± Ashton scratched his face embarrassedly when he heard Claudia¡¯s teasing. ¡°I admit that I didn¡¯t think this through. The influence of the Death God far exceeds my imagination. However¡ª¡± ¡°The defence of the enemy basecamp is severely weakened, right?¡± Ashton opened his eyes wide, then raised the corners of his lips. It wasn¡¯t important, but Claudia felt it was rare to find a man like Ashton who wasn¡¯t suited to an arrogant smile at all. ¡°That¡¯s mean, First Lieutenant Claudia. So you already know, and is just teasing me.¡± ¡°Your miscalculation just happens to bring about a favorable outcome. Don¡¯t you forget that.¡± Ashton paid more attention to the surroundings than himself. And people like that usually die young on the battlefield. On top of that, Ashton couldn¡¯t even use a sword well. So Claudia had to remind him repeatedly. ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡¯m not that narcissistic.¡± ¡°Very well then. So, what do you plan to do?¡± ¡°It will be harsh, but the Deception Detachment will have to hang on for a while longer. This will save us the effort to kill the enemy commander. I don¡¯t think Olivia will let this chance slip.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not dally then. We will push through in one shot.¡± Claudia turned around and raised her sword up high, and shouted to the soldiers who were rearing to go: ¡°We will be charging the rear of the Imperial forces. With the enemy main forces engaging the Deception Detachment, this is a golden opportunity. It¡¯s time for all of you to rumble like lions.¡± ¡°¡°¡°Yes Mdm!!¡±¡±¡± The troops pumped their fists high and answered. The 2,000 foot soldiers under Claudia¡¯s command started charging the enemy¡¯s basecamp. Olivia¡¯s Ambush Unit When Olivia saw what happened to the Deception Detachment, Olivia sighed and kept her telescope away. Z taught her that war was fluid, and would never pan out in the way she wanted. A blonde hair with purple eyes beside him was observing the battle with a telescope too. That man¡ª Warrant Officer Evansin, said in surprise: ¡°That is unexpected.¡± ¡°Yes, the Sun Knights are attacking en masse. That can¡¯t be helped, since the situation in war is ever changing. Thanks to that, our plans are a mess. Does the Imperial Army want to kill me that badly? I sure am popular, hahaha.¡± Olivia laughed loudly, while Evansin showed a bitter smile. ¡°Your popularity sure is dangerous, there¡¯s no way I can live with that. But the enemy basecamp¡¯s defences are drawn thin. Instead, my brother, the commander of the Detachment Unit, and my sister, acting as a body double for Major Olivia, are in grave danger.¡± ¡°So Evansin is Eris¡¯ younger brother.¡± ¡°Yes, unfortunately¡­¡± Evansin¡¯s awkward smile deepened at that. Olivia didn¡¯t understand what¡¯s so unfortunate about that, but on a closer look, he did somewhat resemble Eris. He was a guy, but Evansin was as pretty as Eris. When Olivia first left the Gate to the Underworld, all the humans looked the same in Olivia¡¯s eyes. But she had grown now, and could differentiate them clearly. Evansin beside her stole glances at Olivia from time to time. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Eh!? N-Nothing¡­ B-By the way, did my sister do anything rude to Major Olivia? I heard the two of you made a banner together.¡± The sheepish Evansin asked, and Olivia tilted her head: ¡°She didn¡¯t do anything strange. We have a nice chat¡ª Oh, she mentioned that her younger brother still wets the bed at twelve, so that¡¯s Evansin.¡± ¡°¡ª! That damn sister of mine. She has no tack at all. P-Please forget about that. Anything else?¡± ¡°Anything else? Hmm¡­ Oh! Speaking of which, she would stare at me sometimes. Does that count?¡± Evansin sighed heavily when he heard that. ¡°As I expected¡­ Don¡¯t mind her, that¡¯s just her being a sicko.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really mind, but is that an illness? Has she consulted a doctor?¡± Eris didn¡¯t seem ill at all when she chatted with Olivia at the party. Or rather, she was so lively that it was troubling. But Olivia learned from books that humans suffer from all sorts of diseases. They might look healthy, but were actually unwell. ¡°No, well, there is a cure for normal illness¡­ but her sickness is incorrigible.¡± Evansin¡¯s eyes started to waver, and his voice grew so soft towards the end, that Olivia couldn¡¯t hear him properly. ¡°Not a normal illness? Are there records of it in books?¡± ¡°Instead of the records in books, it will be better for you to not find out or know. Major Olivia, you just need to stay the way you are.¡± ¡°I see. Got it.¡± Since he told her not to ask, then so be it. There were many things she was better off not knowing. For example, that the stove she thought was fixed by the fairy Comet, was actually repaired by Z with magic. As Olivia reminisced about the past, a messenger came running with ragged breath: ¡°First Lieutenant Claudia has started her assault on the rear of the Imperial forces with her foot soldier battalion!¡± ¡°Got it. As expected of Claudia, she moves fast.¡± Olivia was impressed, and Evansin said with a complicated face. ¡°Shall we move out too?¡± ¡°Yes. The Deception Detachment would get wiped out if we take too long.¡± ¡°Then when should we go?¡± ¡°I will give the word at the right moment. Evansin, get things ready.¡± ¡°Yes Mdm!¡± The most important thing in war was the element of surprise. Claudia¡¯s attack had shaken the enemy, but she only had 2,000 men. In order to make this surprise attack work, grasping the situation accurately was important, and the key was to understand the ¡°breathing¡± of the battle. Olivia thought back to Z¡¯s teaching and gave her instructions to the troops. Claudia¡¯s Ambush Unit Thirty minutes after the assault began. Claudia¡¯s battalion of foot soldiers fought bravely, throwing the enemy into disarray. ¡°Hah, hah¡­ This is going better than expected. I don¡¯t see any signs of the Sun Knights.¡± Ashton who was a little tired commented. Around him was a group of elite escorts, chosen personally by Claudia. As the brains of the Seventh Army, Ashton needed to be carefully protected. ¡°Keep your guard up.¡± Claudia gave a short warning, and ordered the unit onwards. The sound of horns and rumbling filled the battlefield. The enemy was forced back by their ferocious advance, but the appearance of a burly Imperial soldier changed the situation. That soldier wielded a large black club, and swept through the Royal soldiers like a storm. The imperial forces cheered at his display of might. (No good. The Empire will gain momentum if this goes on¡­ Time to try that move.) Claudia ordered her men to fall back, and personally faced that Imperial soldier who was covered in blood. ¡°A little girl like you is challenging me¡­? Don¡¯t make me laugh.¡± The man made a face of contempt, and flicked away the brain matter on his weapon. ¡°You seem to be having fun running your mouth off. Just shut up and be my stepping stone.¡± ¡°Stepping stone? What do you mean?¡± Claudia lowered her stance, and ignored her opponent. She imagined herself as an incredibly tight string, and got ready to use her powers that she rejected in the past. She unleashed all her power and ran straight forth. ¡ªCelestial Eyes and Fleet Footed Rush. ¡°Hmm¡ª?¡± The man turned around in surprise, and found a gaping wound on the side of his abdomen. His blood and organs started spilling out. ¡°Guuahhh!¡± He collapsed on his knees with tears in his eyes and hands on his stomach, and keeled over shortly after. (I can¡¯t bisect people like the Major did. I need to continue working hard.) Ashton pointed at Claudia with his jaws slacked, which was pretty much the expression of everyone else present. Claudia paid them no mind, pointing her sword forward and ordering her unit to press on the attack. Patrick¡¯s Army Basecamp Two hours after Patrick sent out the bulk of his main forces. All this while, they didn¡¯t stop their attack against the Second Army that was on the verge of collapsing, but the battle is still not decided. Patrick was getting frustrated by the stubborn resistance of the Second Army. ¡°¡­ How foolhardy.¡± ¡°The enemy has adopted a circle formation, and completely gone on the defensive.¡± ¡°That is obvious. They can defend, but the dead soldiers won¡¯t revive. There must be a weak point somewhere, focus our attack that way.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but the enemy commander is outstanding too, it¡¯s not that easy¡­¡± Patrick sighed when he saw Ares¡¯ troubled face. He looked at the other side of the hill with his telescope, and saw that the Sun Knights had the upper hand. Christoph performed admirably, and didn¡¯t disappoint Patrick. (Looks like the Death God is having trouble against the overwhelming numbers of the Sun Knights. We sent all of our knights out, so it would be troubling if it doesn¡¯t yield any results.) Feeling relieved, Patrick started thinking about ways to destroy the Second Army. At this moment, he realized a stir in the units behind him. As Patrick cast his gaze to the back, a messenger barged right in. ¡°R-Report! The rear of our forces are under attack! The enemy is charging towards the basecamp with a full head of steam!¡± ¡°From the rear!? Their numbers?¡± ¡°Over 2,000!¡± ¡°Two thousand? ¡ªI see, that is probably the Death God¡¯s detachment unit. Just parlour tricks.¡± Patrick snapped the command baton in his hand. On Sieghard¡¯s orders, the escort unit swiftly surrounded Patrick. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s possible, but were they expecting us to send in all our knights, and split their forces into two in advance?¡± Patrick shook his head at Ares¡¯ question. ¡°I don¡¯t know. But if that is true, then they must have a deal with the Devil¡ª or in this case, the Death God.¡± ¡°How should we deal with them?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t panic. Send out the rest of the knights, show them the famed iron defences of the Sun Knights.¡± ¡°But the defences of the headquarters will be even more¡­ I understand. I will make the arrangements.¡± After being glared at by Patrick, Ares gulped and went about relaying the orders. A short moment later, more than a thousand Sun Knights were dispatched to the rear. Less than half an hour later, the newest report made Patrick furious. ¡°You say the Death God has appeared to our left!?¡± ¡°Yes Sir! She¡¯s coming our way as if she was mowing through grass!¡± ¡°Nonsense! The Death God is being pinned down by the Sun Knights on that hill!¡± Patrick pointed at that hill and yelled, with froth in his mouth. But the messenger wasn¡¯t fazed, and stood firm: ¡°B-But she has silver hair and dark armor, just like the rumored Death God! A-And she is even cutting people in half with one strike, she has to be the Death God!¡± The messenger¡¯s face was turning green, and he even forgot to use honorifics with his superiors. Normally, someone would have reprimanded him, but the content of the report stunned everyone in the tent. ¡°You are saying there are two Death Gods!? That¡¯s preposterous!¡± Patrick shouted agitatedly. In contrast, Ares said calmly: ¡°There is only one explanation for this.¡± ¡°Explanation!? What explanation! Don¡¯t waste time and out with it!¡± ¡°The one here is the real deal, while the one in the hill is a body double.¡± ¡°Real deal and body double¡­¡± ¡°They played us like a Death God damn fiddle.¡± Ares said with a self mocking laugh. Patrick was speechless, and at this moment, they heard the screams of the troops. Patrick looked towards the source, and saw a silver haired girl appear with a splash of blood. She was holding a black sword covered in a dark mist, and on her armor was an ominous emblem of a skull and scythes. The messenger screamed and fled at the sight of the girl. ¡°I finally reached!¡± The girl looked around her with a brilliant smile. Patrick felt she looked like a predator hunting for prey. ¡°Protect His Grace!¡± Sieghard yelled, and the escorts slashed at the girl with their swords. She dodged all the attacks gracefully like petals in the wind, and at the same time, sliced off their heads mercilessly. Her cuts were so fast that the escorts didn¡¯t even have time to scream. Blood scattered everywhere, and her assailants were turned into corpses. When the girl finally stopped, none of the escorts were left alive. Despite the intense movements this girl made to create this hellish scene, she didn¡¯t look tired at all. ¡°Y-You monster!¡± Ares lashed out at her, and Olivia said: ¡°I¡¯m not a monster, I¡¯m Olivia¡ª it feels like a long time since I last said that. Recently, everyone had been calling me the Death God. Oh! I don¡¯t hate the nickname Death God, so you can call me that.¡± Olivia smiled cheerfully. Her mind boggling skill with the sword made it painfully clear that she was the real Death God. ¡°Your Grace, please leave this place at once. I will buy you some time.¡± ¡°Ares, you know that¡¯s impossible.¡± Patrick said calmly, and Ares stared with his eyes wide open: ¡°Your Grace¡­¡± ¡°You saw her sword techniques. Even the elite escort team was slaughtered one sidedly by her.¡± ¡°Then we will use numbers¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s futile. A mob of normal troops wouldn¡¯t be able to stop her. She¡¯s way out of our league.¡± No wonder she managed to heavily injure Rosenmarie. Patrick was confident with his sword, but that confidence had been crushed by Olivia. Patrick thought that only Felixus who commanded the Azure Knights could stand up to her. ¡°So we just wait quietly for death?¡± Ares¡¯ voice was gloomy, and his trembling shoulders weren¡¯t because he was afraid of the girl. Patrick smiled wryly at that: ¡°Don¡¯t rush to conclusions. Of course we will resist.¡± With that, Patrick drew the Saber on his waist and Ares followed suit. ¡°Then allow me to assist, Your Grace. It¡¯s a shame, but we have to leave the rest to Field Marshal Graden.¡± ¡°After running my mouth off at the war conference,things ended up like this. My apologies that you have to accompany me on the right to hell.¡± ¡°Yes Sir, leave it to me.¡± They looked at each other and smiled. ¡°¡ªAre you done talking?¡± ¡°Yes, sorry for the wait.¡± ¡°I will ask just in case, do you want to surrender? I offered the Crimson Knights the same thing too. If you surrender, I won¡¯t kill you.¡± Olivia¡¯s offer was unexpected. There was no reason for her to lie, so Patrick was really surprised. ¡°Let me ask you instead, did the Crimson Knights yield?¡± ¡°No.¡± Olivia shook her head. Patrick raised the corners of her lips and said: ¡°Then it¡¯s obvious that the Sun Knights won¡¯t accept either.¡± ¡°I see. Then I will have to kill you.¡± Ares thrust his sword hard at Olivia. Olivia riposte the attack, and ran her sword through his stomach. Ares threw up reddish black blood, but refused to back down. Instead, he walked into the blade. ¡°Hmm?¡± Olivia was confused by that. When he reached Olivia, he grabbed her waist and yelled: ¡°N-Now! Cut both of us down!¡± ¡°Well done!¡± Patrick held the Saber horizontally, and thrust it with all his might¡ª ¡°Oh, a sacrificial attack? That¡¯s a good idea, but you need to train harder to hold me down.¡± In Olivia¡¯s left hand was Ares whose neck had been snapped, the white of his eyes showing. The dark sword in her right hand was stabbed deeply through Patrick¡¯s chest. ¡°A-Ares¡­ Sorry.¡± Patrick collapsed limbly to the ground. As his vision faded into darkness, he could hear Olivia¡¯s gleeful voice. She said: ¡°I was thinking your weapon is very unique the whole time. Can you give it to me?¡± However, Patrick would never have the chance to answer Olivia. ¢ö Christoph Army Headquarters The Sun Knights led by Brigadier General Christoph had trouble in the beginning because of the terrain, but as the two army closed their distance, the Sun Knights could finally fight at their true potential. During this time, his adjutant Captain Maschera said with a frown: ¡°Your Grace, the Death God¡¯s unit isn¡¯t as good as they say. We outnumber them two to one, but this is a let down. I don¡¯t understand how the Crimson Knights lost to such an army.¡± ¡°You think so too?¡± ¡°Yes Sir.¡± ¡°I¡¯m wondering about the same thing. They are too passive, and the Death God didn¡¯t come to the frontlines. This is strange.¡± The rumor said that the Death God would aggressively go after the enemy commanders. But it had been hours since they clashed, and the Death God still didn¡¯t appear on the frontlines. Christoph was wary about a trap in the beginning, but he has lost his patience now. ¡°Lord Christoph, we should make an all out push towards the enemy.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Since the Death God isn¡¯t moving at all, we should use this chance.¡± The officers were getting frustrated, and proposed pressing the attack. Christoph felt it would affect morale if this went on, and accepted their proposal. At this moment, a messenger covered in blood stumbled in, and delivered grave news. ¡°What did you say!? Lieutenant General Patrick is dead!?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ He fell in the hands of the Death God.¡± ¡°The Death God!? But we are fighting the Death God right now!¡± Christoph pressed the messenger further, as the news hit him the hardest. Patrick being killed was hard to believe, but saying there were two Death God was preposterous. ¡°The reason is unclear, but it¡¯s a fact that the Death God was there. The Second Army now has breathing room to regroup. The basecamp is destroyed, and soon¡­ the Death God will be coming here. Please¡­ organize a retreat¡­¡± After saying that, the messenger cough up blood and collapsed. He was shot in the back by several arrows earlier, and soon breathed his last. As the officers were still baffled, Christoph¡¯s doubts were suddenly cleared. The passive attitude of the enemy. The Death God was absent from the battlefield. (So that¡¯s what¡¯s going on¡­) Christoph found the entirety so funny that he couldn¡¯t stop laughing. His subordinates looked at him with complicated faces. ¡°It seems we are being stalled by a fake Death God.¡± ¡°A fake¡­ Who have we been fighting then?¡± ¡°Probably a bait unit. We fell for their trick hook, line and sinker, and gave them time to recuperate¡ª Hahaha, how unsightly.¡± ¡°¡ª In that case, let¡¯s not waste more time. We have to withdraw before they attack us from both sides.¡± Maschera¡¯s proposal was the textbook answer in such a situation. It was clear from his exasperated face that the situation was deteriorating quickly. However, Christoph couldn¡¯t stand just retreating like this. As a warrior and the head of house Raptor, Christoph¡¯s pride wouldn¡¯t allow that. ¡°Change into arrowhead formation, and break through the enemy¡¯s center. We will leave the battlefield in that direction, and also take the head of the fake as compensation.¡± ¡°Breaking through their center is fine, but there¡¯s no point in killing the fake. We should focus on withdrawing.¡± Maschera¡¯s advice sounded useless to Christoph, and he grunted condescendingly: ¡°It¡¯s not about killing the fake, it¡¯s about sending a message. After being played by the enemy, I have to repay the favor to salvage the name of the Raptor house. If you understand, then get moving.¡± ¡°¡­ Yes Sir.¡± Deception Detachment Basecamp Sun Knights changed into an arrowhead formation, and charged right down towards the Royal Army¡¯s basecamp. Eris who saw this scene in the basecamp said to Lucas who was busy sending out instructions: ¡°They must have gotten news that their basecamp has fallen.¡± ¡°¡ªYou are probably right. They are planning to break through our blockade and withdraw from the battlefield. If we can stall a little bit more time, we will be able to encircle them with our allies. This is a pity.¡± Lucas clicked his tongue unhappily. This was unlike her usual composed brother, which showed how dire the situation was. The battle at the start went smoothly, but they were being suppressed by the enemy. The difference in numbers played a part, but the Sun Knights deserved credit for overcoming the unfavorable terrain. If this went on, it would only be a matter of time before the Deception Detachment get routed. ¡°Brother, before Olivia-Oneesama comes, I will try to attract the enemy¡¯s attention.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do anything silly. Once your identity is exposed, we will all die.¡± Despite his harsh words, it was clear from Lucas¡¯ eyes that he was worried about Eris. Eris shrugged and said: ¡°You understand my skill with the sword, right? I won¡¯t fall so easily. Besides, Olivia-Oneesama will avenge me if I die¡ª I¡¯m going now.¡± ¡°H-Hey!?¡± Eris ignored Lucas and rushed out with her sword drawn. As Christoph cut down the soldiers blocking his path while leading his army to withdraw, he suddenly smiled. Because he saw a silver haired girl in dark armor. The girl also noticed Christoph, and charged at him with a glare. ¡°Your Grace.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mind me, continue the withdrawal with the rest of the men. Don¡¯t let the pursuers catch you.¡± Christoph cut down an enemy soldier and urged Maschera to continue while he flicked the blood from his sword. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The real deal might be too much for me, but this is just a fake. Do you really think that I, Christoph Raptor, will lose?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mean that¡­ let¡¯s link up later then, and godspeed.¡± Maschera ran past that woman, but she didn¡¯t pay him any mind. As both sides entered attack range, there was a clear sound of metal clashing. After the swords clashed several times, the two of them backdashed at the same time. ¡°Hee, you are pretty good for a fake.¡± ¡°Oh, so you already know?¡± The woman fidgeted with her silver hair, and showed a taunting smile. ¡°You really played us hard. Thanks to that, we have to flee with our tails between our legs. As compensation, I will have your head.¡± ¡°Pfft!¡± ¡°¡­ What¡¯s so funny?¡± Christoph felt upset by her laughter, and in response to his question, the woman sighed arrogantly. ¡°You are the commander of the Sun Knights, right?¡± ¡°What about it?¡± ¡°Well, despite your lofty speech, you are just mad that you got tricked, right? Are you that mad that you need to lop off the head of a nobody like me to vent your anger? Even my brother is better than you¡ª You are a really narrow minded man.¡± After saying that, the woman looked at him with pitiful eyes. Christoph had never been humiliated like this before. After all, no one would dare talk smack in front of Christoph. ¡°¡ªYou got guts.¡± Christoph tightened his grip on his hilt so hard, that his fingernails seemed to have sunken in. (Oh no, did I go too far? Things are looking bad.) The man¡¯s face turned into that of a demon, and launched a flurry of attack. Every strike shook Eris to her very skull. She managed to block a few attacks, but Eris knew she wouldn¡¯t last much longer. (Alright then, I will take a gamble.) Eris pulled away, took out a dagger and threw it at the man¡¯s face. ¡°Petty tricks.¡± The man swung his sword and knocked the dagger away. Eris used this opening and slashed at the side of his abdomen. At that moment, Eris saw that man smiling nefariously. She quickly realized the reason. ¡°Ughh¡­¡± Before she realized it, the man drew a short sword to block Eris¡¯ attack, and stabbed his sword into her thigh. ¡°Haha¡­ You seem to be in pain. What¡¯s wrong? Hehe.¡± The man pulled out the sword with a smug face, and blood spurted from Eris¡¯ wound. The pain made her legs go weak, and she fell on her butt. ¡°Enough. You talk big, but that¡¯s the extent of your ability. Your moves are fine, but unfortunately, it¡¯s just a feeble attack from a woman.¡± The man looked down at Eris and gloated his victory. Eris looked at him with condescending eyes. She insisted on doing things her way to the bitter end, and wouldn¡¯t beg for mercy. ¡°Why are you so happy about beating a woman? Stop jabbering and end this. Did anyone ever tell you that you are not manly at all?¡± ¡°¡­ Hmmp. Acting tough before you die, huh. As you wish.¡± He slowly raised his sword. (Sorry, Olivia-Oneesama. This is the end for me¡­) Eris closed her eyes calmly. However, the impact from the sword didn¡¯t come. Baffled, Eris peeked a little¡ª and saw a silver haired girl blocking the man¡¯s sword. ¡°Olivia-Oneesama!?¡± ¡°Sorry for being late.¡± Olivia smiled, then tilted and said puzzledly: ¡°Hmm? Olivia-Oneesama?¡± The blissful Eris was interrupted by a blonde man who ran in from the side. ¡°Phew, I made it in time. Don¡¯t be reckless.¡± ¡°Tch! I was wondering who it is, so it¡¯s just Evansin. Who gave you permission to disturb my happiness!?¡± ¡°Sister, please. Don¡¯t be a sicko during a time like this.¡± Evansin sighed heavily. On the other hand, the man whose sword was blocked by Olivia sneered: ¡°So you are the real Death God Olivia, huh¡­ I see, you are completely different from that fake over there.¡± ¡°Is that so? ¡ªNever mind, whatever. Evansin, can you take care of Eris?¡± ¡°Yes Mdm!¡± ¡°Fufu. Whatever, huh¡­ It must be God''s will for me to encounter the real deal here. I, Chritoph, swear in the name of house Raptor, that I will kill Death God Olivia today.¡± Christoph backdashed, and formed a cross with his sword and short sword. That seemed to be the style he was proficient with. Christoph then unleashed an even more ferocious combination of attacks before Olivia¡ª (Ahaha! Olivia-Oneesama is so incredible!) Eris was watching Olivia fight from close up from the first time, and she was so mesmerized that she forgot the pain in her thigh. Christoph gave Eris so much trouble earlier, but Olivia parried all his attacks easily with just one hand. Christoph¡¯s breathing was even during his fight with Eris, but now, he was sweating profusely and out of breath. Eris was somewhat confident in her sword skills, but she couldn¡¯t imagine how much effort it would take to reach Olivia¡¯s level. ¡°By the way, your attacks are weak and flimsy.¡± ¡°Hah, hah¡­ You¡­ are calling my attacks weak?¡± ¡°Yes. There¡¯s no strength behind your attack. Are you eating properly?¡± Christoph¡¯s face contorted when he heard that. It took everything Eris had to keep herself from laughing. The man who called a woman¡¯s sword weak, got the same evaluation from Olivia who was also a woman. There was nothing more pleasing than that. ¡°Hey, I need to treat Eris¡¯ wounds, can I kill you now?¡± ¡°Shut your mouth!!¡± The enraged Christoph raised his sword and prepared to strike. In contrast, Olivia flicked away the blood on her blade, and sheathed it. After that, Olivia turned and walked nonchalantly to Eris. Evansin was shocked, and reached for his sword. ¡°Olivia-Oneesama!?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He¡¯s already dead.¡± With that, Olivia took out medicine and bandages from her pouch. When she completed her sentence, Christoph¡¯s body started splitting into two vertically. Both Eris and Evansin were dumbfounded by the incredible scene before them. Volume 3, 4 Volume 3, Chapter 4 Translator: Skythewood Editor: Hiiro ¢ñ Broken arrows and fractured halberds littered the Freiberg Highlands, and the setting sun dyed the blood stained ground a deeper shade of red. ¡°Death eating vultures¡± spread their ominous purplish red wings and circled in the air. In the shade of the woods, salivating ¡°Night eyed white wolves¡± were appearing en masse. They will have a feast tonight. The corpse laden grounds were a banquet to them¡ª After defeating Patrick¡¯s Sun Knights, Olivia¡¯s group quickly linked up with Brad¡¯s army. The blonde beauty welcomed by the Second Army¡¯s cheers surprised Liz. ¡°Long time no see, Liz Ploise. The last time we met was during the academy¡¯s graduation, correct?¡± ¡°Claudia Jung! ¡ªAren¡¯t you with the First Army?¡± ¡°I was transferred to the Seventh Army a year and a half ago as Major Olivia¡¯s executive officer.¡± ¡°I see¡­ By the way, you sound so distant, Claudia. Even though this is our long-awaited reunion.¡± Liz puffed out her cheeks unhappily, and Claudia answered plainly: ¡°Of course. I¡¯m a First Lieutenant, and Liz is a Captain. So you are my superior.¡± ¡°This is an order from your superior. Speak to me like how you used to.¡± Liz smiled faintly, and Claudia frowned. ¡°¡­ You are as sly as usual.¡± ¡°You too with your stubbornness¡ª¡± Liz looked at the sword on Claudia¡¯s waist before continuing: ¡°¡ªand swordsmanship retard.¡± ¡°Hmmp, the retard part is unnecessary.¡± They stared at each other before bursting out in laughter and hugging. They were classmates in the Military Academy, and the sight of them smiling reminded Brad of the late Ritz and Linz. After a brief hug, Liz turned serious and bowed towards Liz. ¡°Thanks to you, the Second Army got out of danger. I¡¯m really, really grateful.¡± ¡°Please raise your head! Isn¡¯t it only natural to help our allies!?¡± Claudia sounded a little distraught. Liz slowly raised her head with a face that was a mixture of relief and surprise. ¡°Fufu. Your serious nature is still the same. I¡¯m relieved.¡± ¡°Hmmp, it¡¯s just a few years, a person¡¯s character won¡¯t change that easily.¡± Claudia turned her head away bashfully. Liz flicked the hair around her ears with a mischievous smile. ¡°¡ªSorry for disturbing your reunion, but it¡¯s about time to move on to the main topic.¡± Claudia quickly saluted when she heard what Brad said. ¡°My apologies! Sorry for the late introductions, this is Major Olivia.¡± Claudia introduced proudly, and a girl in dark armor walked forth. The emblem on her armor matched the black banners, with a skull and two scythes. The officers who gathered to catch a glimpse of the rumored girl all gasped. Olivia stood at attention properly, and saluted: ¡°Nice to meet you! I¡¯m Major Olivia Valedstorm.¡± Brad suppressed his surprise and returned the salute: ¡°I¡¯m Lieutenant General Brad Enfield. Allow me to start off by thanking you for your timely assistance.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you Sir!¡± ¡°By the way¡­ the body double is already a stunning beauty, but the real deal is even more impressive.¡± Brad stared at Olivia, and suddenly felt a pain from his hand. The shocked Brad looked towards the source, and found Liz pinching the back of his right hand. ¡°Captain Liz!?¡± ¡°It¡¯s wonderful that Major Olivia is so beautiful. But she is still young. Can I address you as Lord Pervy McPervface from now on?¡± Liz¡¯s smile started to deepen. Without giving Brad a chance to explain, Liz turned her head away with a snort. As for Olivia... ¡°Really? ¡ªAh, no, Is that so?¡± She didn¡¯t agree or refute, and merely acknowledged calmly. A great beauty like her must be tired of such compliments. Olivia wasn¡¯t interested in her looks, and what caught Brad¡¯s attention was¡ª ¡°Hmm? Major Olivia, you are not good at using honorifics?¡± ¡°¡­ Yes, it¡¯s a bit of a hassle.¡± Brad asked with a wry smile, and Olivia answered with a bitter face. His guess was spot on. Olivia probably felt the army that emphasized discipline was a suffocating environment. That was because Brad felt the same way too. In a word, their personalities weren¡¯t suited for military life. ¡°Major Olivia, to be honest, I¡¯m not good with honorifics either. So you can just relax when you speak with me.¡± ¡°Ehh? Can I?¡± ¡°That will be more comfortable for you, right?¡± ¡°¡ª But Adjutant Otto told me to use honorifics when speaking with a superior¡­¡± This was probably the result of being lectured day after day, Olivia emphasized with a tense face that: ¡°It is just like a curse.¡± It was clear from her tone how much it troubled her. After all, disrespecting a superior was taboo in the military. However, just like what Liz said, Olivia¡¯s unit saved the Second Army in their time of need. Considering all that, honorifics were just a trivial matter. ¡°Adjutant Otto?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know Adjutant Otto? He is a human who always makes this face.¡± With that, Olivia made a poker face. Her impression was so good that it looked like a sculpture. ¡°¡ªOhh, the iron masked man beside Gramps Paul. That does sound like something he would say, since he is like a walking military regulation book.¡± Brad said as he thought about Otto¡¯s classic face. ¡°You think so, Lieutenant General Brad!? I always thought that way too.¡± Olivia suddenly leaned in close with her rarely seen dark eyes shining with excitement. The pressure made Brad lean back. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. I think it¡¯s a pain too, so I will just call you little miss.¡± ¡°Little miss¡­ Okay, no problem!¡± Olivia smiled brilliantly. Liz objected with furrowed brows, saying it would set a bad example for the men. ¡°Ho~ a few hours ago, whose the one who made up a military rule? I remember it¡¯s that an adjutant can refuse the commander¡¯s orders?¡± Brad said deviously, and Liz replied quizzingly with her head tilted. ¡°That¡¯s absurd. Who would do such a reckless thing?¡± The extent that she went to deny it was impressive. Even Claudia who wasn¡¯t there back then sighed in resignation. It seems this wasn¡¯t the first time Liz pulled off something like that. Brad returned to the topic: ¡°Never mind, the crucial part is next. I will merge Little Miss¡¯ unit into the Second Army for now. Sorry, but we are really short handed here.¡± The Second Army had around 12,000 men left. The battle in Freiberg Highlands was over, but there was no time to celebrate. To better support the First Army, Olivia¡¯s unit was indispensable. Even though he was asking for permission, Brad was adamant on going through with this. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Olivia nodded in agreement. Brad nodded at her in response. ¡°That¡¯s great ¡ª Also, Major General Adam.¡± ¡°Sir!¡± ¡°I will give you 2,000 men, escort the wounded back to the capital.¡± ¡°Yes Sir, leave it to me!¡± Adam stepped forward and acknowledged firmly. He was in his fifties, and despite the lack of any prominent achievements, he was a steadfast officer who could deal with any situation calmly. The Second Army only managed to survive in such trying circumstances thanks to his presence. If the routed enemy put up any organized resistance, Adam will be able to deal with them. ¡°The rest will assist the First Army after we regroup. That¡¯s all, make the preparations.¡± After Brad dismissed them, the officers returned to their posts. Brad then called out to Olivia who was leaving with Claudia. ¡°Little Miss.¡± Olivia turned. At that instant, Brad stepped forth with his right foot and slashed at Olivia with his blade. She was within striking distance, and an attack not even a swallow could escape from flew towards Olivia¡¯s neck. The air was frozen at that instant, and Olivia who stared down that attack said calmly: ¡°¡ªWhat is it?¡± ¡°¡­ No, it¡¯s nothing. Sorry for suddenly swinging a sword at you.¡± Brad smiled awkwardly before slowly retracting the blade he stopped at a hair¡¯s breadth. ¡°?¡± Olivia tilted her head bafflingly, and then left with the shocked Claudia. Everyone who was stunned by Olivia¡¯s calm demeanor all looked confused. ¡°Your Excellency, that¡¯s¡­¡± Liz who was equally puzzled asked. Brad drew his blade against the benefactor of the Second Army, so it was only natural for her to react this way. ¡°Sorry for surprising you all. There¡¯s something I wanted to confirm.¡± ¡°Could it be¡­ Your Excellency is testing Major Olivia¡¯s mettle?¡± Liz asked in an accusatory tone. Brad sheathed his sword and shrugged. ¡°Yes. Thanks to that, I finally understand. No wonder the Imperial Army fears that girl this much.¡± ¡°I have not seen her fight before, so I don¡¯t know¡­ But is it that incredible?¡± ¡°You saw it too. That girl didn¡¯t flinch at my sudden attack.¡± ¡°Of course I did. I thought Major Olivia couldn¡¯t react in time¡­¡± Liz had a point. When faced with a sudden situation, humans rarely could react in time. Their minds would be blank for a moment, and they could then take action after some time. Brad didn¡¯t hold back during his strike just now, he was confident that he could kill most people in this world with that attack. The strong would retaliate immediately. But Olivia didn¡¯t belong to either category. ¡°No, it¡¯s not that she couldn¡¯t move. She made a snap judgement that there was no need to move.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Why would I lie to you? Little Miss saw the movement of my blade clearly. She knew that I would stop right before the strike lands¡ª This is the proof.¡± Brad rolled up his sleeves and showed his right arm to Liz. ¡°So many goosebumps¡­¡± ¡°You understand now, right? I instinctively felt fear towards the Little Miss. I won¡¯t survive if I made an enemy out of her. The nickname of Death God suits her just fine.¡± ¡°Even Your Excellency is no match for her?¡± Liz was acting a little different from her usual self. They were in a war between nations, so such questions seemed trivial. However... ¡°If it¡¯s one on one, I don¡¯t stand a chance. She¡¯s way out of my league.¡± Brad concluded, but Liz couldn¡¯t accept that. ¡°It can¡¯t be that bad¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m happy that you think so highly of me, but this is an undeniable fact. I wonder what kind of training she went through to reach such a level by her age.¡± Brad lit a cigarette and puff out smoke along with his sigh. Olivia¡¯s back seemed much larger to him, as she disappeared into the distance. ¢ò Field Marshal Cornelius¡¯s First Army and Field Marshal Graden¡¯s Sun Knights clashed in the Nobis Plains. The combined forces from both sides add up to 80,000. For the Royal Army, this was the fateful ground where the Fifth Army met their demise. And to the Imperial Army, this was the place where they found the breakthrough and shifted into offence. Expecting an intense battle, Brigadier General Neinhart was promoted to the commander of the forces in the center, and deployed his unit in an all rounded formation. This gave him the flexibility to assist Major General Sadias on the left flank, and Major General Travis on the right flank. His rank was lower than the other generals, but Cornelius was impressed by Neinhart¡¯s performance during the Battle of Iris, and appointed him as commander of the center army. And his deployment proved that Cornelius was right. To oversee the entire battlefield, Cornelius and 1,000 men set up a small camp in the rear. His escorts were a group of elites led by ¡¶Third Sword¡· Orerian and ¡¶Seventh Sword¡·Cattleya of the ¡®Royal Ten Swords¡¯. Even so, the defences were considered weak for the Field marshal of the entire Royal Army. However, no one raised any objections. Or rather, none of the officers had the courage to question the intimidating Cornelius. Once Cornelius stepped foot on the battlefield, he reverted back to his old glorious self that befitted the title, Ever Victorious General. His eyes when issuing commands made the fearsome warriors beside him shudder. On the other side, the Sun Knights deployed in echelon formation. Each unit got into their own Castle Tower Formation, and was ready to engage the enemy. Graden¡¯s goal was to use their powerful defences to stop the enemy and draw them in. Once his opponents tire and show an opening, he would surround and destroy them. Graden further divided the ¡°Comet Wolves¡±, his strongest offensive heavy spear unit, into eight battalions, and deployed them in strategic locations. They were Graden¡¯s sure kill elites, an all purpose detachment unit. When they used their ¡¶Heavenly Assault Formation¡·, their attack was unstoppable. It was clear how determined he was, since Graden sent out the Comet Wolves right from the start. Lunar Calendar 999, late winter. Two armies fought fervently under the endless skies. The Battle of Nobis that future generations referred to as a historical turning point began. Sun Knights Basecamp ¡°What a formidable formation.¡± Oscar said in awe. When Graden saw the First Army¡¯s deployment, he concurred with a nod. ¡°As expected of the army commanded by the Ever Victorious General, it¡¯s impeccable.¡± That was why Graden felt melancholic. The difference between their monarchs resulted in such a great difference. Compared to Ramza who was renowned as the Benevolent Emperor, King Alphonse of the Farnesse Kingdom was called the Foolish King. Considering the fact that he inherited the decline of the Kingdom over 600 years, this was the obvious result. When the war first started, Graden was all hyped up about the fight between the Empire and the Nation of the Lions. But it turned out to be more of a joke. ¡°There is no ¡®ifs¡¯ in history, but if the First Army joined the fray actively right from the start, the situation wouldn¡¯t come to this. Maybe it is fate that the Farnesse Kingdom missed their chance.¡± Oscar raised the corners of his lips, and seemed to be thinking the same thing as Graden. However, another question flashed across Graden¡¯s mind. ¡°By the way, Oscar, have you seen Colonel Gaier¡¯s report?¡± ¡°¡ªAre you talking about the ¡¶Death God Memoirs¡·?¡± Oscar answered after a slight pause. ¡°Yes, that ¡¶Death God Memoirs¡·.¡± ¡°Of course I did¡­ Why did you bring that up?¡± ¡°Nothing, I¡¯m just thinking that the Kingdom should have been doomed a long time ago.¡± Because of that Death God girl, the Empire lost a lot of their soldiers. Osborne, George, and Listenberg, many powerful men fell in her hands. Attributing all the credit to the Death God alone would be an overstatement, but the Empire¡¯s bid to conquer the continent had definitely slowed because of her. As the top commander of the Imperial Army, Graden was ready to be accused of being incompetent, but the written assault from the Imperial Civil Officers had yet to arrive. And the man second only to the Emperor, Chancellor Dalmes, and the leader of the civil officers, didn¡¯t go after Graden. That was puzzling. Military and Civil Officers were akin to oil and water, and didn¡¯t mix well. The same applied to the top dog of these two factions, Graden and Dalmes. Which was why Graden was baffled by Dalmes¡¯ attitude¡­ ¡°There is no point thinking about the problem with the Death God. Our opponent is the First Army commanded by the Ever Victorious General. Let¡¯s focus on winning this battle.¡± Oscar¡¯s proposal was absolutely right, and Graden nodded firmly. ¡°You are correct. The Death God is formidable, but the Ever Victorious General is no pushover either. One single lapse and we might lose the whole army.¡± Oscar concurred with a nod, but the problem with the Death God was still a pressing matter. Oscar suggested sending Felixus to subjugate her, and Graden wasn¡¯t surprised by that, since he was already planning to do so. After Rosenmarie was defeated, the only one who could stand up to the Death God, the strongest person in the Kingdom, was probably Felixus, the strongest in the Empire. Graden was planning to order Felixus to subjugate the Death God after decimating the Second Army. However, he received the unexpected news of the attack on Fort Astra. Graden despatched Felixus to Fort Astra just to be safe, and never imagined the fort to be attacked by a mysterious unit instead of the Seventh Army. And the leader of that unit was a Sorcerer who wielded Holy Powers. Graden felt grateful to himself for being so cautious. If Felixus arrived any later, the results would have been catastrophic. After careful consideration, Graden decided to let Felixus garrison Fort Astra for a while. That mysterious unit would probably not be coming back, but there was no guarantee that the Seventh Army wouldn¡¯t attack. And if Felixus was there, they should be able to fend off the Death God. To extinguish the other nation¡¯s schemes against the Empire, Graden had to win this battle. ¡°The enemy infantry is attacking our left flank!¡± When he received the report, Graden swung down his command baton. First Army Right Flank Half a day after the commencement of the battle. The Right Flank had a lot of trouble from the Sun Knights¡¯ tough defences, but they slowly gained the upper hand. At a glance, It might seem like the Royal Army had the advantage, however¡ª ¡°This is bad¡­¡± The white haired and skinny Major General Travis muttered. His red cape had the emblem of a silver double headed eagle of the Mayer house. This was one of the ¡°Six Flowers Eight Leaves¡± house, a group of the top elite warrior clans in the Kingdom. His adjutant who was issuing out instructions, Lieutenant Colonel Bram, looked at Travis confusedly. Travis realized he was speaking a little too loudly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Everything is wrong. We are in danger of being surrounded and destroyed by the enemy.¡± ¡°Surround and destroy? ¡ªPardon me, but in my humble opinion, our unit is suppressing our foe. I don¡¯t understand what you mean, Your Excellency¡­¡± Bram said quietly with a quizzical face. ¡°So you can¡¯t tell either, Lieutenant Colonel Bram? As expected, the Sun Knights are really strong.¡± The Sun Knights defended against their attack and counter from time to time, carefully drawing them in. Travis came to this conclusion by piecing together the sense of dissonance he felt every now and then. The frontline commanders and the soldiers probably didn¡¯t even notice. This wasn¡¯t possible without the perfect coordination by the Sun Knights¡¯ groups. Travis felt the Sun Knights were strong because they pulled it off so naturally. (Then, what should we do?) Travis crossed his arms and thought. Pulling back suddenly would be a bad move. If the enemy noticed that their intentions had been read, they would tighten their encirclement immediately. If Travis allowed this to continue, his unit would get enveloped and destroyed. The only way was to attack the encirclement with assistance from the outside, and look for an opportunity to retreat in an organized manner. (Looks like we need to ask for his help¡­) Travis started explaining the situation to the baffled Bram. Bram¡¯s expression changed rapidly during the explanation, before he finally said with a bitter face: ¡°But Lord Neinhart is also engaging the enemy. Can he spare the effort and send reinforcements?¡± ¡°If he doesn''t, then this will be a simple matter. We will just die together in the Nobis Plains.¡± Travis said nonchalantly, and Bram¡¯s face turned tense. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Most people might be fooled by his handsome face and gentle demeanour, but he is actually a cunning man. I would put him on the same level as Lieutenant General Brad of the Second Army. Besides, he is the adjutant of the First Army, and can definitely do this.¡± Travis said sarcastically, and instructed Bram to send a messenger to Neinhart. First Army, Center Army When the messenger from Brigadier General Travis reached Neinhart who was busy with the intense battle against the Sun Knights, the sun was about to set. ¡°¡ªLord Travis requires aid?¡± ¡°Yes Sir. Our army is in danger of being encircled and destroyed. The enemy¡¯s intention is to draw us in. I look forward to your reinforcements post haste. ¡ª End of message.¡± ¡°Encircled and destroyed?¡± Katherina was shocked. She looked at the right flank with her telescope, then asked bafflingly: ¡°But we are suppressing the enemy?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what I thought¡­ But His Excellency Travis said that Lord Neinhart will understand when he hears this.¡± Both of them looked towards Neinhart. Neinhart told the messenger he understood, and instructed Katherina to contact Major Dirk who could move the swiftest. Katherina was puzzled, but still carried out her orders. ¡°¡ªCan you please tell me what¡¯s going on?¡± After the messenger ran off bafflingly, Katherina used the chance to enquire. ¡°It¡¯s the same on our end. The enemy is in echelon formation, but their true intention is to draw us in. His Excellency Travis fell into their trap.¡± ¡°Your Excellency, did you see through it right from the start?¡± Katherina cast a dubious gaze his way. ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°But didn¡¯t you strictly prohibited pursuing too deeply?¡± ¡°I felt the enemy¡¯s movements were strange after we engaged them, so I decided to observe first. During such circumstances, those who are more cautious will have the upperhand.¡± Travis fell for the trap because of his personality. In contrast to Neinhart who prefered to counter attack, Travis favored going on the offensive. Travis would be at a disadvantage if there were any traps. However, his observation was keen, since he saw through the enemy¡¯s scheme before it was too late. ¡°Understood, but we can¡¯t spare too much effort either. Just sending Major Dirk¡¯s regiment is extremely taxing.¡± Neinhart was facing the enemy¡¯s main forces, so it was only natural that Katherina was under pressure. Trivial tricks wouldn¡¯t work against the Sun Knights. It was too late to complain at this juncture, but Neinhart couldn¡¯t help lamenting in his heart that Cornelius gave him an arduous task. ¡°But just seeing through the enemy¡¯s intention is a big help. Katherina, relay this to the unit commanders, and send a message to Lord Sadias on the left flank.¡± ¡°Yes Sir, I will do so right away!¡± After that, Travis retreated in an organized manner with Major Dirk¡¯s help, but not without some losses. And he fended off the enemy¡¯s pursuit. On the other hand, Major General Sadias who commanded the left flank only fought the enemy through minor skirmishes. This wasn¡¯t because he saw through the enemy¡¯s tactics, but due to his cautious nature. After learning about the enemy¡¯s intention, his tactics became more conservative, strictly prohibiting any unit from advancing without orders. Those who disobeyed would be punished, regardless of the war merits achieved. When the impatient Imperial officers sent in their reserves for a fierce attack, the left flank stood their grounds with a defence that was on par with that of the Sun Knights. And so, the first day of the battle ended with a draw. ¢ó The battle between the First Army and the Sun Knights intensified as the days passed. ¡°The enemy is launching another wave of attack from the left, right and center!¡± In response to the enemy¡¯s cavalry attacking from three sides, Cornelius ordered all units to deploy in a triangular formation with the shieldmen. When the enemy forces were forced to either side because of this resistance, they would run into the archers divided into three ranks. The archers pulled their bows taut and aimed towards the sky. ¡°Greet them with a 4, 2, 4 volley.¡± Cornelius issued his orders calmly. On the other hand... ¡°Enemy heavy infantry are advancing on our right flank!¡± ¡°Contact the Comet Wolves¡¯ fifth and sixth group, tell them to cut an opening through the center army.¡± After receiving orders from the hyped up Graden, the Comet Wolves deployed to the west of the Nobis Plains took action. They displayed their powerful penetrative attack, inflicting a severe blow to the First Army. And so, ten days passed, and the two forces remained at an impasse. The battle slowly turned into a total war between the two nations¡ª First Army Basecamp The fog that appeared because of the temperature difference between day and night had persisted for days now. During this time, Neinhart who received the report from the messenger quickly sat down in the tent where Cornelius and the other officers were gathered. ¡°Any movements from the enemy?¡± ¡°Yes, we suspect the enemy¡¯s elites are advancing under the cover of the fog. They numbered around 4000 to 5000, and are aiming for our left flank.¡± After hearing Neinhart¡¯s report, Cornelius who was sitting in the seat of honor stroked his beard. He was wearing the brown armor he had from his warring era days, and the scratches told the tales of his countless battles. On his waist was the famous sword, Lemuria. In the past, the Kingdom once invaded a small nation to the continent¡¯s south, Kingdom Lemuria. The young Cornelius back then was unstoppable, and captured the enemy commander, Crown Prince Yuri. The King of Lemuria, Ludrich von Josef the fourth, was desperate. Of the four princes, Yuri was exceptionally talented, and was the best choice to inherit the throne. Josef offered a huge ransom for Yuri, but was firmly rejected by King Raphael. However, the sword heirloom of the Lemuria Kingdom changed Raphael¡¯s mind. The sword was said to be capable of cutting through lightning. Raphael who was a collector of rare weapons was willing to release Yuri in exchange for Josef¡¯s sword. Josef felt the crown prince¡¯s life was irreplaceable, and offered the sword along with a ceasefire treaty. The Lemuria Kingdom was liberated from the war against the Farnesse Kingdom, but was destroyed by a different country a few years later. The reigning monarch, Alphonse, wasn¡¯t interested in weapons, and bestowed the Sword of Lemuria to Cornelius. (Well then, how will Lord Cornelius handle this?) Not just Neinhart, all the officers present were waiting for Cornelius to speak. ¡°¡ªHas the long days of battle made the Sun Knights numb and careless? The Imperial Tri-General is a formidable foe¡­ But that¡¯s too naive.¡± Cornelius smiled wryly as he stated the plan. They would allow the enemy to launch a sneak attack, pretend to be tricked, and lead the enemy into an ambush. The friendly forces in front would then reorganize and attack the enemy from behind. The officers all concurred and nodded, and the messenger standing by set off immediately for the left flank. At the same time, another messenger entered the tent. He had two stars on his epaulette. He was a messenger from the Second Army, and the whole place turned tense. ¡°Reporting, our army has defeated the enemy on Freiberg Highlands, and is on our way to assist the First Army.¡± The elated voice of the messenger made the tense officers erupt into cheers. Including Neinhart, most of the officers present knew that the situation was still dire, but the good news from the messenger cleared the gloomy clouds above their heads. Cornelius took a deep sigh, and said calmly: ¡°I see. Lieutenant General Brad managed to overcome the dangerous situation.¡± ¡°Yes, we were in peril at one point, but Major Olivia¡¯s timely aid turned the tide.¡± Cornelius blinked. ¡°That girl called the Death God by the Imperial Army, huh¡­ I have read all the reports about her, and it feels like the mythical tales my grandfather used to tell me¡ª so are the reports true?¡± Cornelius looked at Neinhart and asked, and he thought about the delicate features of that girl and answered: ¡°She¡¯s probably¡­ No, she¡¯s definitely the strongest warrior in the Royal Army. To be honest, there¡¯s nothing more reliable than her support.¡± To back Neinhart up, the messenger excitedly preached Olivia¡¯s exploits. From what he said, her achievements were beyond the realm of normal human beings. Although it was difficult to link her usual frivolous attitude with these exploits. The term ¡®hero¡¯ flashed across Neinhart¡¯s mind. ¡°I see, if you went that far, then she must be a warrior of the century. For the Royal Army, she would be like a goddess.¡± ¡°Yes, her face befitted the nickname of a goddess.¡± Neinhart¡¯s offhand remark made Cornelius open his eyes wide. The others present all looked at him with surprise too. ¡°Did I say something strange?¡± Cornelius faked a cough, and then said: ¡°No, this is the first time I heard you praising the appearance of another person. If your aide was to hear that¡­ what¡¯s her name again?¡± ¡°You mean Second Lieutenant Katherina?¡± ¡°Right, right, Second Lieutenant Katherina. Won¡¯t she get mad if she hears that?¡± ¡°¡­ Why would Second Lieutenant Katherina be mad?¡± Neinhart was confused. Cornelius¡¯ eyes were filled with sympathy from his reaction, and the others smiled awkwardly. ¡°Sigh, you might have courage and wisdom, but you have your shortcomings. The heavens might have given you two gifts, but not a third. That girl must be having a hard time.¡± ¡°You are right, Your Excellency, I have given Second Lieutenant Katherina a lot of trouble.¡± Second Lieutenant Katherina was an outstanding aide, and Neinhart was aware that he was working her really hard because of how much he depended on her. That was why he couldn¡¯t understand what Cornelius meant by his shortcomings. ¡°That¡¯s not what¡­ Never mind, I will tell you next time when we have the chance. There are more pressing matters on hand.¡± With that, Cornelius slowly stood up from his chair. As the crowd watched him, he pulled out the Lemuria sword from his waist. It was Neinhart¡¯s first time seeing the Lemuria sword being drawn, and it''s cold gleam sent a chill down his backÒ» Just like the rumor of it cutting lightning implied, the blade was sharp enough to slash through steel. With a serious look in his eyes, Cornelius stabbed the Lemuria sword into the ground: ¡°It¡¯s time to bare the fangs of the lions towards the Sun Knights. Let them witness the might of the First Army!¡± ¡°¡°¡°Yes Sir!!¡±¡±¡± That spurred the fighting spirits of everyone present, and they all stood up and saluted. Cornelius surveyed the tent with a satisfactory look, and then look towards Neinhart: ¡°Neinhart will keep in contact with the Second Army in secret.¡± ¡°Your will is my command, Your Excellency.¡± Neinhart placed his right hand on his chest, and saluted in the unique way of a knight. Cornelius did the same, and nodded firmly. Sun Knights Basecamp ¡°We underestimated the First Army. They might seem mediocre at first, but they are slowly tightening their noose around our neck.¡± Graden¡¯s face contorted when he heard what Oscar said. He didn¡¯t underestimate the First Army at all. The Sun Knights weren¡¯t holding back all this while. Thinking back, the First Army had performed beyond his expectations time and again. He was impressed by Cornelius''s military acumen. ¡°¡ªAny word from the Comet Wolves we sent out?¡± ¡°¡­ No. They were probably wiped out.¡± The officer who suggested attacking under the cover of fog answered with a bitter face. ¡°Wiped out? You say wiped out! That¡¯s 5,000 Comet Wolves!¡± Graden slammed the table in rage, and the officers were all stunned. It was rare for Graden to act so angrily towards his subordinates. After all, he always insists that the mistakes of one¡¯s subordinates were the responsibility of the superior. It was clear that Graden was being pushed to the brink, and he felt a strong sense of self-loath. ¡°¡ªMy apologies. That was unsightly for the leader of the Imperial Tri-General.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t mind us. The First Army is stronger than the prediction of the analysis unit. Instead of that, we should formulate a plan.¡± Oscar gestured with his gaze, and an attendant served Housen tea to Graden. Graden was grateful to Oscar¡¯s consideration and took a sip of the tea. The warmth and fragrance seeped into his body. ¡°Oscar is right. Does anyone have a plan?¡± After regaining his composure, Graden looked around him and asked. The moment he said that, the officers glanced Oscar¡¯s way and lowered their heads. Usually, they would be eagerly proposing schemes to him. Graden¡¯s earlier outburst was a reason why they were so timid, but¡ª (Once they got used to victory, they will get timid in the face of adversity. How unsightly for the officers of the Sun Knights. This is another difficult problem that I will need to deal with¡­) Graden sighed openly, and there was suddenly an uproar from the troops outside. Everyone looked to the entrance, and a messenger was helped in by two guards. ¡°Someone give him water.¡± On Graden¡¯s instruction, the officer nearest to the entrance offered his own canteen. The messenger gulped down the entire content greedily, steadied his breathing, and got down on one knee. ¡°Report, Lieutenant General Patrick was killed in action, and the unit has been routed.¡± Silence hung over the entire place. No one could comprehend what the messenger just said immediately, and showed blank faces. Graden was no exception, and that was only natural. They just received a report recently that said the Second Army was being pushed towards the brink. ¡°¡­ What¡¯s going on? Didn¡¯t we cornered the Second Army on Freiberg Highlands, and that they are on their last legs? It hasn¡¯t even been three days¡ª Did Patrick make a false report!?¡± After he said that, Graden felt that wasn¡¯t possible. Patrick had a forthright personality, and was the furthest thing from deception and schemes. In fact, Graden felt it was a waste of time to assign spies to Patrick. As expected, the surprised messenger shook his head. ¡°That isn¡¯t so, Lieutenant General Patrick said the truth. It is as you say Lord Field Marshal, the Second Army was just one step away from destruction.¡± ¡°Then how did Patrick die?¡± ¡°Because of the reinforcement from Death God Olivia. Lieutenant General Patrick and Brigadier General Christoph both died under the blade of the Death God.¡± That threw the entire place into an uproar. ¡°Death God Olivia!? What is she doing in the Central War Theatre!?¡± The messenger shook weakly at this obvious question. ¡°It¡¯s not clear why. The only thing that is certain, is that the Death God will be coming here soon.¡± Graden was at a loss for words. If the messenger was right, then the Sun Knights were in danger of being attacked from two sides. And their opponent was Death God Olivia. Considering that the First Army was far stronger than expected, one false move and they could lose the entire army. ¡°Your Excellency, if we encounter the Death God under such conditions¡­¡± ¡°I understand. It¡¯s regrettable, but we will need to retreat back to Fort Kiel.¡± Everyone nodded in agreement with Graden¡¯s decision. Next, they needed to decide who would take on the arduous task of rearguard. Unexpectedly, Alexander volunteered for this assignment with a confident face. ¡°¡ªAlright. Assign 5,000 men to Alexander¡¯s command. I hope you won¡¯t disappoint me.¡± ¡°Yes Sir!¡± The group exited the tent to make preparations for their retreat. Oscar was the last one to leave, and he whispered to Graden as he watched Alexander¡¯s back: ¡°Will this be fine? I doubt Lieutenant Colonel Alexander can pull this off.¡± ¡°I already warned him not to underestimate the enemy. I won¡¯t warn him a second time. His fate is in his own hands now, though I don¡¯t think he will survive.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Graden and Oscar nodded silently. And so, leaving Alexander to command the rear guard, the Sun Knights retreated towards Fort Kiel. ¢ô ¡°Lieutenant Colonel Alexander! This way quickly!¡± After fleeing from the Nobis Plains, Alexander escaped deep into the woods on the urging of his executive officer Captain Zasha. Including Zasha, he had only five men with him. In order to lessen the weight on him, Alexander had thrown away his armor and helmet, fleeing desperately without any regards to the branches scratching his face. ¡°Hah, hah, hah! Damn it! How can this be! How can¡­¡± Alexander took on this rearguard assignment to prove his worth. If he, the youngest commander amongst his peers, pulled off the rearguard mission perfectly, then no one will doubt his abilities again. However, after engaging the Second Army, Alexander¡¯s unit fell apart in less than two hours. (I¡¯m not incompetent, I¡¯m just unlucky. Besides, Field Marshal Graden promised me that he will promote me to Colonel if I made it back alive. Maybe I will get a double promotion to Brigadier General.) As Alexander was thinking about all that, he suddenly realized there weren''t any movements from the subordinates behind him. He stopped and looked back, and the four men with him had disappeared. ¡°¡ªLieutenant Colonel Alexander, please step back.¡± He turned around, and saw Zasha staring in front of him with his sword drawn. Alexander stepped back as instructed, and a girl clad in black armor stepped out of the woods. In her hand was a black sword covered in dark mist. ¡°Dark armor and blade. Are you Death God Olivia!?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m not a Death God, but you¡¯re right. Are you done playing tag yet?¡± ¡°Waaarrrgghhh!!¡± Zasha charged at Olivia with a strange roar. Olivia bent slightly forward, and slashed diagonally upwards from her bottom right. Blood splashed everywhere, and the upper half of Zasha¡¯s body was flung on top of a tree. All sorts of internal organs started splattering onto the ground. ¡°Well then¡ª¡± ¡°W-Wait! I yield, please spare my life!¡± Alexander toss his sword aside and lay prone on the ground in submission. Only an insane person would point their weapon at that girl after witnessing such a scene. Olivia rest her sword on her shoulder and tilted her head: ¡°Hmm? I heard that the Sun Knights and Crimson Knights would rather die than surrender?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know who said that, but I don¡¯t have anything to do with such people who are so eager to die.¡± Alexander answered, and Olivia agreed with him. ¡°I feel the same way too, I really don¡¯t understand why so many people will choose death. They can¡¯t eat yummy food or read books after they die¡ª alright then, follow me.¡± With that, Olivia sheathed her blade, and started walking with a hum. She wasn¡¯t showing any signs of wariness at all. (Fufufu. This girl has a good sword arm, but she¡¯s stupid. Lieutenant General Patrick and Brigadier General Christoph getting killed by this broad makes me laugh. War isn¡¯t just about honor and dignity. No matter how despicable one might be, the one who survives is the victor.) If he took out the Death God, his achievement would be lauded throughout the Empire. He would definitely get the Imperial Cross Medal, and even get promoted all the way to Major General. Alexander laughed deviously in his heart as he sneaked behind Olivia. She wasn¡¯t wary of him at all. Alexander couldn¡¯t stop his smile anymore, and swiftly pulled out the dagger hidden in his right sleeve. (Die!!) Alexander stabbed his dagger at the back of Olivia¡¯s neck¡ª ¡°¡ª How did you...?¡± There was a flash in his vision, and Olivia who should be on the ground was standing before him with her cheeks puffed out. In her left hand was a fist sized object that was pulsating. (Is that¡­ a heart?) Alexander looked at his left chest with an ominous feeling¡ª and saw a hole in his shirt that was being dyed red. ¡°¡­Aaa.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t lie! The devil will pull out your tongue!¡± Olivia then crushed the heart in her hand. Alexander¡¯s consciousness snapped like a string at this moment too. On the twelfth day of the battle. The decisive battle in the Central War Theatre ended with the Royal Army¡¯s victory. However, neither side were aware that they were being observed in secret. Chapter 5: The Battle Under the Dress ¢ñ The Gate to the Underworld, Training Grounds ¡°Z, what will we be training today?¡± ¡°I will be observing your skills with magic. You won¡¯t need your sword, so put it aside.¡± ¡°Okay~¡± The girl nodded and leaned the white sword against a tree trunk. ¡°¡ªLet¡¯s begin. Attack me with all the magic you got. I won¡¯t retaliate in any way.¡± ¡°Ehh~ but when you said that last time, you counterattacked.¡± The girl¡¯s protest made Z show a dumbfounded expression. And of course, Z didn¡¯t have any face, that was just how the girl felt. ¡°That¡¯s a lesson for you. Battles aren¡¯t just physical clashes, the enemy will sometimes deceive you with tricks too. And you have the tendency of believing everything I say.¡± ¡°Ehehe.¡± The girl scratched her head and then showed a silly laugh. ¡°If you understand, then let¡¯s get started. For the short lived humans, time is very precious.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± The girl concentrated, and gathered the magic power in her body. The technique was similar to molding clay. At the same time, she gathered the mana in the air. Gradually, countless blue and white particles congregated in the hands of the girl, forming into a ball of light the size of a fist. She spread her legs, leaned forward slightly, and tucked her arms under her armpits. Z showed no signs of attacking just like he said, and remained stationary like flickering mist. ¡°Here I come!¡± The girl threw out the light ball in her left hand with all her might. Z didn¡¯t react to the ball of light, and was hit squarely by it. A cloud of smoke burst out with the sound of an explosion. The girl didn¡¯t stop her attack. She spun around and threw out the light ball in her right hand. Olivia hit Z with her ball again. Not only was the explosion more intense, even the ground was shaking. (Z must be surprised by my magic. I trained this in secret after all.) Olivia observed the situation with a cheeky smile, and Z¡¯s voice came from the other side of the dust cloud: ¡°¡ªIs that all?¡± ¡°Not yet!!¡± The girl shouted as she threw a bunch of fireballs into the air. The fireball clouded the sky, giving the illusion that it was dusk. Following immediately was ¡®Wind Thread¡¯. The thread coming out from the girl¡¯s hand lashed out like a whip, and binded Z tightly. The thread was so sharp that just a slight movement could cut through flesh and bones. ¡°Hmm, not bad.¡± Z commented plainly after looking at the thread binding it. The girl threw down the hand she was raising up high, and the fireballs in the sky rained down on Z. Soon, Z was buried in a sea of flame. When her last ball hit its mark, a pillar of fire shot up into the sky. ¡°H-How¡¯s that?¡± She stared at the column of flame with bated breath. Suddenly, a dazzling light blinded her, and when she realized it, the flame pillar was gone. Z who should have been burned by the hellish flame was completely unscathed. The girl lay down on the ground with her limbs sprawled out as Z approached her nonchalantly. If that didn¡¯t work, there was nothing more she could do. ¡°Done yet?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m done.¡± ¡°I see¡­ it¡¯s acceptable.¡± Z said plainly, but the girl was overjoyed. Because she knew that Z was actually very satisfied with her performance. ¡°¡ª By the way, Z, are there others like me who can use magic?¡± The girl got up and asked offhandedly. ¡°There isn¡¯t any.¡± Z glanced at the girl and said nonchalantly. ¡°I see¡­ So why are you teaching me Magic?¡± The girl was already 13, and knew how overpowered Magic was. She tried capturing a Blood Curdling Bird yesterday with Magic, but burned it to crisp because she couldn''t control her power properly. ¡°You don¡¯t like Magic?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t like it, I just feel that this power is too dangerous.¡± ¡°As long as you understand that, it will be fine. Arrogant humans are always seeking more power¡ª but humans do grow at an incredible pace.¡± Z nodded, impressed. The girl watched this scene quietly, and a while later, Z noticed her gaze and asked: ¡°You were asking why I¡¯m teaching you Magic, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°There are many people in this world who can use a farce of Magic. You are learning Magic for that sake.¡± ¡°Farce?¡± The girl tilted her head. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about this yet.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± ¡°Also, you need to change your gluttonous habit soon.¡± With that, Z disappeared into the void. It seems that Z knew about Olivia¡¯s attempt to capture a Blood Curdling Bird yesterday. The girl laid back down, and returned to her extended break¡ª Volume 3, 5 Volume 3, Chapter 5 Translator: Skythewood Editor: Hiiro ¢ò Holy Nation of Mekia, Holy Capital Elsphere As the sunlight got warmer with every passing day, the Holy Capital Elsphere sheds its winter coat. Lake Carla that was outside the Holy Capital was sparkling in blue jewels, and the winter birds had already flocked to the north. This scene was telling that spring was near. At the topmost level of the La Shaim Castle, inside the majestic ¡¶Aqualumin Palace¡·, the Holy Angel Sofitia, and the generals above the rank of Chiliarch such as Lara and Amelia were conferring at a round table. Present for the meeting was a man from the intelligence Bureau Owl. The man wearing a grey cloak and had one prosthetic eye was called Zephyr, a Senior Centurion of the Holy Nation of Mekia. ¡°¡ª And that was how that battle went.¡± Zephyr exhaled deeply, and put down his report. ¡°Thank you, Zephyr. The Ever Victorious General might be old, but still got the moves.¡± ¡°Yes, his fame is well deserved.¡± ¡°This makes King Alphonse who stubbornly garrisoned the First Army in the capital look like a fool. In this chaotic world, a king whose only saving grace is economics, is useless.¡± If this was a time of peace, Alphonse might be remembered by history as a wise king. Sofitia had seen his works in finance before, and couldn¡¯t help thinking this way. In the end, Alphonse was just unfortunate since he was born in the wrong era. ¡°It is as you say, Holy Angel.¡± Zephyr nodded in agreement. Lara concurred too. ¡°No matter what, the Royal Army¡¯s victory is a joyous event. Let us give thanks to the Goddess Citresia who answered our prayers.¡± Sofitia clasped her hands before her breasts and prayed piously. Everyone present followed her lead. (Even the Empire must be reeling from such a heavy blow.) Right after the Crimson Knights lost, the Sun Knights suffered a defeat. The consecutive losses would weaken the Empire¡¯s leashes on their subordinate states. Sofitia smiled secretly to herself and presumed that the Empire would pull back it¡¯s warfront and observed the reaction from the surrounding nations. ¡°Holy Angel, may I enquire you on our future plans?¡± After the prayers ended, Lara asked with a clear voice. Everyone present looked towards Sofitia. ¡°Our future plans, huh¡­¡± Sofitia¡¯s gaze fell on one part of the report. Silence fell over the Aqualumin Palace, and a moment later, Zephyr broke that silence. ¡°¡ª I understand what you mean, Holy Angel. You are concerned about that Death God girl, Olivia Valedstorm, right?¡± There was a creepy gleam in the Black Crystal that was a substitute for Zephyr¡¯s left eye. Sofitia said with an awkward smile: ¡°You got me. I¡¯m just thinking that I have been underestimating the prowess of the Death God.¡± Just as Sofitia and Lara predicted, the Second Army was forced to the brink by the Sun Knights. However, the intervention of one girl turned the impossible battle around. The First army that trumped the Sun Knights were stronger than expected, but they pale in comparison to the Death God¡¯s halo. (I was only planning to reap the benefits from the battle of the two sides, and wasn¡¯t expecting this.) The Death God was a person that could overturn a battle that was already doomed. She would be a reliable ally, but if she was an enemy, the Holy Nation of Mekia would suffer greatly. Sofitia was planning to not interfere with the problem of the Death God, but considering the problems that might arise in the future, there was still a need to gather more information. ¡°Holy Angel, I have seen many strong people over the course of my duties. Even so, that girl is abnormal. Death seems to follow her everywhere, and her skills with a sword was like a nightmare in real life. To be honest, I even suspected if she is really human. It shames me to say this, but this is the first time in my life that I trembled from fear.¡± ¡°¡ªZephyr, are you suggesting that we shouldn¡¯t mess with the Death God?¡± Lara wanted to speak, but was stopped by Sofitia. Zephyr slowly shook his head: ¡°No, gathering intelligence is the duty of the Owl, and we will perform this to the best of our duty. If you will do it, I can investigate all of that girl¡¯s interests. But do note that we don¡¯t have the combat prowess of Heat Haze.¡± Zephyr ended with ¡°It¡¯s a shame for me to say this.¡± But from Sofitia¡¯s perspective, the Owl was better at intelligence gathering than Heat Haze, so not being as adept at combat was a trivial matter. ¡°So you¡¯re saying that we need to send someone who is capable enough to ascertain Ms Death God¡¯s strength?¡± ¡°It is as you say, Holy Angel.¡± The moment Zephyr bowed his head, Amelia who sat opposite him said: ¡°Holy Angel, please send me. My Sorcery is well suited for testing the opponent¡¯s might.¡± ¡°Insolence! It hasn¡¯t been long since your last mission, know your place.¡± Lara admonished her. Amelia was skilled in bondage Sorcery, and Sofitia felt she was a good choice, however... ¡°Your enthusiasm pleases me, Amelia, but your arm that was wounded during your sortie with Lord Sieger had not healed yet, correct?¡± ¡°W-Well¡­¡± Amelia tried to hide her bandaged left arm under the table. When he saw that, a youth with delicate features beside her¡ª Senior Chiliarch Johann Strider said with a smile: ¡°We Sorcerers are few in numbers. If the Holy Nation of Mekia is to rule the continent, then we will need every one of us. It¡¯s great that you are driven, Amelia, but you should only go on missions when your condition is perfect¡ª Am I right, Holy Angel?¡± ¡°Fufu, that¡¯s exactly what I want to say.¡± Sofitia smiled at Johann who spoke her mind, while Amelia glared at Johann with an unhappy face. When he saw her reaction, Johann¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°¡ªAnd so, Holy Angel, please allow me to investigate the Death God.¡± ¡°You?¡± ¡°Yes, my lady. It is said that the Death God is a great beauty, and I wish to see for myself.¡± Johann said nonchalantly. He flicked his brown hair that was rarely seen in the Holy Nation of Mekia with his left hand. On the back of his left hand was a glowing crimson Sorcery Circle. He might act frivolous, but Johann had top notch skills as both a swordsman and a Sorcerer. He could keep his composure under stressful conditions, and was the best candidate for this mission. ¡°I see¡­ I will leave it to you then. But the full prowess of the Death God is unknown. She is skilled with her sword, but I don¡¯t think that is the full extent of her capabilities.¡± ¡°The full extent¡­? She has not shown everything she is capable of yet?¡± Johann furrowed his brows. ¡°I think so. If it gets dangerous, pull out immediately.¡± Even though she was the one who said that, Sofitia couldn¡¯t explain it either. Sorcerers possessed abilities that surpassed normal humans, but they weren¡¯t invincible. In fact, Amelia lost to Felixus who couldn¡¯t use Sorcery. But of course, the strongest man in the Empire was the worst opponent she could meet. ¡°Is this the instinct of the Holy Angel?¡± ¡°Rather than the instinct of the Holy Angel, it¡¯s closer to the instinct of a woman.¡± ¡°The instinct of a woman, huh¡­ That will be a problem. To be frank, I have often succumbed to a woman¡¯s instinct.¡± From noble ladies to maids, the affairs of Johann covered a wide range of women. As he crossed his arms calmly, Amelia looked at him with eyes of contempt. The amused Sofitia said: ¡°I might sound a little naggy, but I will say this again. Pull out if there is any danger. This order takes priority.¡± ¡°I understand, I don¡¯t intend to retract what I said to Amelia.¡± ¡°Please wait, Holy Angel. If we want to investigate the Death God¡¯s prowess, instead of Johann, please leave it to me, Lara Mira Crystal.¡± Lara who had been quiet all this while said loudly as she glared at Johann. Before Sofitia could even speak, the exasperated Johann rebuked: ¡°Holy Legate Lara, you are the top commander of the Holy Winged Legion. It¡¯s another matter during times of war, but how can we send out the commander-in-chief just to scout out the capability of one individual?¡± ¡°It is not just any simple person, but a powerful person that is known as the Death God. Since we don¡¯t know her true capabilities, then sending out our strongest combatant makes more sense.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not good enough a reason. I can investigate the prowess of the Death God, but I can¡¯t command the Holy Winged Legion. Please consider your position.¡± Johann¡¯s advice made Lara show a bitter face, because his words made sense. Lara couldn¡¯t refute him. ¡°Johann is right. Lara, you are the commander-in-chief of our army, and also the trump card of the Holy Nation of Mekia. Please be conscious of that.¡± ¡°¡­ My apologies for my thoughtlessness.¡± Lara bowed her head in shame. ¡°As long as you understand. Lara, you are not just a mighty sword and tough shield, but also a friend.¡± Sofitia said as she smiled at Lara brightly. ¡°¡ª You flatter me with your kind words. I, Lara Mira Crystal, will keep this in mind, and devote my life to the Holy Angel.¡± Lara was moved to tears, leaving her chair and knelt down. Sofitia nodded at her show of loyalty. ¡°Please sit down, Lara¡ª Well then, Johann, remember not to push yourself. Zephyr, please give him your support.¡± Johann saluted with two fingers while Zephyr bowed respectfully. Sofitia got up from her chair, raised her scepter above their heads, and prayed: ¡°May Goddess Citresia¡¯s blessings be with you.¡± ¢ó Royal Capital Fizz, Leticia Castle Two weeks had passed since the Sun Knights shook off the pursuit by the First Army and retreated to Fort Kiel. The Second Army rebuilt a sturdy defence line, while the First Army and Olivia returned to the capital triumphantly. The streets were lined by the citizens welcoming them in a joyous mood. It took the soldiers a long while to make their way into Leticia Castle. Olivia who was feeling dizzy pounced right onto her bed the moment she reached the room Neinhart assigned to her. (This bed is so soft and fluffy! And it smells like the sun. I¡¯m tired today, so I will sleep now.) Olivia who buried her head into her pillow was just thinking about that when knocking came from her door. After granting permission for the visitor to enter, Claudia entered with a bright smile. This set off the alarm in Olivia¡¯s brain. From her experience, Claudia would bring bad news under such a situation. ¡°Major, the weather is great today!¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s cloudy though¡­¡± Olivia answered as she looked at the overcast sky outside. But the happy Claudia said: ¡°It is sunny in my heart!¡± Her response heightened Olivia¡¯s wariness. ¡°¡­ So, what brought you here? If it¡¯s not urgent, can it wait til later? Somehow, I really feel like sleeping.¡± She wouldn¡¯t need to worry about anything in her dreams. Olivia hid under her sheets, but was dragged out by Claudia. Olivia hid under her blanket again, refusing to give up. After an intense struggle with the blanket, Claudia finally peeled off Olivia¡¯s blanket. ¡°Hah, hah¡­ Stop that!¡± Claudia steadied her breathing, and combed her messy hair. ¡°That¡¯s my line.¡± ¡°¡ªWhat did you just say?¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t say anything.¡± Olivia shook her head. Nothing good would come out of defying Claudia, so retracting her words was the best option. ¡°Really now¡­ Anyway, now isn¡¯t the time for sleeping. I brought you wonderful news, Major.¡± However, Olivia felt she would only bring terrible news. The so called good news from Claudia had never been good. Olivia still remembered being forced to wear a dress that didn¡¯t fit her, and going to an award ceremony she didn¡¯t like. In the end, the dress was tailored properly after the award ceremony ended. When she returned it to Claudia, Claudia said: ¡°I can¡¯t wear it anymore, so keep it.¡± For some reason, Claudia had a self mocking smile. ¡°¡­ Let¡¯s hear it then. Olivia reluctantly allowed Claudia to continue, and Claudia¡¯s smile deepened: ¡°Fufu, you will be surprised. When King Alphonse learned of the Major¡¯s exploits, he wanted to meet you no matter what. This is a great honor.¡± Claudia clearly showed the honor she felt, and was on the verge of breaking into dance. Olivia would probably be that happy too if Claudia left her room right now. ¡°Cough cough. Claudia, I think I have a cold. It will be bad to pass it on to the King, so I will give it a pass¡ª¡± ¡°You can only eat congee before your cold gets better.¡± Claudia¡¯s smile was gone, replaced by a cold expression. Congee everyday, so horrifying that Olivia¡¯s face looked ghastly ill. ¡°¡ªI have to go, since I¡¯m not ill. That¡¯s just my imagination.¡± Olivia made a show of how energetic she was, and attempted to fudge things over with a silly smile. ¡°Very well then.¡± Claudia smiled again, sitting down beside Olivia and happily told her about the details of the audience. (Sigh. If I knew, I would have fled the moment I saw Claudia¡¯s smile. I¡¯m really unlucky today.) It¡¯s too late for regrets now. As she thought, this wasn¡¯t good news at all. Claudia was the same as usual, obsessing over honor and all that. (Even though it can¡¯t be eaten¡­ I don¡¯t get it.) Olivia was not interested in meeting the King. She felt that didn¡¯t matter at all, but if she said that out loud, Claudia would definitely turn into a demon. That would be horrifying, so Olivia would never say that. But even so, Olivia needed to inform Claudia that she didn¡¯t care about honor. ¡°Claudia, like I said before, instead of honor¡ª¡± ¡°You prefer books and tasty food, right?¡± Claudia smiled smugly. The surprised Olivia nodded, and Claudia declared triumphantly after clearing her throat: ¡°After your audience with King Alphonse, there will be a victory party in a palace. There won¡¯t be books, but you can eat all the tasty food that you want.¡± ¡°E-Eat as much as I want?¡± That was very tempting, and Olivia leaned closer to Claudia. ¡°The King¡¯s chef¡ª the royal chef will prepare sumptuous dishes on the King¡¯s orders.¡± ¡°Royal chef¡­ Oh! The person who goes on a journey to bring justice to the world and serve delicious food to others, correct!?¡± ¡°Bring justice to the world?¡± Seeing that Claudia was confused, Olivia told her about a book called ¡¶The Former Royal Chef Set Off on a Journey to Bring Justice to the World¡· that she read when she was young. A long time ago, a royal chef that was concerned about the condition of the country left the palace, and brought justice to the villains with the Chopping knives on his waist. He also treated the suffering citizens to delicious meals. That was why Olivia admired the royal chefs, and started cooking with her sword for a period of time. Z who happened to see her do so was confounded by that. ¡°Major, royal chefs don¡¯t deal with evil villains or cook for the masses. And they can¡¯t even leave the palace much lest go on a journey.¡± ¡°Claudia, you mean there aren¡¯t royal chefs that go on journeys to bring justice to the world? There must be. Because the afterword of the book said it is real.¡± Olivia objected, pouting her lips as if she was mimicking a blood curdling bird. Claudia was troubled, and made up her mind to speak her mind: ¡°It¡¯s hard for me to say this, Major¡­ The author was probably kidding when he wrote his afterword. Major, just like the fairy Comet that you love so much, that book is also a work of fiction.¡± Claudia said as she looked to the distance. Olivia was crestfallen when she heard that. This was another thing she was better off not knowing. Leticia Castle, Audience Hall (The King isn¡¯t here yet~? I wish they can hurry up and get it over with.) Olivia who was in the Audience Hall stifled her yawn for the upteenth time now, and there still wasn¡¯t any signs of Alphonse. She was so bored that she started humming quietly, and the door in the deepest part of the hall finally opened. Amongst the flurry of footsteps, Olivia sensed one person sitting down on the throne. By the way, Claudia had emphasized time and again that she can¡¯t raise her head before the King spoke. Thanks to that, Olivia was now great friends with the floor. ¡°Olivia Valedstorm. Raise your head.¡± Olivia raised her head as requested with a sigh. (That¡¯s the King?) The King before her looks completely different from the Kings she saw in drawing books. The thin and frail man seemed surprised when he saw Olivia. The only thing impressive about him was his extravagant clothes and shiny crown. Alphonse stared at Olivia for a while, and whispered to Cornelius besides him. Cornelius didn¡¯t say anything and just nodded silently. ¡°¡ª You are Olivia Valedstorm, the one the Imperials call a Death God, correct?¡± Alphonse¡¯s gaze was filled with surprise. Cornelius wanted to say something, but Alphonse stopped him by raising his hand. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m Olivia Valedstorm.¡± After that, Olivia tilted her head internally. From Alphonse''s attitude, he seemed to be doubting if she was the right person. Olivia had never heard of anyone that had the same name as her though. And Valedstorm was only revived after a hundred years, so if there really is someone with the same name, Olivia really hoped she could take her place and deal with this tedious task. ¡°Olivia Valedstorm, I heard that you fell many famous Imperial Generals. Can you name them?¡± ¡°Apologies, but I¡¯m unable to do so.¡± Alphonse asked, and Olivia admits she couldn¡¯t do so after thinking about it briefly. Alphonse¡¯s expression darkened: ¡°Why is that? Normal soldiers aside, you should be able to remember the famous generals. Are you really Olivia Valedstorm?¡± As Alphonse got more and more suspicious, Olivia asked in return: ¡°Your Majesty, do you remember what you eat for your meals everyday?¡± ¡°My meals? ¡ªThere¡¯s no way I will know that.¡± Alphonse felt the question was pointless, and answered dismissively. ¡°It¡¯s the same for me too. There¡¯s no way I can remember who I killed. Be it famous generals or a nameless footman, they are all the same to me. They are all just humans.¡± Frankly speaking, that wasn¡¯t true. Dead or alive, there were some enemies that left an impression on her. For example, Bloom who gave her Chachamaru (a crossbow). But Olivia felt it was a chore to explain all that, and opt not to mention that. Alphonse was dumbstruck by Olivia¡¯s response, and the guards standing by the wall were in an uproar. ¡°¡ªYour Majesty, she is definitely Olivia Valedstorm. It is understandable that you can¡¯t believe it, but we shouldn¡¯t judge a book by its cover.¡± Cornelius then looked her way. Olivia waved gently at him, and Cornelius smiled faintly back at her. On the way back to the capital, Olivia was bored and went to Cornelius for a chat, despite Claudia¡¯s objections. She was a little curious about the man standing at the top of the Royal Army. And she realized that Cornelius was a grandpa who was easy to get along with, and they hit off in no time. Claudia kept bowing her head and apologizing the entire time. ¡°¡­ I¡¯m not familiar with military matters, and couldn¡¯t help probing. From our brief conversation, I can tell that you are not your average soldier¡ª Olivia Valedstorm, to reward you for your achievements, tell me what you wish for. I can¡¯t grant you everything, but I will do what is possible within my means.¡± Olivia answered without thinking: ¡°Then please give me a ginormous cake depicted in drawing books. I have always wanted to try one.¡± ¡°Cake? Did you just say cake?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all? You don¡¯t want gold or gems?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, I¡¯m not good at spending money yet. Gems are just pretty shiny stones, I¡¯m not interested in them.¡± Olivia said with a laugh. Alphonse smiled awkwardly: ¡°Gramps¡ª Cornelius already told me that you don¡¯t have any desires¡­ Alright then. I will order the royal chefs to prepare a cake that is even larger than the ones shown in the drawing books.¡± ¡°Thanks! ¡ªAh, no, Thank you very much, Your Majesty!¡± ¡°Good. That¡¯s all then.¡± Olivia got up happily with a salute, and left the Audience Hall with lighthearted steps. She thought meeting the King was a pain, and never thought this would happen. ¢ô The moonlight illuminates the white walls of the Leticia Castle. The victory party held in the main hall was filled with a large number of officers, as well as influential nobles. Olivia who stepped into the venue drew their attention. She was wearing a bright red gown, tied her silver hair to her side, and had a leaf-shaped accessory on her head. She only applied a thin layer of red lipstick to her lips, and that was already enough to make Claudia gasp at her beauty. ¡°¡ª How beautiful, she is like the Goddess Citresia.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the Death God feared by the Imperial Army? ¡­Is that a joke?¡± ¡°If I¡¯m younger¡­ it will be great if my son can win her hand in marriage.¡± And so the discussions go. A few men were so mesmerized that they didn¡¯t even notice that they were spilling the wine in their glasses. Even the haughthy daughter from the Hakusburg house lamented ¡°So beautiful that it¡¯s scary¡± as she stared at Olivia vexingly. As for Olivia who was the center of attention, she was shocked by the gigantic thing in the venue: ¡°C-Claudia! This is incredible! A tower! It¡¯s as tall as a tower! This cake is even more incredible than the one I saw in the drawing books!¡± Olivia was very excited, and kept shaking Claudia¡¯s shoulders. All the guests were shocked by the gigantic cake when they first arrived too. Olivia already knew ahead of time, but the cake prepared on Alphonse¡¯s orders was larger than she expected. (Since King Alphonse gave his word, they can¡¯t fudge things over¡­ But, isn¡¯t that too big?) This cake must be the culmination of the royal chef¡¯s effort. Claudia had never seen such an enormous cake before, it¡¯s no wonder that Olivia got so excited. Claudia looked at the cake before her with a blank face. A greeting suddenly came from behind. ¡°It seems that Major Olivia is satisfied with this cake.¡± ¡°Oh! Lord Cornelius. Your beard is long and bushy today too.¡± Olivia said as she fidgeted with Cornelius¡¯ beard. Claudia couldn¡¯t react in time, but it does seem nice to touch. Cornelius didn¡¯t admonish Olivia, letting her play with his beard as she wished. Claudia snapped out of it, and quickly pulled Olivia back by her shoulders. ¡°Major! Don¡¯t play with the Field Marshal¡¯s beard!¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t play with it, can I touch it?¡± Olivia looked at her confusedly. ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean! And you can¡¯t speak so freely with the Lord Field Marshal!¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine. Tonight is the victory party. First Lieutenant Claudia, you can take things easy and enjoy the night.¡± ¡°Yes Sir! Thank you for accommodating us!¡± Claudia saluted on reflex, then quickly changed into a curtsy. Since she was wearing a dress, she had to behave like a proper lady. By the way, Claudia¡¯s dress was dark blue, with intrinsic embroidery sewed from her waist to the hem of her dress. Finally wearing her favourite dress after a long while, Claudia felt it was a bit tight on her waist. (I¡¯m not fat, I¡¯m just more muscular.) As she searched for an excuse for herself, Cornelius looked at the cake and said to Olivia: ¡°This cake is made for you, Major Olivia. Don¡¯t hold back and enjoy yourself.¡± ¡°Ehehe. I can eat as much as I want~¡± Olivia patted her belly with a smile. Cornelius gently patted Olivia¡¯s head, and stepped slowly to the side. A group of smiling nobles were waiting for him. They must be trying to butter up Cornelius who was as influential as ever. (The Lord Field Marshal has it hard too.) This is a party to celebrate their victory. And events like this were usually the place to determine the power dynamics between nobles, and there were plenty of people eager to cozy up to those in power. It was the norm for the nobles to scurry around to improve their standings behind the scenes of the glamorous party. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m digging in~!¡± Olivia stabbed at the cake with her fork and ate heartily, showing none of the cautious thinking of the nobles. Her dining manners shocked the maids around her. (The Major is really¡­ unfazed by how others see her.) Normally, Claudia would remind Olivia to be mindful of her actions. But this cake was made for Olivia, and this was a rare party, so she didn¡¯t want to spoil Olivia¡¯s mood. (I will close an eye just for today.) Claudia pretended she didn¡¯t see anything. ¡°This tastes awesome, try some too, Claudia!¡± Olivia¡¯s mouth was covered in cream as she said with a blissful face. ¡°I see, let me have a taste.¡± The moment she said that, a maid cut a slice of cake and served it to her, as if to show that this was her job. Claudia sent the cake into her mouth with a wry smile. (Delicious, no, isn¡¯t this too delectable?) As expected of a cake made by the royal chef, the taste was impeccable. (Although the saying goes that dessert goes to a different stomach, this thing is too dangerous. I have to be careful not to eat too much.) Claudia, who was worried about her figure, chatted with Olivia, and she heard laughter from behind her. She turned and saw a group of ladies surrounding a youth with brown hair. He had delicate features and a charming smile on his face. (What a popular person, but I have never seen him before. Whose house is he from?) Claudia observed that youth for a moment, and noticed his gaze. The youth waved his hand to bid farewell to the ladies trying to make him stay, and approached Claudia: ¡°How amazing¡­ To possess both beauty and such majestic aura. May I kiss your lovely hand?¡± The youth knelt on one knee and showered Claudia with flattery. Any other lady would be blushing from this, but Claudia was different. His frivolous actions were obviously well practiced, and didn¡¯t leave a good impression on her. However, his etiquette was on point, so she couldn¡¯t brush him off either. (It can¡¯t be helped¡­) Claudia offered her right hand. The ladies around her screamed agitatedly, and cast murderous gazes her way. Claudia couldn¡¯t help smiling. Compared to what she experienced on the battlefield, their eyes were pathetic. The youth wasn¡¯t fazed as he took Claudia¡¯s hand respectfully and kissed it gently on the back. ¡°¡ªAt this moment, there is no one who is more blessed than me.¡± The youth got up with a bright smile. ¡°Thank you for your kind words.¡± Claudia felt a chill down her back, and smiled stiffly. This was improper for a lady. If Liz Ploise was here, she would definitely tease Claudia about this. And of course, if Claudia wasn¡¯t acting as a lady, but a knight, he would have punched that youth. The youth seemed to be misunderstanding something, and shook his head with a regretful face. ¡°You should embrace your own charm, and know how many men have already been captivated by your beauty.¡± ¡°Hah, is that so.¡± Claudia brushed off the youth¡¯s unnecessary advice. He seemed to be interpreting her actions as a lack of confidence. (His head is filled with flowers. Even though he has a well trained figure¡­ To be honest, I can¡¯t get along with frivolous people like him. Even Ashton is better than him.) The confident face that Ashton showed occasionally flashed across Claudia¡¯s mind. He should be dining in the Grey Crow Pavilion right now. While she was thinking about that, Claudia realized the youth was looking intriguely behind her. ¡°Is the lady behind you your companion?¡± ¡°Well, I guess¡­¡± ¡°Do you mind introducing us?¡± The youth requested with a smile. Claudia tilted her head puzzledly when she saw the wariness in his eyes. ¡°That¡¯s fine¡­ Major Olivia.¡± Claudia called out a little worriedly. Olivia, who was called, stopped what she was doing and turned. Her cheeks were puffed like a hamster gorging herself. The maid beside her hung her head with her shoulders quivering. ¡°¡ªMajor, when did you turn into a hamster? The cake won¡¯t run, so swallow first.¡± Olivia nodded firmly, and started chewing at high speed. She looked just like a hamster, which surprised the youth. ¡°Sorry for the wait! ¡ªWho¡¯s that?¡± After Olivia asked, Claudia remembered that she didn¡¯t ask for the youth¡¯s name. This was an unacceptable mistake for a lady. If her mother Elizabeth learned about this, she would give Claudia a good scolding for at least an hour. But the other party didn¡¯t introduce himself either, so they were equally at fault. The youth stepped forth and answered: ¡°I¡¯m Joshua Richard. Speaking of which, you are really a stunning beauty. The essence of the entire world¡¯s beauty combined. Even the most lavish of gems couldn¡¯t hold a candle to you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Olivia Valedstorm. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but is that all you wanted to say? Aside from the cake, there is plenty of food that I want to try.¡± Olivia answered as she looked at the sumptuous dishes laid out on the food table. At this moment, the band at the stage was ready, and started playing the Kingdom¡¯s classic dance number, ¡¶Peteklica¡·. Cornelius took the hand of a lady and led her to the middle of the hall. As dictated by protocol, the person with the highest status would start the dance. After the two of them began, the rest of the people started dancing gracefully. ¡°¡ª Lady Olivia, may you grace me with a dance?¡± Joshua rested his left hand on his chest and reached out his right hand. Olivia was troubled, and turned him down with a frown: ¡°I don¡¯t have time to dance. Didn¡¯t you hear me? I still want to eat a lot more food.¡± Olivia turned her face away, leaving Joshua there hanging with a stiff face. Claudia felt bad for him, and whispered to Olivia: ¡°Major, it¡¯s bad manners to reject an invitation without any special reasons. It¡¯s like a slap to his face.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I already say the special reason.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not a good excuse. They will continue to send out more delicious food, so don¡¯t worry. Everyone is watching, so it¡¯s bad to leave things like this.¡± Olivia also noticed that the entire hall was looking her way. After all, the two of them seemed to be a good match in their eyes. The ladies looked envious, while the men looked dejected. ¡°Sigh~ so I can eat as I please after the dance?¡± Olivia was a little worried. Claudia nodded firmly to reassure her. ¡°Of course, you can eat whatever you want.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s get the dance over with.¡± Olivia took Joshua¡¯s hand. Joshua held Olivia¡¯s hand with an awkward smile, and walked towards the dance floor. (This is¡­) In the beginning, Olivia and Joshua danced gracefully just like the people around them, but now, they were the only ones left. The rest were watching them with bated breath. That was only natural, because instead of dancing, they were¡ª (Yes, this is closer to sparring practice. But even so, why do they look so elegant?) The two of them observed each other¡¯s movement and decided their next move right on the spot. Their movements were sharp, but in sync with the beat of the music. Olivia¡¯s bright red dress would flutter whenever she spins gracefully. The next moment, the tune had changed. This performance was called ¡¶Delusions of the Demon King¡·, which was about the fruitless love that the demon king harbours towards the hero. The band members were all sweating profusely, playing their instruments desperately as if they were engulfed by the dance of the duo. The music ended at the moment when Joshua held Olivia up with his arms. After a brief pause, everyone present showered the two of them with cheers and applause. The exhausted band members fell heavily into their chairs. ¡°¡ª Lady Olivia, I had a splendid time. Please allow me, Joshua Richard, to thank you once again.¡± Joshua bowed deeply. ¡°I had fun too.¡± ¡°I¡¯m happy to hear that. We will definitely meet again one day, and I beg your leave for tonight.¡± ¡°There are plenty of tasty foods, aren¡¯t you going to try any?¡± ¡°No, I have already gotten something more valuable than these delicacies.¡± Joshua said with a smile, and left the hall together with his group of ladies. Claudia watched him go as she went to Olivia and said: ¡°Just who is that guy? I thought he¡¯s just a frivolous man¡­¡± Claudia obviously felt the sharp air around him during his dance. And of course, Olivia felt the same. The only other person who noticed was probably Cornelius who was stroking his beard. ¡°Who knows. But I think he¡¯s somewhat different from a gutter rat.¡± ¡°Gutter rat¡­ It can¡¯t be!?¡± Olivia smiled and walked towards the food table filled with dishes. Chapter 6: Magic and Sorcery ¢ñ After leaving Leticia Castle, Joshua boarded a carriage parked in the plaza. The driver lit the lights, and drove home. The two horses slowly pulled the carriage towards the city gates. (¡ªThe Kingdom is really peaceful. Their security is tight, but they lack any sense of urgency¡­ From the looks of things, the Kingdom is still far from being defeated.) Joshua could see Intimate couples, staggering drunks and all sorts of people flashing before him. When Leticia Castle in the distance was the size of a pea, knocking came from inside the carriage. A man opened the left door of the carriage and entered nimbly. ¡°Was there any problems?¡± The man sat down opposite Joshua, and his fake eye was shining. ¡°Nothing. As expected of Owl, everything was perfect.¡± Their national power might be weakened, but the security of the Kingdom wasn¡¯t so weak that anyone could just barge in freely. Much lest the victory party attended by the Field Marshal and his high ranking officers. This showed just how good Owl¡¯s intel network was. ¡°You flatter me, Senior Chiliarch Johann¡ª¡± ¡°Hey hey, I¡¯m not Johann Strider, but a noble from the boondocks of the Farnesse Kingdom, Joshua Richard.¡± Johann raised the corners of his lips, and Zephyr smiled awkwardly. ¡°I hope you can forgive my oversight¡ª so, did you come into contact with the target?¡± ¡°Olivia Valedstorm, huh¡­ She¡¯s a stunning beauty. I have never seen anyone as beautiful as her in the Holy Nation of Mekia. This is the first time that my heart is racing like that.¡± Johann thought about Olivia, who was the personification of beauty herself. Zephyr looked at him exasperatedly, then said: ¡°I agree with you on her look. However, our opinions differed with regards to the Holy Angel. But that¡¯s not what I¡¯m asking¡­¡± Johann smiled when he heard that: ¡°I understand. In a word, she¡¯s a real monster. It¡¯s a given that the Empire is helpless before her. Although we Sorcerers are also monsters in the eyes of normal humans.¡± Johann wasn¡¯t trying to hog the spotlight when he asked Olivia for a dance, nor was it on a whim of the moment. He was able to tell to a certain extent how strong someone was just by dancing with them. Johann wanted to trip her if he had the chance, but he got his hands full just trying to keep up with Olivia. That was how extraordinary her body movements were. ¡°So Sir Johann thinks so too. I don¡¯t think that girl can be judged by the standards of a human.¡± ¡°Her nickname of a Death God is well deserved.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Zephyr concurred with a nod. The carriage had gone off road, and would slant every now and then. Johann looked at the full moon outside and said to Zephyr: ¡°Your judgement is spot on, Zephyr. I would need to put my life on the line to have a good gauge of her capabilities.¡± Johann scratched his head with a smile. Zephyr¡¯s bitter face was reflected on the window. ¡°Sir Johann, you are an indispensible person to the Holy Nation of Mekia. Please keep the advice of the Holy Angel in mind.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. If I die, leaving the Holy Angel aside, Amelia will probably kick down my tombstone. More importantly, the number of women who will mourn me exceed the fingers on both my hands. I won¡¯t do something so cruel.¡± Johann turned to Zephyr and wiggled his fingers teasingly. The truth was, even if he added in his toes, there still wouldn¡¯t be enough digits. That was how much Johann flirted with women. ¡°I¡¯m relieved to hear you say that. But if anything untowards happens, we Owls will protect you with our lives.¡± Zephyr had a determined face. Johann sighed, looked Zephyr in the eyes and said: ¡°I have to correct you there. You Owls are the indispensable one for the Holy Nation of Mekia. If the Holy Angel heard what you said, she would give you a lecture. Be aware of this, and don¡¯t say that again.¡± ¡°¡­ I offer my thanks on behalf of the Owls.¡± Zephyr bowed respectfully, and at that moment, the carriage stopped with a neigh from the horses. The two men steadied each other, and the window before them opened. The driver looked at them through the opening: ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°My apologies, we seemed to be surrounded by bandits.¡± ¡°Bandits? How many?¡± ¡°About 50.¡± The driver answered calmly. ¡°Phew. Did you hear that? They mobilized a platoon scale group for just one carriage. We sure are popular.¡± ¡°I will take care of this.¡± Zephyr put his hand on the door handle, but Johann grabbed his shoulder before Zephyr could alight. ¡°No, allow me.¡± ¡°Sir Johann? ¡ªThey are mere bandits, and will scatter once their boss is dead. There¡¯s no need to trouble you¡­¡± After a short pause, the troubled Zephyr begged Johann to reconsider. ¡°Don¡¯t say that, let me warm up before I test Olivia¡¯s skills. It¡¯s been a while since I used this thing.¡± Johann unveiled the ¡°Flaming Light Sorcery Circle¡± on the back of his left hand with a faint smile. After ordering his minions to surround the prey tightly, Bernard looked at the black carriage with intrinsic carvings and almost drooled. (The one inside this high class carriage must be incredibly rich. I can make a killing from this, this is my lucky night.) Bernard¡¯s bandits usually operated in the Zum plains to the south of the Kingdom, but business had been bad. He might have been raiding too frequently, and news about them must have spread. Left with no choice, he had to change his area of operation. It was a coincidence that he encountered a high class carriage that didn¡¯t have any escorts, and it had exceptionally large wheels as if to draw in the attention of others. This windfall came out of nowhere. ¡°Hey! Hurry on out! Or I will burn you along with your carriage!¡± ¡°Are you too scared to come out¡ª?¡± ¡°I¡¯m talking to you! You dumb looking driver! Hurry up and get your master to come out!¡± The minions taunted as they waved their weapons at the carriage window. They might be dumb, but they still knew that the carriage could fetch a good price, so they didn¡¯t put a scratch on it. And finally, the passengers gave in and opened the golden door of the carriage. (Heehee, as I expected, it¡¯s an unworldly son of nobility.) Bernard licked his lips. A graceful man with delicate features alighted from the carriage. From the pure white suit with golden embroidery, he probably just left a party. These clothes would fetch a tidy sum in the market too. Behind him was a man with a fake eye and grey cloak. His dressing looked suspicious for an attendant, but when Bernard saw the bulging coin purse under his cloth, Bernard stopped caring about the suspicious attire. ¡°You finally came out¡ª What? There¡¯s only the two of you? No women?¡± Bernard asked as he looked inside the carriage with a hum. The graceful man seemed confounded: ¡°As you can see, there¡¯s only the two of us.¡± ¡°Tch! ¡­ It can¡¯t be helped, this will have to do. Hand over all the valuables you have on you. We will talk after that.¡± Bernard reached his hand out after saying that. But the elegant man and fake eye attendant didn¡¯t respond to him, and just stared at the outreached hand. ¡°Hey! Why are you two just standing there? Scared out of your wits?¡± His minions started snickering at that. At this point, the elegant man spread his arms in an exaggerated manner: ¡°Oh, my apologies. This is all new to me, so I couldn¡¯t help getting engrossed. Oh, I don¡¯t mean engrossed in that way, so don¡¯t worry¡ª Speaking of which, are all bandits as crude as them?¡± ¡°Sir Joshua, these bandits aren¡¯t that bad, and their attire isn¡¯t too shabby too.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Joshua looked at the bandits with surprise. The fake eyed man said with a wry smile: ¡°There are even more filthy bandits out there. After all, that¡¯s how bandits are. They are the furthest thing from cleanliness.¡± ¡°Oh~ so that¡¯s how bandits are.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s how bandits are.¡± Even though they were surrounded by 50 bandits, the two of them weren¡¯t fazed as they looked at each other and smiled. Their insolent attitude enraged Bernard, and also fueled his suspicion. ¡°Are you sure you want to take that attitude with us? You really think the three of you can take all of us on?¡± Bernard raised his right hand, and his minions readied their weapons with a glare. Normal people would be begging for their lives at the sight of that. But the two men before them remained unfazed. The driver who would usually be the first to run didn¡¯t move either. It wasn¡¯t that he couldn¡¯t move, but that he didn¡¯t need to move. ¡°That aside, I want to ask something. What will happen if there¡¯s a lady with us?¡± ¡°Hah!? We will screw her brains out, obviously! Stop changing the topic!¡± One of the minions yelled. The smile was gone from Joshua¡¯s face and he said with his eyes narrowed: ¡°How unpleasant. Did you sprout out from the ground? There¡¯s no value in your life if you don¡¯t respect women.¡± Joshua snapped his left hand¡¯s fingers. At the same time, Bernard heard a scream behind him. He turned back, and saw one of his minion¡¯s right arm was on fire. ¡°Ahhhh!? Why is my right arm burning!?¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know!?¡± ¡°S-Someone put out this fire!!¡± ¡°Even if you say that, there¡¯s no water here!!¡± The minion dropped and rolled on the ground desperately, but the fire showed no signs of going out. As the minions scrambled around, more finger snappings could be heard. With each snap, the minion¡¯s left arm, right leg and left leg were set aflame. When the head burst into flame, the minion croaked. ¡°¡°¡°¡­¡­¡±¡±¡± The mob looked at the corpse being cooked with blank faces. Bernard gulped to moisten his dry throat, and asked: ¡°W-Was that you?¡± ¡°Is there anyone amongst you who can do the same thing? If yes, then I don¡¯t mind recruiting him into the Holy Winged Legion.¡± Joshua said with a faint smile. His words explained that he was in the military, but not why he could create fire out of thin air. (It will make sense if he added oil and then set him alight, but that¡¯s not it. He can create fire by snapping his fingers? That¡¯s not humanly possible.) Bernard was sweating bullets, and felt fear he had never experienced before. He realized that the man before him was further up the food chain than him. What should he do before such a person? There was only one answer. ¡°Fall back!¡± Bernard fled, and his minions started scampering away when they saw that. However¡ª ¡°There¡¯s no chance I will let you go.¡± A giant column of flame burst out before Bernard¡¯s group, stopping their escape path. (What the hell!?) The onslaught of incredulous sight confused Bernard. No matter which way he went, a fire pillar would block his path. Soon, most of his men were trapped in a ring of fire. Those who managed to escape were beaten to death by the driver who had alighted without anyone realizing. ¡°Please, spare me!¡± ¡°If we knew what you are capable of, we would never have attacked you!¡± Joshua looked at the mob pleading for their lives coldly. It was only a matter of time before they were burned alive. ¡°Sir Joshua, I¡¯ve come to bargain.¡± ¡°Bargain?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. A deal that¡¯s very beneficial to you.¡± Joshua rubbed his chin and thought for a moment, and then said: ¡°¡ª Alright, I¡¯m curious about what you have to offer. Go on then.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the way! If you spare me, I will give you all the treasure in my hideout. Not just that, I have top quality playthings there too. I will give all those girls to you.¡± ¡°Top quality playthings?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Their screams sound really nice. But I cut the nerves in their legs to stop them from running away, but that¡¯s nothing, right? Mr Joshua, you have nothing to lose with this deal. What do you say?¡± Bernard tried desperately to persuade Joshua. He could rob more money in the future, and the same goes with women too. Saving his hide is the most important thing. (Please! You have to agree!) But Bernard didn¡¯t get what he wanted. Joshua looked at him as if he was looking at walking garbage/ ¡°Flaming Wheel of the Flowery Wind. Erase all traces of all those engulfed by my flames.¡± Joshua clenched his left fist, and a red flash exploded in the night. The ring of fire around him tightened. The moment the fire brushed through the bandit at the outermost edge of the ring, his body crumbled into ashes with a scream. ¡°Hahaha! This is preposterous! This must be a dream! Yes, a nightmare!¡± The scene before him was no different from a nightmare. Bernard looked up to the sky and laugh dryly in despair¡ª ¡°¡ªSplendid. That was a masterful display of Sorcery.¡± ¡°¡­ I kept one alive. Make him bring us to his hideout.¡± ¡°Yes Sir!¡± Zephyr grabbed the arms of a bandit, and pressed his blade to the bandit¡¯s neck. A gust of wind blew the ashes that used to be human, sending them up into the night sky. Johann watched all this in silence. Volume 3, 6 Volume 3, Chapter 6 Translator: Skythewood Editor: Hiiro ¢ò Two days after the victory party in Leticia Castle. Under the clear blue sky, Olivia, Claudia and Ashton walked through the St. Germu plaza as they headed to the Royal Library. The plaza was filled with stalls as usual, and rowdy as ever. The people were still excited from the news of victory. As the child of a merchant, Ashton didn¡¯t hate this rowdy atmosphere, which reminded him of his parents that he had not seen in a long while. ¡°The cake and dishes in the castle taste really good~ Will I get to eat there again~? I want to eat there again~¡± Olivia hummed as she wandered around the snack stalls. The occasional gust of wind would brush across her lustrous silver hair that glimmers under the sun. ¡°Haven¡¯t you eaten enough? I heard you ate a whole lot at the castle that day.¡± In response to the exasperated Ashton, Olivia blinked and then answered: ¡°Don¡¯t you know, Ashton? Humans are creatures that can keep eating tasty food.¡± ¡°No no no, you are the only one like that. No matter how tasty the food is, there has to be a limit. Even First Lieutenant Claudia was surprised by what you did too¡ª right?¡± Ashton asked Claudia beside them to back him up. He heard that Olivia¡¯s gluttony at the victory party shocked everyone present. She even wanted to take the leftovers with her, and it took everything Claudia had to dissuade her. After that, she said to Ashton with a frail face [I learned what it means to have your cheeks burning from shame], which left a deep impression on Ashton. ¡°That¡¯s true, I still can¡¯t believe it. How can the Major¡¯s slender body take in so much food? And it didn¡¯t affect her figure at all, I¡¯m so envious.¡± Claudia glanced at Olivia with an awkward smile. On closer observation, she kept on rubbing her belly with her left hand. What she said and her hand movements made Ashton understand something. ¡°First Lieutenant Claudia, are you bothered because you have gotten fat? It¡¯s fine, you are still thin, and are still as charming even though you have gotten a little more thicc.¡± She might not know, but Claudia was very popular in her unit. Her thin brows, high nose bridge and red lips made her a real beauty. She treats commoners and nobles the same without any discrimination, which added more to her popularity. It wouldn¡¯t matter even if she was a bit fatter. Ashton stated his sincere thoughts, but... ¡°Ashton Senefelder¡ª¡± It was clear that Claudia was in a bad mood when she addressed him by his full name, and she had an icy smile. Ashton finally realized he had misspoken, but it was already too late. Claudia reached her right hand out and pulled Ashton¡¯s ear. ¡°That hurts! First Lieutenant Claudia! That really hurts! Please stop pulling my ear!¡± Ashton cried out in pain, and the ladies passing them by said ¡±Is that a sister and her kid brother?¡± ¡°They sure are close.¡± Claudia faked a cough, and let go of Ashton¡¯s ear. ¡°Sigh. You are always saying unnecessary things. I¡¯m a girl too, and will feel hurt if you say that so bluntly. If you keep doing that, then even if you find a girl you like, you will get dumped in no time.¡± Ashton¡¯s heart skipped a beat when he heard that. He quickly searched for Olivia, and found her a fair distance behind him, and was looking over with wary eyes. (Why is she so guarded? ¡ªNevermind, there¡¯s no point in thinking about it. It wasn¡¯t the first time she acted weird. I¡¯m just glad she didn¡¯t hear anything unnecessary.) Ashton sighed in relief and looked at Claudia again. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean it.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what you mean, just watch your words. Pay extra care when speaking about the appearance of a lady.¡± ¡°Yes, I will do so in the future.¡± Ashton lowered his head in apology. ¡°Good.¡± Claudia smiled gently and ruffled Ashton¡¯s hair. Their interactions did feel like those of a pair of siblings, and Ashton found that to be incredible. (Well, if First Lieutenant Claudia is really an elder sister¡­ She will definitely be very strict. She will admonish me if anything happens. If she marries, she would be a strict wife.) Ashton thought about something rude as he looked up into the sky. He could see birds circling in the air and cawing. Those birds with a unique caw were ¡°Dark Spring Birds¡±, and were known in the Kingdom as harbingers of spring. The farmers would start sowing seeds when the Dark Spring Birds caw. ¡°¡ªIt¡¯s already spring.¡± ¡°Hmm? ¡ªThat¡¯s right. The season when the world springs back to life.¡± Claudia raised her head melancholically. ¡°Do you know? You can catch many delicious prey in Spring. For example, giant black lizards, grizzly bears, speckled boars and blood curdling birds. And also¡ª¡± Olivia who suddenly appeared beside the two of them made a pose of pulling a bow as she said that. By the way, all the beasts Olivia mentioned were type two danger beasts. Normal people would run if they encounter them. But retorting was too much of a hassle, so Ashton just agreed with her. ¡°Olivia, you really love to eat.¡± ¡°Ehehe. This is one of my good points!¡± Olivia started humming and led the way as she swung her arms. They walked for about an hour from the Grey Crow Pavilion. After passing by all sorts of fancy manors, they could finally see the Royal Library in the road ahead. Olivia rushed to the guard room and showed her Knight emblem. ¡°Hey, can I go in?¡± ¡°Why, isn¡¯t this Major Olivia? Of course you can. All the doors in the world are open for Major Olivia.¡± The civil officer got up and saluted, then gave the instructions to his subordinate. ¡°What are you waiting for? Hurry and show Major Olivia the way!¡± ¡°Y-Yes Sir!¡± ¡°I have been here four times, so you don¡¯t need to guide me?¡± The man shook his head when he heard what Olivia said. ¡°That won¡¯t do. Here, this way please.¡± Ashton tilted his head as he looked at the man bowing and ushering them in. He wasn¡¯t here on the first day, but they weren¡¯t shown such hospitality on the latter three days either. Ashton looked to the side and saw Claudia smiling awkwardly. She seemed to know something. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± The surprised Claudia looked at Ashton and said: ¡°You can be incredibly dense at times. These people must have heard of the Major¡¯s exploits in the Central War Theatre.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Olivia mowed through the enemy and saved the Second Army from imminent destruction. The attitude of the civil officers made sense given her achievements. The attitude of the guards were even more obvious as they stood still at attention. ¡°It might seem really crude, but this is the norm in the military. Even more so during times of war.¡± ¡°Indeed, Olivia¡¯s war merit is overwhelming.¡± There had been a lot of talks about promotions lately, and Ashton felt that Olivia would definitely be promoted again. However... ¡°Why are you saying it as if it doesn¡¯t concern you. Maybe you will get your recognition alongside the Major too, Ashton?¡± Claudia¡¯s face was serious. ¡°Me? How is that possible?¡± Ashton snickered, and Claudia showed a resigned face. ¡°What¡¯s with your silly smile? The top brass thinks highly of your work as a strategist. I already told you that you have to be more aware of your achievements.¡± ¡°You are doing it again. First Lieutenant Claudia, you are bad at making jokes.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­ You are joking, right?¡± ¡°Sigh.¡± The exasperated Claudia let out a long sigh, then said to Ashton as if she was speaking to a little kid: ¡°Listen up. After Fort Kiel fell, the Royal Army went on a losing streak. It¡¯s not a stretch to say that the Empire was holding a blade to the Kingdom¡¯s neck. You understand all that?¡± ¡°Y-Yes.¡± Ashton nodded timidly. ¡°But after you and the Major appeared, the situation changed for the better. We defeated the Imperial Army from the south and the north, and now, we even dealt a heavy blow to the enemy in the Central War Theatre. The Empire still had the edge over us, but things had improved markedly compared to last year.¡± ¡°I know all that, but it¡¯s all thanks to Olivia.¡± Ashton felt he deserved some credit, but his achievement was trivial compared to Olivia. He wasn¡¯t shameless enough to think they were on par. ¡°You deserve recognition too. Others also worked hard, but the two of you are definitely the core. That¡¯s why the brass evaluated you so highly. Not as high as the Major though, obviously.¡± When he heard that, Ashton felt his shoulders turn heavy. As if he was shouldering the future of the Kingdom. If his parents heard that, they would probably faint. After all, Ashton was just a student a year and a half ago. ¡°¡ª Frankly speaking, this topic is too heavy for me.¡± ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t want to pressure you. But remember, I will be by your side. If there¡¯s any danger, I¡¯m strong enough to protect you.¡± Claudia patted the sword on her waist as she said that. Her words were gentle and strong, and Ashton felt ashamed for saying something so weak minded. She must be uneasy about this war that showed no signs of ending too. But she still said she would protect him. As a man, Ashton felt he couldn¡¯t hang back in fear. ¡°¡­ I will be in your care from now on. Oh, but please stop scolding me so often.¡± ¡°Sigh. I already told you not to say unnecessary things.¡± Claudia poked Ashton¡¯s forehead gently, and offered her hand: ¡°But oh well, I will be in your care too.¡± The two of them shook hands tightly. At this moment, a bell-like voice came from the front. ¡°Ashton and Claudia, what are you doing back there? Let¡¯s go~¡± Olivia waved at them with a smile. Ashton and Claudia looked at each other and smiled too. ¢ó When Ashton¡¯s group was ushered into the library, Claris and her colleagues were tidying the bookshelves. ¡°Oh? Well well well, if it isn¡¯t Ashton Senefelder. I¡¯m glad that Comrade Olivia and Ms Claudia are safe too.¡± After saying that, Claris rested her feet on the edge of the ladder and slid down with practiced movements. When she saw that, Olivia rushed excitedly towards the ladder, but Claudia grabbed her collar swiftly. Claris ignored the reproachful gazes cast her way and pushed up her plain red rimmed glasses with a mischievous smile. ¡°You look well too, Ms Claris. By the way, why are you smiling like that?¡± Ashton became wary. ¡°I heard all about it. How you all slaughtered the enemy commanders like a demon. Even the Sun Knights led by that Imperial Tri-General were sent running back to Fort Kiel with his tail between his legs.¡± ¡°Demon is a little too¡­ Speaking of which, why do you know all these details, Ms Claris? That seems strange to me.¡± ¡°Ashton is right, you are suspiciously well informed.¡± The surprised Claudia concurred with Ashton. The military would inform the masses of the general situation, but it wouldn¡¯t be that detailed. As Ashton looked at her suspiciously, Claris hugged his arm and whispered into his ear: ¡°You just got commissioned as an officer, and your tone turned so rude. When have you fallen so low? Major Ashton Senefelder.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a Warrant Officer, you know?¡± Ashton corrected her, but Claris raised the corners of her lips. ¡°You will be a Major soon.¡± ¡°Another divination of yours? Unfortunately, that¡¯s impossible¡ª and can you let go now?¡± Conscious of Olivia¡¯s gaze, Ashton pulled Claris from his arm. Satisfied with her teasing, Claris grunted softly. ¡°So, why do you know so much, Ms Claris?¡± ¡°Who do you think I am? This much information is just a piece of cake for me.¡± Claris¡¯ haughty words tugged on Ashton¡¯s memories. Back in the Lion King Academy, she was really well informed. From trivial matters like where the principal kept his winestash, to the operation cost of the academy that normal students wouldn¡¯t know, she knew all this information. ¡°That¡¯s true, Ms Claris has always been shrouded in mystery.¡± ¡°Fufu, mystery is what makes women, women.¡± Claris pressed her index finger to her lips with a seductive smile. After bringing Ashton and company to the reading room, she went off somewhere by herself. A while later, Claris returned with a book and sat down beside Olivia. ¡°Did you find out the reason?¡± Ashton¡¯s passing comment made Olivia overreact. She leaned excitedly over to Claris¡¯ chair. ¡°Did you figure it out!?¡± ¡°C-Comrade Olivia, you are too close. I will feel shy, so please back off a little.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± It was rare to see Claris flustered, and Olivia agreed obediently. However, she wasn¡¯t doing what she just said, and was leaning in even closer. Her overexcitement probably led to a mismatch between her words and actions. ¡°A-Alright. I smell something nice, and that clears my head too. Let¡¯s get on with the topic.¡± Claris and the other three all looked towards the black book on the table. The book title was ¡¾The Clan of Darkness¡¿. The author was Angus Rem White, the Deputy Chief of Staff for the Farnesse Kingdom. (This book title is familiar, I remember seeing it the day before I left the capital¡­) Claris saw through what Ashton was thinking and said with a nod: ¡°That¡¯s right, this is a book Ashton Senefelder found. There wasn¡¯t enough time, so we returned it to the shelf, but I read it some time later. Let¡¯s start with the conclusion, the Valedstorm house is the descendant of the ancient Clan of Darkness. The reason it died out is written inside.¡± With that, Claris opened a bookmarked page. Ashton browsed through quickly, and it was true, it mentioned that the Valedstorm was descended from the Clan of Darkness. ¡°So, what is this Clan of Darkness? Darkness feels ominous though¡­¡± Claudia asked Claris as she flipped through the pages. ¡°According to the book, they were a minority race that defied the True King. They were trying to usurp the throne with their superior abilities or something.¡± ¡°A minority race usurping the throne? That¡¯s a huge leap.¡± ¡°As you know, history is written by the winners. Only the subjects themselves knew if the contents were true or not.¡± Claris shrugged, and Ashton concurred. He was well read, and came across a lot of information that had to be taken with a pinch of salt. They had to use their own judgement to determine what was true. ¡°Let¡¯s assume this is true. Did the Valedstorm house plan on treason like their ancestors?¡± Claris shook her head at Claudia¡¯s question. ¡°No. The Valedstorm house¡¯s loyalty towards the Farnesse royalty was well known. Furthermore, no one knew that the Valedstorm house were the descendents of the Clan of Darkness.¡± ¡°What happened then?¡± The confused Claudia raised her voice a little. If what she said was true, then there wasn¡¯t any reason that the Valedstorm house would die out. ¡°Someone snitched on them, saying that the Valedstorm house are descendents of conspirators attempting to usurp the throne. And that they were eyeing the Farnesse Kingdom¡¯s throne again after lying in wait for so long.¡± ¡°Wait, didn¡¯t you say that the Valedstorm house is loyal to the throne? Why would they believe such a preposterous thing?¡± This time, it was Ashton''s turn to ask Claris loudly. But she simply answered: ¡°It was the 8th century of the Lunar Calendar after all. You understand why, right, Ashton Senefelder?¡± (Eighth Century of the Lunar Calendar¡­ I see.) The eighth century of the Lunar Calendar is also called the dark ages. Everyone was tormented by the hopeless war, and lived under stress and anxiety. If someone snitched about a threat against the throne, the royal family would definitely wipe out the threat swiftly. If this happened now, there would be a careful investigation. But considering the situation back then, Ashton felt that this was only to be expected. That was what Claris was implying. ¡°¡ª So, was the Valedstorm house wiped out?¡± Olivia who had been quiet all this while spoke. She was looking at Claris with a serious face, which made Claris gasped at the sight of her. ¡°Comrade Olivia, I¡¯m not sure what happened back then. The book only said that the Valedstorm mansion was surrounded and set on fire. It made no mention of the people inside. But there was something that bothered me.¡± Claris deftly flipped through the pages and pointed to a passage. (Several soldiers witnessed a black mist flying out of the mansion¡¯s window as the building was set ablaze. It still wasn¡¯t clear what that was.) ¡ª Black mist. Ashton looked at Olivia¡¯s sword, and Claudia did the same. They alternated their gazes between Olivia and the sword. As for the sword owner Olivia, there was a brilliant light in her eyes as she raised the corners of her lips. There was a little madness in her face, making it hard to approach her. Claris who didn¡¯t know anything about the sword continued: ¡°This part is very strange. What is that black mist? This is the only passage that mentioned it in the entire book. By the way, there wasn¡¯t any evidence that proved the Valedstorm house commited treason.¡± ¡°So they were framed, huh¡­¡± Claudia muttered. ¡°From my speculations, the royal family probably felt guilty about this. After all, they punished the loyal Valedstorm house without any evidence.¡± ¡°Even if they were the descendents from the Clan of Darkness, that was ages ago, and had nothing to do with the people in the current era.¡± ¡°This must be the grounds why the reason that it died out wasn¡¯t stated. Normally, the house name would be purged for situations like this. I think Angus Rem White wrote this book as a form of penance.¡± Claris closed the book and sighed heavily. ¡°Any records on who the snitch were?¡± Things turned out this way because of the baseless accusation, so Ashton was curious that Claris didn¡¯t mention that point. ¡°There¡¯s nothing in the book that touched on that. Either the author didn¡¯t know, or intentionally omit it¡­¡± Silence hung over the place for a moment before Olivia broke it with a clear voice: ¡°Claris, Claudia and Ashton, thank you for your help. Picking the Valedstorm house was the right choice after all.¡± ¡°¡­ What do you mean?¡± Claris asked with probing eyes, but Olivia just told her not to mind it, and stretched her back. Ashton wanted to learn more, but since Olivia had no intention to tell them, he couldn¡¯t really ask. Everyone has their own secrets after all¡ª After leaving the Royal Library, Ashton and company walked aimlessly in the streets. ¡°That was unexpectedly quick. What should we do now?¡± Ashton turned back and asked, which made Claudia smile wryly. ¡°Well, we thought we had to stay for a few days.¡± Olivia who was walking in front of them suddenly stopped. ¡°In that case, let¡¯s go eat something nice. It¡¯s already noon.¡± The moment Olivia said that, the clock tower tolled. Ashton couldn¡¯t help smiling at this coincidence. ¡°That¡¯s true¡­ This is a rare chance, let¡¯s visit the street stalls.¡± ¡°Shopping the stalls! Yay!¡± Olivia was overjoyed. ¡°First Lieutenant Claudia, is that okay?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s fine.¡± Claudia nodded too. ¡°No objections from me either. This is a good chance to eat something from the street vendors.¡± A voice suddenly came from behind. They turned and found a handsome youth standing there with a brilliant smile. ¢ô ¡°You are¡­!?¡± Claudia was shocked. ¡°Do you know each other?¡± ¡°¡­ Yes, we met at the last party.¡± Claudia kept her eyes locked on the youth the entire time she answered. The youth claimed to be Joshua Richard, a noble from the far ends of the Kingdom. He had delicate features and silky smooth brown hair. He was an entire head taller than Ashton, gave off an elegant atmosphere, and was popular amongst the ladies. ¡°This is the first time we met. May I have your name?¡± Joshua smiled awkwardly before asking Ashton. ¡°Oh! Pardon me, I¡¯m Ashton Senefelder.¡± Ashton quickly introduced himself, and Joshua seemed surprised to hear that: ¡°Ho~ you are that genius strategist, huh. I heard about your exploits in the Seventh Army, but the air about you seemed different from the rumors¡­ No, that¡¯s the scary thing about you, huh¡­¡± Joshua nodded. Ashton felt Joshua was flattering too much by calling him a genius strategist, and Claudia suddenly stood in front of Ashton. Looking closely, she was bending her waist a little with her hand on her hilt, ready to strike at any moment. ¡°First Lieutenant Claudia?¡± ¡°Stay behind me and don¡¯t move¡ª What business do you have with us, Sir noble from the borders?¡± Joshua shrugged at the wary Claudia: ¡°Hey now, there¡¯s no need to be so guarded. The serious Lady Claudia Jung is great, but a smile suits a woman better.¡± ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t recall ever giving you my name.¡± Claudia¡¯s voice deepened a little and there was the sound of sand shuffling under her feet. ¡°This might sound rude, but I actually sent my aide to investigate and learn about the heir of the famous Jung house, and learn about your beautiful name. I hope you can forgive my impudence.¡± Joshua got down on one knee and bowed respectfully. His graceful movements mesmerized all the ladies who were walking by. If Ashton was a girl, he would probably be blushing at this scene. However, Claudia didn¡¯t care at all. She furrowed her brows and said impatiently: ¡°Stop with your act and answer my question.¡± ¡°Like I said, I just wish to have lunch together with your group. It¡¯s nothing to be wary about¡­¡± Joshua stood up and scratched his head troublingly. Ashton was also puzzled by Claudia¡¯s hostility, since she even had her hand on her hilt. He learned about them meeting at a party, but he never heard about any conflict. ¡°Still pretending to be retarded, huh. I can tell that you aren¡¯t anyone simple. Besides, why should we¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s more fun to eat with lots of people.¡± Olivia interjected between them, and tapped on Claudia''s shoulders to get her to relax. ¡°But Major, this man¡­¡± ¡°Lady Olivia Valedstorm, thank you for your kind understanding. To return your favor, allow me to foot the expenses for your shopping trip through the stalls.¡± Joshua smiled and smoothly answered Olivia. From their meeting until now, Joshua showed no signs of any pride or haughtiness of the nobles, which left a good impression on others. He had a knack for doing this. ¡°Your treat?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then I can eat whatever I want?¡± Olivia¡¯s eyes were filled with expectation. Ashton couldn¡¯t understand how Olivia linked someone treating her with her eating whatever she wanted. In response to that, Joshua patted his chest and affirmed: ¡°Of course. Joshua Richard won¡¯t go back on his words.¡± ¡°Great!¡± From the perspective of a merchant, Joshua¡¯s clothes were top quality and expensive. He was definitely a wealthy noble, and had no need to worry about the expenses spent at street stalls. However, he had no idea how much Olivia could eat. ¡°Sir Joshua, this might sound strange, but Olivia is a big eater. The type that¡¯s so shocking that would make people faint from surprise.¡± Joshua looked at Ashton in surprise when he heard that, and then laugh heartily: ¡°That would make my treat all the more worthwhile, Ashton.¡± Joshua said as he patted Ashton¡¯s back cheerfully. Because of his friendly attitude that wasn¡¯t like a noble at all, Ashton added: ¡°It will be too late to regret it later. Olivia left the concept of ¡®being considerate¡¯ in her mother¡¯s womb.¡± ¡°What an interesting expression. In that case, I also left the term ¡®monogamy¡¯ in my mother¡¯s womb.¡± Joshua stared into the distance for some reason. Ashton was confused by his words, when Olivia tugged his sleeve. ¡°Alright now, let¡¯s hurry and shop the street stalls.¡± Olivia was probably bored of their conversation, and forcefully ended the discussion and ran off. Ashton and Joshua looked at each other with awkward smiles and followed. Claudia tailed behind them, staring at Joshua warily all the while. Ashton and the others were greeted by the energetic voices at the marketplace. Compared to the morning, the foot traffic had increased several folds. It was lunchtime, and the food stalls were especially loud. ¡°Yay! Since it¡¯s free, I will eat as much as I want~ Olivia rolled up her sleeves and charged forth. The three of them chased her to an alley, and found a stall that wasn¡¯t open in the morning there. The most prominent of all was the shop selling bundles of cloth. Compared to other countries, the quality of clothes in the Farnesse Kingdom was exceptionally good. For the Kingdom, the export of cloth was very important. Delicate cloth that couldn¡¯t be found in other nations could be seen everywhere here. Ashton gave a guided tour for the intrigued Joshua as they walked. Shortly after, they found Olivia who was eating at a stall before them. The signboard said ¡¯Smoked Grey Boar sandwich, the capital¡¯s famous delicacy¡¯. Ashton had resided in the capital for a long time now, and this was the first time he had heard of that. ¡°A-Are you the friend of that lady officer?¡± Ashton was smiling wryly when the skinny stall owner asked them. Claudia affirmed that, and the owner seemed relieved. ¡°That¡¯s great. She said someone will come and pay later, and started gorging herself. She¡¯s a soldier, so I didn¡¯t dare to say anything¡­¡± The owner glanced at Olivia who was eating heartily with a troubled face. ¡°¡­ Hey.¡± ¡°Oh! The food there looks nice.¡± ¡°Hey! Wait¡ª¡± Olivia dodged Ashton¡¯s hand and fled like a rabbit. She disappeared in the crowd without giving them any chance to catch up. ¡°That girl!¡± ¡°Hahaha. Lady Olivia sure is energetic¡ª Boss, I will pay her tab. How much is it?¡± Joshua smiled happily and reached into his pocket. ¡°Okay, thank you very much! That will be¡­ Ten silver coins!¡± ¡°¡ªHah? Ten silver coins?¡± ¡°Yes, ten silver coins!¡± The owner said with a bright smile and reached his right hand out. Joshua looked at his hand and turned to Ashton. Ashton understood what he meant and asked on his behalf: ¡°Just how much did she eat?¡± ¡°She ate everything that I had, so I will be closing shop for the day.¡± The stall owner was all smiles. There really was nothing left in his stall, save some crumbs. Claudia smiled deviously at Joshua¡¯s stiff face. Half an hour later¡ª After finally catching Olivia, Ashton¡¯s group sat down in a bigger restaurant. Since Joshua was footing the bill, the table was filled with dishes. Olivia kept ordering as she ate, so the food showed no signs of finishing. Joshua didn¡¯t eat anything at all, and just stared into the void. ¡°¡ªWell, I¡¯m still in my growth spurt, so I have to eat more.¡± Even Olivia felt she was going too far, and started making excuses. ¡°Don¡¯t use your growth spurt as an excuse. Besides, what if you get even bigger?¡± ¡°Bigger where?¡± Olivia asked with a spoon in hand. ¡°Where, you ask¡­¡± Ashton couldn¡¯t help looking at Olivia¡¯s breasts. He suddenly felt an oppressive air from the side. He turned his head, and saw Claudia forcing a smile. ¡°I¡¯m about the same size as the Major, so mine is big too, right?¡± ¡°Y-You are right.¡± Ashton didn¡¯t care that she didn¡¯t state the subject, and kept nodding his head. Sweat rolled down his neck, and he found it hard to breath. At this moment, Joshua suddenly returned to his senses and asked: ¡°Lady Olivia, what are your plans after you have finished eating?¡± ¡°Hmm? We don¡¯t have any plans.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great, then can I ask for a sparring session?¡± ¡°Sparring? ¡ªThat¡¯s fine. You treated me to lunch, so I will hold back from killing you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m very grateful for that¡ª And Lady Claudia, I think it will spoil the mood if you draw your sword here.¡± Joshua said as he took a sip of tea. Claudia¡¯s sword was already halfway out, and Ashton was confounded by how things escalated so quickly. ¡°First Lieutenant Claudia, calm down! And Sir Joshua, why are you suddenly challenging Olivia to a spar? Please explain so I can understand.¡± ¡°Shut up Ashton! ¡ªSo you have finally shown your true colors. You are an Imperial spy, correct?¡± Claudia cast a murderous gaze towards Joshua. (Sir Joshua is an Imperial agent? I¡¯m getting more confused.) As if to mock the befuddled Ashton, the situation escalated further. ¡°Sorry to betray your expectations, but I have nothing to do with the Empire. Or rather, the Empire is our common enemy. Besides, would a spy dine with you so openly?¡± Joshua had a point, and Claudia scowled her face. Meanwhile, Olivia was unconcerned and continued eating. ¡°Lady Claudia, you can tell, correct? Even if I go all out, I still am no match for Lady Olivia.¡± Joshua was serious. Ashton heard from Guile that the strong could tell the strength of their opponents just from their movements. Claudia had a murderous aura as she showed an unhappy face. ¡°Why don¡¯t we give it a try?¡± Claudia pulled out her sword further. Seeing the tense air between the two of them, the boss quickly prepared to close the shop. The other patrons who noticed the murderous air all pretended to be ignorant. ¡°¡ªPhew. This dish tastes really good.¡± Olivia¡¯s innocent voice soothed the tension. She stretched her back and then patted Claudia¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I will be right back.¡± ¡°Major¡­¡± Claudia wanted to follow, but was stopped. ¡°You don¡¯t have to follow. You too, Ashton. Shall we go?¡± ¡°¡­ Alright.¡± Joshua and Olivia left together. Ashton looked at them leave with a blank expression, and said to Claudia who was sheathing his sword: ¡°Should we follow?¡± ¡°Never mind. Didn¡¯t the Major tell us not to?¡± Claudia¡¯s face was bitter when she said that. She really wanted to follow them. It was the same for Ashton, but with Olivia¡¯s beast-like instinct, she would notice right away if they followed. ¡°So, who exactly is he? From the conversation, he doesn¡¯t seem to be the enemy¡­¡± Ashton¡¯s question remained unanswered. Claudia just watched the two of them leave in silence. ¢õ Johann who was walking before Olivia stopped in the plains a short distance from the capital. It was a plain, but they were surrounded by trees and boulders. Johann turned and said to Olivia with a hum: ¡°We can be as loud as we want here. Like I said before, I¡¯m very grateful that you agreed to my sudden request.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Like I said, I¡¯m returning the favor for your lunch. And you can do away with the honorifics, it¡¯s a pain for me.¡± Olivia said with a shrug. ¡°¡­ Thank you very much. I¡¯m not used to it either, since I only use it for specific people. And like I mentioned at the dining table, I¡¯m not an Imperial soldier, although Claudia suspects me of being one.¡± ¡°Not me though. You are probably from the Holy Nation of Mekia, right?¡± Olivia said matter of factly. Johann was surprised that she pointed out his origins so suddenly, but still kept a straight face. ¡°Why do you know I¡¯m from the Holy Nation of Mekia?¡± ¡°I can smell it.¡± ¡°Smell?¡± Johann sniffed at himself, and only smelled cologne. ¡°Before joining the Royal Army, I journeyed with someone from the Holy Nation of Mekia for a while. Your scent is similar to that person.¡± This was hard to believe, but if she really discerned the truth just from his scent, then her nose was as keen as a beast. ¡°You are really incredible in all sorts of ways.¡± ¡°Really? Enough about that, let¡¯s hurry. Claudia and Ashton are still waiting, and I still have stalls I want to visit.¡± ¡°You still want to eat?¡± Johann was dumbstruck. Olivia puffed out her chest proudly and answered: ¡°Because I¡¯m still in my growth spurt!¡± ¡°Sigh. You did mention that before. You really are an incredible person.¡± Johann said as he drew his sword. Olivia drew her sword in response. A moment later, a dark mist covered her black sword. ¡°I see¡­ so that¡¯s the rumored sword. That really is ominous, and really suits a Death God such as yourself.¡± ¡°Ehehe. Isn¡¯t that right? Even if you stare at it, I won¡¯t give it to you. It¡¯s very important to me.¡± Olivia hugged the dark sword lovingly in her arms as she said that. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in robbing the treasures of other people. I also know that you are very strong, so my apologies for not holding back.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, I will hold back.¡± With that as a signal, Johann charged forth. At the same time, Olivia pointed her blade downwards without taking any stances. (She¡¯s confident of countering any attacks, huh¡­ Then I won¡¯t hold back.) Johann attacked from a very low angle, thrusting out his thin blade as fast as he could. Olivia turned to dodge, and used the momentum to slash at him. Johann leaned back to evade, and advanced with a flurry of thrust attacks. This was to disrupt Olivia before she could make any moves, however¡ª (A nightmarish sword technique, huh. Zephyr¡¯s description was right on point. I didn¡¯t expect the gulf to be so great. Compared to her, my technique is like a child''s play.) Olivia¡¯s unpredictable movements made Johann¡¯s breathing ragged. He had not been pushed this far in recent times. It took everything he had just to defend, and counter attacking would be impossible. And this was after he enhanced his physical abilities with Sorcery. On the other hand, Olivia seemed to be having it easy. Despite her intense actions, she didn¡¯t even break a sweat. She was even smiling. It was just as she said, she was holding back. (She¡¯s really dangerous. In that case, I will crush your dominant hand. Don¡¯t bear a grudge.) Johann backdashed to create space and snapped with his left hand. When a tinder appeared on Olivia¡¯s right arm, something unbelievable happened. Olivia moved her arm almost instantly to prevent it from being engulfed by flames. ¡°What!?¡± When Johann landed on his feet, he snapped his fingers repeatedly. But Olivia dodged the fire with dance-like movements. No one had ever evaded this move of his. Johann felt terror for the first time in his life. ¡°Hey, is that¡ª¡± Johann ignored Olivia¡¯s questions and channeled more mana into the Flaming Light Sorcery Circle. When the scorching light glowed brightly, Johann swung his left hand hard. A circle of fire rose from the ground and surrounded Olivia. ¡°Hmm~¡± Olivia showed no fear as she looked at the ring of fire intriguely. (You are a bigger threat than I imagined. I don¡¯t think I will have a chance like this again, so even if I get admonished for doing this, I will have to kill you here. We are not enemies, but for the glorious future of the Holy Nation of Mekia, I have to do this.) Shutting out Olivia¡¯s smile from his mind, Johann clenched his left hand into a fist tightly. The sorching ring of fire tightened, devouring Olivia¡¯s body viciously¡ª (It¡¯s over¡­) Johann turned his back to the blazing flame and walked away. Once they learn of Olivia¡¯s death, the Empire would mount a comeback. Even so, he felt this was the right choice. However, he did defy Sofitia¡¯s orders. As he was racking his brain on how to explain himself... ¡°¡ªHey. This is Sorcery, right?¡± A voice that shouldn¡¯t be heard came from behind. Johann quickly turned around and saw Olivia covered in a rainbow light walking out of the blazing flames unscathed. ¡°Are you a Sorcerer too!?¡± ¡°Ehh? I¡¯m not a Sorcerer.¡± ¡°Then what¡¯s that light around you!?¡± Johann pointed at Olivia agitatedly. That rainbow light must be the thing that negated the Flaming Wheel of the Flowery Wind, or she would already be turned into ashes. Olivia looked at her body and answered nonchalantly: ¡°This isn¡¯t Sorcery, it¡¯s Magic.¡± ¡°Magic!? What¡¯s Magic!¡± The scene before Johann looks like some sort of Sorcery to him. But Olivia said it wasn¡¯t Sorcery, but Magic. Johann had never heard of Magic. The ¡°Woman¡¯s instinct¡± mentioned by Sofitia flashed across his mind. ¡°You don¡¯t know what Magic is?¡± ¡°Hell if I know!!¡± ¡°Then I will give you a simple demonstration. You treated me to lunch after all.¡± With that, the rainbow light around Olivia vanished. Not sure what she was up to, Johann gulped. Olivia suddenly raised her index finger. (¡­ Hmm? What¡¯s that sound?) Johann could hear the air buzzing a little. At the same time, countless light particles congregate at Olivia¡¯s fingertips. It slowly grew into a fist-sized ball of light. ¡°Here I go.¡± Olivia flicked gently, and the light ball brushed past Johann¡¯s cheek with incredible speed. He then felt an impact and heat wave from behind him. Johann shielded his face with his arm as he turned, and saw that a boulder had been blown into bits. ¡°That¡¯s Magic.¡± Johann was dumbstruck, while Olivia sounded easygoing. ¡°R-Ridiculous! If you conjure that much power, the mana in your body will run dry! That means death for Sorcerers. Don¡¯t you understand!?¡± Johann shouted, but immediately realized the contradiction. Even Lara who possessed enormous mana would put her own life in danger after expending enough mana to destroy a boulder. But Olivia wasn¡¯t fazed at all. ¡°Like I said, I¡¯m not a Sorcerer. But it¡¯s the same for me, I will die too if I exhaust my mana. That¡¯s why we should draw in the ether from the air and minimize the mana expended through our own body, right?¡± ¡°Minimize the expenditure of mana? And what¡¯s ether!?¡± ¡°You sure have a lot of questions. Do you see these blue and white particles? These are ether.¡± ¡°You¡­ You are saying these are ether!? I have never heard about that! The mana from the body is everything to a Sorcerer!¡± Johann got even more agitated, and Olivia nodded sagely. ¡°Speaking of which, Z did say that there are a lot of people using this counterfeit.¡± ¡°Y-You are calling Sorcery a counterfeit!?¡± Johann¡¯s legs started trembling, as if his existence was being denied. ¡°Well, you all don¡¯t know about ether after all. And that thing branded on the back of your left hand? You are probably using that as a medium to use Sorcery, right? You will be done for if your arm gets chopped off.¡± Olivia laughed out loud. But Johann couldn¡¯t laugh. What she said was true, which raised Olivia¡¯s threat by several levels. After all, Magic was fundamentally different from Sorcery that depended on the user¡¯s own mana. He imagined what would happen if she could attack consecutively with that light ball, and shivered at that thought. This overwhelming power could take on a country. That was the reason why Johann didn¡¯t understand. ¡°¡­ If you had such prowess, then why didn¡¯t you use it more? Wouldn¡¯t it be much easier to deal with the Imperial Army if you used that power?¡± ¡°Because Z told me not to use Magic against humans unless I¡¯m in mortal danger.¡± ¡°Z¡­ You mentioned that name before too. Is that person the one who taught Olivia Magic?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Not just Magic, but swordsmanship too. I was taught many other things. Z is incredible and knows everything.¡± Olivia answered proudly. It was clear from her tone that she respected Z deeply. ¡°Seems like you have a good teacher.¡± ¡°Hmm~ Z isn¡¯t really a teacher¡­ That aside, you want another go? I¡¯m game for it.¡± ¡°N-No need. Like what I told Claudia earlier, I¡¯m no match for you even if I go all out¡ª Owl, don¡¯t act rashly either!¡± Johann shouted at the Owl lying in ambush in the area. Zephyr who showed himself from behind the boulder nodded quickly with a pale face. Volume 3, Final : Wind of Spring Volume 3, Final Chapter: Wind of Spring Fort Astra Felixus¡¯ Private Quarters The candle flickered in the middle of the night. However, the tightly closed windows should have kept the night wind out. Felixus slowly closed the book he was reading, and asked without turning back: ¡°What brings you here at this hour of the night? And can you refrain from barging in uninvited? If you get caught by the guards, I will not lend you a hand.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t make such a retarded mistake. That aside, there¡¯s an emergency report.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­ you guys are always doing things one sidedly. Can¡¯t you spare a thought for others?¡± Felixus sighed and turned his chair to the middle aged man standing at the door. The lower half of his face was covered with a cloth, and he was dressed in black garb. At a glance, his attire was similar to that of the Heat Haze, but the air about him was different. He had the heavy and sharp aura unique to those in the assassination business over long years. ¡°I will begin then. Recently, we have confirmed a survivor of the Abyss Clan that should have been purged. We, the Asura clan, can¡¯t leave this be. So you have to aid us.¡± The man said as if all that was obvious. The Abyss Clan and Asura Clan had a long history dating back to ancient times. That was all Felixus knew. ¡°Just how long are you people going to keep on doing this? Your contract with the True King was several centuries ago. Or is that King an immortal, and is still alive and kicking?¡± The last part is a joke, but that man didn¡¯t react when he heard that. ¡°The King is of no importance to us. For Asura, the contract is everything. Even if the era has changed.¡± ¡ªAsura¡¯s phantom. That was what Felixus called them in his heart. They were fanatics of the contract who were bent on wiping out the descendents of the Abyss Clan. ¡°Whatever, it has nothing to do with me. Are you done? The door¡¯s that way.¡± Felixus pointed to the door, but the man showed no intention of leaving, and said impatiently: ¡°The noble blood of the Asura flows in your veins, so this involves you too. And have the purest bloodline to be the next clan head. Be aware of your position.¡± ¡°You all decided that yourself, I have no reason to oblige. I didn¡¯t ask to be the descendant of an assassin.¡± The Sieger house was famous for serving the Emperor over the generations. However, only the head of the house, Felixus, knew that they were the scions of the legendary Asura assassin clan. His sister Luna, butler Klau and even the Emperor Ramza didn¡¯t know about this. ¡°That again, huh. We didn¡¯t want to tap on your powers either, but the target this time is difficult. If you understand, then give us a hand.¡± ¡°I refuse. I have my obligations as an Imperial Tri-General, and don¡¯t have time for your childish assassination games.¡± ¡°¡ªSo you won¡¯t accept no matter what?¡± The man¡¯s voice deepened. ¡°I already said the same thing plenty of times.¡± Felixus slapped the railing impatiently. The man raised the corners of his lips with a malicious smile: ¡°¡­ If I recall correctly, your sister is named Luna, right? I heard she resembles you, and is a pretty¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up. Another word and I will kill you right here.¡± ¡°¡ª!?¡± The candlelight flickered. The man backdashed when he saw Felixus¡¯ seething anger. He placed his hand on the short sword on his waist, and watched Felixus warily. Felixus was usually calm and composed, but would lose his cool if the people close to him got involved. ¡°¡­ I will use this chance to make this clear. Your people can do whatever you want, I have no intention of getting in your way. But if you lay your hands on my kins or acquaintances, I will wipe out your entire clan.¡± The man¡¯s face turned pale when he heard that. He knew very well that Felixus was capable of doing that. ¡°Ugh¡­ I understand. You don¡¯t need to help, but don¡¯t get in our way either.¡± With that, the man rest his hand on the door. But he seemed to remember something and turned back. ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°¡ªThis probably concerns the Imperial Tri-General, so I will let you know about this.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°The name of that Abyss Clan member is Olivia Valedstorm. A Major in the Farnesse Kingdom.¡± ¡°!?¡± Felixus almost gasped out loud, but managed to hold it in. ¡°¡ªFrom your reaction, I presume you have heard of her?¡± The man looked at him dubiously. Not only had Felixus heard of her, she was a great threat to the Imperial Army. The girl known as the Death God. She was the main reason behind the Crimson Knights¡¯ defeat. ¡°¡­ That¡¯s sort of right.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± The man answered off handedly and left the room without any noise. The Asura didn¡¯t care about the Empire, and only focused on carrying out their contract. They weren¡¯t interested in how much a threat Olivia was to the Imperial Army. Felixus sighed and leaned back on his chair. (I never thought she would be a descendant of the Abyss Clan¡­ No wonder she¡¯s so strong. The Seventh Army probably won¡¯t attack Fort Astra, but I will meet her on the battlefield one day. I have no intentions of helping them, but this is probably our destiny.) ¡ªThe Abyss Clan and Asura ¡ªOlivia and Felixus. As if everything was preordained, the two of them couldn¡¯t escape from crossing fate. Felixus got up from his chair and slowly opened the window. A flash of lightning turned the room white. A gust of wind blew through Felixus¡¯ hair. ¡°The wind of Spring, huh¡­¡± Felixus¡¯ mutter disappeared into the darkness along with the candlelight¡ª Volume 3, Afterword Volume 3, Afterword Thank you everyone who is willing to buy this copy of ¡¶The Girl Raised by the Death God Holds the Sword of Darkness in Her Arms ¢ó¡·. It¡¯s already the third volume before I realize it. We only made it so far thanks to the support of everyone! From the perspective of the story, this is the midway point. From the way I phrased this, some will think ¡°It¡¯s already half done?¡± (I hope so). But there would be some people who will feel exasperated and think ¡°It¡¯s only half done?¡± (That can¡¯t be helped) I will try to write this story at a measured pace all the way to the end. That will be the most adequate arrangement, given my skills. But this is just what I think right now, who knows what the future will bring. I hope everyone will continue to watch over me with kindness. And now, onto the obligatory thanking session¡ª¡ª Oh, let me add in one news! As everyone holding this book already knows, the manga version of ¡¶The Girl Raised by the Death God Holds the Sword of Darkness in Her Arms¡· will be published in the monthly comic magazine Dengeki Dai¨­!! The manga artist is Matsukaze Suiren sensei! I hope everyone will enjoy the manga version in a different way from the novel version. And finally, allow me to offer my deepest thanks to all the readers holding this book. Maito Saimine Volume 4, Prologue: Hero of the South Volume 4, Prologue: Hero of the South Translator: Skythewood Editor: Hiiro The location was south of the Dubedirica continent, the Confederation of Sutherland made up of 13 cities. On one hand, each city governed itself independently; on the other hand, the policy of the Confederation of Sutherland was decided by the ¡¸13 Stars Council¡¹ made up by the governors of the 13 cities. If viewed as one nation, its population of 100 million made it on par with the Farnesse Kingdom, Arsbelt Empire, and the three were known as the three great nations. The 13 cities also had their own armies. In accordance to the ¡¸Sutherland 13 Charters¡¹, they were obligated to form a united army to fight an external army. (Things are getting problematic¡­¡­) This was a city with a vast territory in the confederation¡ª¡ª Third City Bey Grand. A youth from the city¡¯s army headed for the Mayor¡¯s office with a report in hand. This youth with gentle light in his eyes was Julius Lira Fifus. A general at just age twenty two, he didn¡¯t rise to his status with just the famous Fifus family name alone. A display of extraordinary acumen for strategy, tactics, and a little luck made him the man he was. His gentle demeanour made him a hot topic with the ladies. After saluting the officers who passed him by, Julius stopped before a set of finely decorated doors at the end of the passageway. This door was made by the artisan Trois Schiele in the Lunar Calendar year 600, covered in intrinsic flowing designs. ¡¸Is the Mayor in?¡¹ ¡¸Sir! The Mayor is in!¡¹ The guard answered with a salute. Julius nodded and steadied his breathing before knocking on the door. ¡¸Pardon my intrusion.¡¹ Lizun Castle was built on top of a conical shaped hill¡ª¡ª this gave the illusion that the beautiful city was floating in midair, and the masses called it ¡¸Sky Castle¡¹. In a glass room on the top floor which had a clear view of the entire city, Bey Grand¡¯s commander-in-chief Rion von Elfried seated behind his large office table stared right at Julius. ¡¸Whenever you show that face, that usually means ill tidings.¡¹ Rion¡¯s first words were beyond Julius¡¯ expectations. He wasn¡¯t planning to show any emotions, but Rion saw right through him, rendering him speechless. With a wry smile in his heart, Julius stepped forth. ¡¸It seems Lord Rion knows me better than myself.¡¹ Rion sneered. ¡¸What are you saying all of a sudden? The two of us go way back since we were kids, so this much is only natural. Enough, show me the thing in your right hand. That¡¯s the reason for your sour face?¡¹ Rion casually reached out with his left hand as he said that. After Julius handed the report over, he started browsing through it quickly. His dark green uniform couldn¡¯t hide his well toned body. His shiny blonde hair, pleasant features and unique iridescent eyes were like a work of art. Like a fine sword crafted by a famous artisan, he was emitting a sharp light. But at this moment, only Julius noticed the seriousness deep within him. No one knew about the grand ambitions hidden inside Rion yet. ¡¸¡ª¡ª There are signs that the Twelfth City is planning to invade Farnesse Kingdom¡­ That¡¯s unexpected, but also none of your concern, just leave them be.¡¹ He thought Rion would be worried, but he was surprisingly unfazed¡ª¡ª Julius looked at him as if he was looking at a rare animal. ¡¸¡ª¡ªWhat, is my face weird? Haven¡¯t you gotten tired of looking at it after so many years?¡¹ Rion said as he stretched his face exaggeratedly. ¡¸No, well¡­ Is this really fine?¡¹ Julius¡¯s question made Rion lean back on his chair with furrowed brows. This wasn¡¯t an approach towards a roundabout attitude. ¡¸No matter what, the 13 cities have equal standings. It will be a different matter if the Twelfth City violated the secret agreement with the Empire, but just invading Farnesse Kingdom won¡¯t be a problem. The Empire didn¡¯t forbid us from getting involved with the war¡ª¡ª In the end, this sort of internal affairs wasn¡¯t something that I should comment on.¡¹ Indeed, the 13 cities formed a relationship of peers with equal standings. However, complete equality was impossible. The difference in scale of the cities would naturally lead to a comparison of their powers. Julius was a soldier, and wasn¡¯t against wars. However, he didn¡¯t understand the reason behind the Twelfth City¡¯s invasion of the Kingdom. If war broke out, it would have a big effect on the citizens. If Rion advised the Twelfth City against it, they wouldn¡¯t be able to ignore that. (He refused to speak up despite that, so he really isn¡¯t interested?) Julius knew it was futile, but he tried persuading Rion from a different angle. ¡¸But if the Confederation of Sutherland has an oath of neutrality against wars, won¡¯t the Twelfth City¡¯s action violate that oath?¡¹ ¡¸A violation, huh¡­ Julius, you seriously don¡¯t get it?¡¹ In response to Rion who had a faint smile on his face, Julius shook his head slightly. ¡ª¡ª The end of the warring era. At its peak, there were sixty odd nations, and when the strife was over in the Lunar Calendar Year 950, that number had dropped by half. The small nations facing extinction enacted non-aggression treaties to survive. In the Lunar Calendar Year 952, they formed the Confederation of Sutherland. At almost the same time, they declared an oath of non-interference in wars. Half a century had passed since the declaration of absolute neutrality. When the unrest started again, Sutherland had always watched from the sidelines. The non-interference and absolute neutrality declaration didn¡¯t mean they gave up on the idea of wars. If another nation invaded, Sutherland would naturally strike back. However, that hadn¡¯t happened yet. Aside from the great nations of Farnesse Kingdom and Arsbelt Empire, the rest were small countries. For example, the Adorina Kingdom and Rure Magic Kingdom which shared a border with Bey Grand were always feuding over their tiny territory. For the great nation of Sutherland that had a solid foundation in the south, it was impossible for any minor nations to show hostility against it. In the end, there weren''t any expectations for the Mayor of each city to keep that oath. The declaration half a century ago was just an empty promise now. He didn¡¯t say it out loud, but Rion was no exception. So it was expected that this question made him laugh. ¡¸The other countries won¡¯t believe this old declaration either. No country would protest if the Twelfth City attacked the Farnesse Kingdom, since it¡¯s just a declaration.¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s true¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸If there is a country who believes that declaration, it just means that nation is careless. Right now, Sutherland just need to maintain the secret agreement with the Empire.¡¹ Rion concluded and tossed the documents on the table disinterestedly. In the Lunar Calendar Year 997, one month after the famed impregnable Fort Kiel fell, the Confederation of Sutherland and Arsbelt Empire conducted multiple secret talks. The agenda was to stop the export of food to the Farnesse Kingdom until its demise. In return, the Empire would never start a war against Sutherland. Back then, Sutherland was quite eager to not make enemies with the up and rising Empire. And the 13 Stars Council passed that proposal unanimously. (But that would just last until Farnesse Kingdom falls. What will happen next is still up in the air.) Emperor Ramza declared his intentions to unite the entire continent. That obviously meant he wanted to bring the continent under his rule, and agreements were easily broken. The man known as the Benevolent Emperor would not go back on his word easily¡ª but there might be a way for him to get the support of his citizens in an unimaginable way. Their time as observers was numbered. ¡¸Let me guess what you are thinking, Julius.¡¹ Rion rested his chin on his arm, with his elbow on the armrest, showing a devious smile. Julius frowned and advised the young ruler. ¡¸Lord Rion, please stop mimicking a Satori.¡¹ ¡¸That mind reading monster, huh¡­ There¡¯s nothing more whimsical than the human mind. If I can mimic a Satori¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸If you can do that¡­?¡¹ ¡¸Then not just this City, Sutherland and the whole Dubedirica continent would already be in my hands. And of course, Julius would be right there by my side.¡¹ Rion¡¯s innocent laugh was similar to the one he had as a child. Julius¡¯ expression softened at that sight. (He never changed¡­¡­) After laughing for a while, Rion switched to serious mode. ¡¸I understand your worries, Julius, but relax. I¡¯m not an incompetent Mayor. Since this war won¡¯t last much longer, then we should consider the future too. Aside from the Twelfth City, the other Mayors must be keeping a close watch on future development too.¡¹ ¡¸I understand that very well. I, Julius Lira Fifus, have complete trust in Lord Rion.¡¹ Julius bowed respectfully and Rion laughed. ¡¸Enough with that act. Speaking of which, the Twelfth City isn¡¯t conducting espionage properly. In this new age, the ones with more information will have the initiative.¡¹ ¡¸It is as you say, Lord Rion, the situation has changed drastically. Attacking the Farnesse Kingdom now would be unwise, and would scald the hands of the attacker instead.¡¹ ¡¸Hmmp, it will be great if they can get off with just a scalding.¡¹ ¡¸It will be worse than that?¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s right, one wrong move and the scythe of the Death God will come for them.¡¹ Rion tapped his neck with two fingers, and Julius nodded silently. The scale was far smaller than the Empire¡¯s ¡ºHeat Haze¡», but Bey Grand also had its own intel unit known as ¡ºWolf Pack¡», which reported directly to Rion. By the way, they were called ¡ºWolf Pack¡» because of the wolf tattoo on their shoulder. According to the intel from the ¡ºWolf Pack¡», starting with the defeat of the south army, the Crimson Knights and Sun Knights, both renowned elites of the Empire, had been defeated. Interestingly, the girl known as Death God fought in all these battles. The girl known as the ¡¸Dark Reaper¡¹ had taken the lives of famous Imperial Generals like a God of Death, there were even rumours that an army retreated in fear when she attacked them alone. Stories of valor were often exaggerated, but this girl appeared to be an exception¡ª¡ª that was the conclusion made by the ¡ºWolf Pack¡». ¡¸Why don¡¯t we give this information to the Twelfth City?¡¹ Rion scoffed at Julius¡¯ suggestion. ¡¸How will we do that? ¡°The Kingdom has a Death God so stop because it¡¯s dangerous?¡± They will never believe us, and on top of that, we are talking about that woman.¡¹ ¡¸¡­ That person won¡¯t believe that.¡¹ Julius thought about that seductive face that had a hint of madness. The ruler of the Twelfth City Nozan Persilla, Mayor Cassandra Zum Sherry, was an arrogant person who would execute a chef just because she didn¡¯t like the taste of her meals. Julius deduced that the invasion of the Farnesse Kingdom was probably forced through by Cassandra. Both of them agreed that Cassandra would ignore their warning. ¡¸We might be the same country in name, but we are still independent nations in practice. Giving them the hard-earned intel from the ¡ºWolf Pack¡»¡ª¡ª I¡¯m not that charitable of a person, and will expect some returns for our troubles. Besides, isn¡¯t this a good chance?¡¹ ¡¸¡­ You want to get a good grasp of Farnesse Kingdom¡¯s prowess?¡¹ Rion nodded happily. ¡¸This isn¡¯t poker, I don¡¯t think the Crimson Knights or the Sun knights are opponents they could defeat with luck alone. With that in mind, the battle between the Twelfth City and the Farnesse Kingdom will be a good test.¡¹ With that, Rion tapped the golden scale on his table. ¡¸Depending on the results, our plans will need to be amended, correct?¡¹ ¡¸Indeed.¡¹ ¡¸What do you plan to do if the Farnesse Kingdom showed signs of turning the tables?¡¹ ¡¸If they showed such signs¡­¡­¡¹ Rion shifted his gaze to the ceiling. ¡¸That¡¯s right. We can abandon the Empire and side with the Farnesse Kingdom then. If Sutherland stands to gain, the other Mayors will support that decision. Calculating our gains and losses are our specialty after all.¡¹ Rion said as he swivelled his chair, then looked out the window with condescending eyes. Sutherland¡¯s economical blockade achieved dramatic results, accelerating the deterioration of the Farnesse Kingdom. Even if they lift the blockade and offer them a hand of friendship, King Alphonse wouldn¡¯t trust them¡ª¡ª Julius explained. ¡¸He is an outstanding King that made the great Farnesse Kingdom brand worthless. But in the end, he still had to take our hand of friendship.¡¹ Rion flicked his hair back as he mocked King Farnesse and slowly rose from his chair. His slender legs stopped before the big map hanging on the wall. ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹ Just what was he scheming as he stared at the map with his shining iridescent eyes? Julius who was beside him studied the map too. The Arsbelt Empire to the north. The Farnesse Kingdom to the east. The Confederation of Sutherland to the south. The balance between the great nations had long been toppled, there was no telling when the fire of war would cease. Meaningless battles that were just a reenactment of the warring era were leading many nations to their demise. For Julius, war was like stacking blocks. One wrong move and the entire tower of blocks would fall over. (In this war, will the Arsbelt Empire stack the blocks until the end, or will it be the Farnesse Kingdom. Or maybe¡ª¡ª) In the Lizun Castle shrouded in the clouds, Julius looked at the handsome profile of the city¡¯s ruler. Lunar Calendar Year 1000. In this new era where chaos spread rampantly, the curtain was drawn with fresh blood being spilled¡ª¡ª Volume 4, 1: Under the Banner of the Lion Volume 4, Chapter 1: Under the Banner of the Lion Translator: Skythewood Editor: Hiiro ¢ñ Royal Capital Fizz, Letizia Castle The birds that landed on the balcony pecked at each other¡¯s beaks as if to confirm each other¡¯s presence. In the lively woods, squirrels hung from their tails with their cheeks stuffed with the seeds of fairy peach. It was noon, and the fragrance of tender leaves spread into the conference room with a gentle breeze. Inside the room, the Generals commanding the various armies sat around the long table in the center of the room. ¡¸Thank you everyone for taking the time to attend.¡¹ With the host Cornelius Wym Curling chairing the meeting, gathered here were Deputy Commander of the First Army, General Lambert von Garcia, Commander of the Second Army, Lieutenant General Brad Enfield, Commander of the Sixth Army Lieutenant General Sara San Sivier, Commander of the Seventh Army General Paul von Balza, and Brigadier General Neinhart Blanche who would just be listening in, a total of six people. After the greetings and salutations, everyone got into their seats. Brad looked around the table and threw out a topic. ¡¸Compared to the start of the war, this place is now less crowded¡­¡¹ General Ladz Smythe of the Third Army. General Linz Barth of the Fourth Army. General Belmar Wim Heightnez of the Fifth Army. The three generals who were present in this room before the war started had passed on. From what Neinhart heard, General Ladz and Linz were old friends of Brad since their Military Academy days. Neinhart also lost his best friend General Florentz during the battle of Arschmitz too. That was why Brad¡¯s tone sounded heavy. ¡¸That¡¯s true. Old men like me are still here, while the young ones passed on first¡­ That¡¯s war, an unreasonable thing.¡¹ Paul sighed deeply and the air in the room turned heavy. The one who broke the silence was Brad again. ¡¸Lord Paul, you are still young and don¡¯t look a day over 60.¡¹ ¡¸Hah¡­ Your flattery has not improved at all since your Military Academy days.¡¹ Paul glanced at him coldly and Brad shriveled like a child who got scolded. They might be a Generals leading an army now, but they were instructor and cadet during their time at the Academy. Their many exploits were still being passed down in the school, and Neinhart heard about them when he was a cadet. ¡¸Hahah! Even Lightning Brad can¡¯t lift his head before Paul.¡¹ Lambert laughed heartily, and Brad¡¯s embarrassment over that queer nickname made Lambert even happier. ¡¸Speaking of which, Field Marshal Cornelius Sir, what¡¯s the agenda for today¡¯s meeting? You are not thinking about catching up on old times while the war is still ongoing, right?¡¹ Sara forcefully changed the topic, and Cornelius nodded with an awkward face. ¡¸Let¡¯s start with the conclusion of this urgent summons¡ª I¡¯m thinking about setting up an Eighth Army, and just want to give you a heads up.¡¹ ¡ª A new Eighth Army. Not just Neinhart, everyone showed a troubled face. With the Third, Fourth and Fifth Army decimated, setting up a new army is to be expected. What they didn¡¯t understand was his reason for gathering everyone during such trying times. Cornelius was the Field Marshal in charge of the entire Royal Military, and Alphonse had officially granted him complete authority over military affairs. That meant Cornelius could mobilize the military at will. There was no need for him to notify the generals of his orders in advance. ¡¸Did you need to run that by us in the first place?¡¹ Paul asked Cornelius on behalf of the group. ¡¸You can say that. Especially you, Paul, this involves you directly.¡¹ Everyone¡¯s eyes were on Paul now. Paul who was named wavered his eyes a little, then thought with his hand on his chin. He thought of something and opened his eyes wide. ¡¸Could it be, you want Major Olivia to command the Eighth Army?!¡¹ ¡¸Your observation is as keen as always.¡¹ When he locked eyes with the smiling Cornelius, Lambert spit out the tea in his mouth. ¡¸Cough cough! ¡ª No, hold up, you want Major Olivia to command the Eighth Army? Isn¡¯t that inadequate?¡¹ Paying no mind to his uniform stained by the tea, Lambert shouted with his eyes wide open. He was already loud when he spoke, so it was only natural for Sara beside him to frown when he shouted. ¡¸What¡¯s so inconvenient with Major Olivia commanding the Eighth Army?¡¹ Cornelius added some sugar into his tea cup and stirred it with a spoon. Movement and stillness¡ª Brad watched the clear contrast between the two with interest. ¡¸It¡¯s not a matter of convenience. I admit that she is exceptionally strong in a fight, but leading a small unit is different from commanding an army, you understand that right, Field Marshal Sir? And she is just¡­ teen...¡­¡¹ ¡¸Sixteen.¡¹ Paul said without any inflection in his voice. ¡¸Right, like Paul said, she is just sixteen. In the entire history of the Kingdom, there had never been a sixteen year old army general. I strongly object.¡¹ With that, Lambert lowered his gaze. He finally noticed his uniform was drenched, and started wiping himself down with a handkerchief from his pocket. ¡¸¡ª Yes, I understand Lambert¡¯s opinion now, what about the rest? Don¡¯t hold back, let me know how you really feel.¡¹ Cornelius looked around the table. The first to speak was Sara. ¡¸I concur with Field Marshal Cornelius¡¯s proposal. She might just be 16, which might seem too young¡ª but compared to an empty figurehead like me, I believe she can utilize her army better. The best proof is her excellent strategy to rescue the Sixth Army.¡¹ She ironically referred to herself as just a flower vase, and everyone smiled awkwardly. Her abilities might not be up to par, but no one present had any intention to criticize the Fourth Princess who stood in the frontlines as a representative of the Royal family. On the other hand, Neinhart heard about the entire battle of Fort Peshita. Infiltrating the enemy base alone and capturing the enemy commander to lead her in¡ª This was a tactic that only Olivia could pull off. The latter half of Sara¡¯s words weren¡¯t sarcastic at all, and she was serious about that. ¡¸Yes, Lieutenant General Sara concurs¡­ What about you, Lieutenant General Brad?¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m of the same mind as the Princess. Her individual prowess is already confirmed, and as a strategist, that little girl¡ª Major Olivia, is outstanding. If not for her timely aid, I won¡¯t be sitting here today.¡¹ Brad smiled with self mockery. ¡¸Oh, it¡¯s an honour for Lightning Brad to share the same opinion as me.¡¹ ¡¸Your Highness¡­¡¹ Sara smiled at Brad who was scratching his head. Lambert watched them quietly and let out a long sigh. ¡¸I understand that Your Highness owes Major Olivia a favour during the battle of Fort Peshita, but this is a different matter. The same goes for you, Brad.¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s true that I owe her a favour, but I¡¯m speaking about the two matters separately. This is my judgement based on her incredible exploits thus far.¡¹ ¡¸Maybe you are getting senile.¡¹ Sara smiled at Brad again, who showed an awkward face in return. After that Brad and Lambert kept arguing about ¡¸A severe lack of experience¡¹ ¡¸Experience can be supplemented by talent¡¹. In the end, Brad concluded as he scratched his head. ¡¸I¡¯m still the commander of the Second Army. I only saw that girl¡¯s action in the Central War Theatre, but I can see she is capable of taking up this post. We won a few battles recently, but we barely pulled through by the skin of our teeth, we can¡¯t spare the effort to complain about age or precedence. That¡¯s my humble opinion.¡¹ ¡¸Ughh¡­¡¹ Lambert crossed his arms with a bitter expression. (By the skin of our teeth¡­ It is as Lieutenant General Brad says. One false move and we would have sunk under the ice with no chance of floating up.) They won in the end, but the Second and Seventh Army suffered heavy casualties. The First Army also exposed it¡¯s low combat readiness during the battle with the Sun Knights, which wasn¡¯t something to be taken lightly. In a word, the Royal Army was in tatters. Considering the intense battles that lie ahead of them, Lambert fell silent. Which meant he understood Brad¡¯s opinion to some extent. Neinhart held the same opinions as Sara and Brad, and doesn''t see age and precedent as the reason to reject this proposal. The girl¡¯s accomplishment as a mere commander of a sub unit was too great. If this went unaddressed, it would upset the balance within the military. ¡¸Well then, what do you intend to do about her rank, Field Marshal Sir? No one would accept a mere Major commanding an Army, right? That¡¯s not a problem of precedence anymore.¡¹ The lowest rank needed to command an Army was Brigadier General, so it¡¯s only natural for Lambert to raise this point. They would become laughingstocks if others learned that a Major was commanding an Army. Everyone waited intently for Cornelius¡¯ response. The subject in question took a sip of tea and said slowly. ¡¸Of course I know that. As for the issue of her rank, we will be promoting her for her accomplishments in a few days. Based on her achievement, I intend to promote Olivia Valedstorm to the rank of Major General.¡¹ Brad gasped in awe and Sara showed a face of approval. Lambert who was staring at the ceiling gave a long sigh. ¡¸She¡¯s fast tracked to a Major General, huh¡­ it will be fine if she¡¯s a Major General. Field Marshal Sir, as you already know, Neinhart here is just a Brigadier General?¡¹ He said with a glance at Neinhart. Sensing that Lambert was urging him to speak, Neinhart smiled wryly in his heart. (It¡¯s troubling for me to speak up here¡­) An Army was a world of meritocracy, except for some exceptions. If you earn war merits, you will get promoted. A subordinate suddenly becoming a superior was not uncommon in this world. Neinhart admitted there had never been a five grade skip promotion before, but when Olivia was involved, anything was possible. ¡¸Sir Lambert, I heard the founding King Julius Zu Farnesse prioritized martial prowess above all else. If King Julius was here, he would agree without any hesitation. And of course, I have no objections either.¡¹ Neinhart used the Founding King as his example, clearly expressing his unwillingness to comment further. ¡¸¡ª That might be so, but Major Olivia has enlisted less than two years, correct? If it¡¯s Neinhart who has outstanding accomplishments and connections, then I will agree readily.¡¹ However, the discussion didn¡¯t develop in the direction Neinhart hoped for. Lambert even bluntly recommended Neinhart. I wish he will stop¡ª Neinhart thought in his heart. ¡¸Sir Lambert, it¡¯s fine if the subject himself agrees, correct? And talking about accomplishments, I don¡¯t know any other person who can achieve so much in so short a time.¡¹ Neinhart nodded to thank Sara for her support, and Sara blinked in reply. Her actions were not very Royal-like, but that was what made her popular with the soldiers. ¡¸Pardon me, but Your Highness might not understand the pride of a man. Furthermore, we are talking about Neinhart here.¡¹ ¡¸The pride of a man, huh¡­?¡¹ It was just as Lambert says, Sara tilted her head puzzlingly. ¡¸That¡¯s right, a man¡¯s pride.¡¹ Lambert raised his chest proudly. And the subject in question, Neinhart, thought to himself ¡ºSo I had that sort of pride, huh.¡» Lambert seemed to have noticed that Neinhart wasn¡¯t aware of a man¡¯s pride. Neinhart was grateful that he had a kind superior, but he had to stop Lambert before he said any more strange things. Neinhart coughed and sat up straight. ¡¸I¡¯m honored that the revered Sir Lambert regards me highly. But if we think about who the Empire considers to be a bigger threat, Major Olivia or me, then we will reach an answer¡ª I¡¯m still not capable enough.¡¹ There was no question that Death God Olivia struck fear into the Imperial Army. Right now, the Royal Army didn¡¯t need a mere mortal like him, but an up and coming hero with overwhelming martial prowess like Olivia. ¡¸¡­ Well, if Neinhart has no objections, then it¡¯s fine¡­¡¹ Lambert reluctantly averted his face. He seemed unhappy with the conversation and his eyes were filled with disappointment. Cornelius who was listening quietly turned to Paul who held his hands together before him in silence. ¡¸You haven¡¯t said anything so far. What¡¯s your take on this, Paul?¡¹ Everyone looked at Paul again. ¡¸¡­ To be honest, I¡¯m against this.¡¹ Paul¡¯s reaction was within expectations to Neinhart. Unlike Lambert who nodded with a ¡¸Paul knows his stuff¡¹, Neinhart knew Paul wasn¡¯t willing to let Olivia go because of his attitude towards her. Cornelius stroked his beard and said. ¡¸Hmm, so you are against this, Paul¡­¡¹ ¡¸To avoid any misunderstandings, let me say this first. I¡¯m not objecting for the reasons Lambert stated.¡¹ Lambert shot Paul with a sharp gaze. A normal person would shut up just from that gaze, but Paul wasn¡¯t fazed. ¡¸I¡¯m just worried about the Seventh Army weakening. Major Olivia and her autonomous cavalry is indispensable to the Seventh Army now.¡¹ ¡¸That can¡¯t be helped.¡¹ Cornelius nodded. ¡¸If I can be wilful, I want to keep her by my side. She¡¯s as cute as my own granddaughter after all.¡¹ After saying that, Paul lowered his gaze a little sullenly. Brad stared with his eyes wide open at Paul. The better someone knew Paul, the greater the impact would be. After all, Paul was the furthest thing from his internationally renowned nickname of ¡ºDemon God¡». ¡¸Lieutenant General Brad, what¡¯s the matter¡­?¡¹ As a Royal, Sara was unaware of the relationship between Paul and Brad, so she was surprised. But Lambert''s reaction was also unexpected as he sighed with a shake of his head. On the other hand, Cornelius stared right at Paul. It was clear that he was shocked too, but it wasn¡¯t as obvious as Brad. Neinhart thought that Paul and Brad had a better relationship than it seems. ¡¸That Instructor Paul actually showed such a face, am I in a nightmare? Ladz and Linz in the underworld might get scared into the world of the living from this¡­¡¹ Paul stared coldly at Brad. ¡¸¡­ I see, I know how you think of me now. Looks like I have to take some time out to have a word with you.¡¹ ¡¸P-Please spare me from that.¡¹ Brad shrinked his neck back like a turtle, and Paul snorted coldly. After that, Lambert¡¯s face remained sour, but by the time the room was dyed red by the setting sun, it was officially decided that Olivia would be appointed as the founding commander of the Eighth Army. They also decided on their next plan. ¡¸¡ª¡ª Well then, let¡¯s sound the horn for the Imperial Army¡¯s counterattack with this.¡¹ With Cornelius¡¯s declaration, everyone stood and saluted. The plan was named¡ª¡ª Dawn of the Lion Pride. The first mission of the Eighth Army¡ª¡ª Invading the Imperial capital Orsted. ¢ò Three days after the war conference in Leticia. Right now, Olivia¡ª¡ª was spending everyday playing with kids until dusk. But relax, that didn¡¯t mean she was slacking off her military duties. After finding out the reason for the Valedstorm house¡¯s demise, she was about to return to Windsam Castle, the base of the Seventh Army, when Cornelius ordered her to stay in the Capital. As the festive atmosphere in the city died down, the gentle sunlight basked the land on this spring day¡ª¡ª ¡¸One more time!¡¹ Olivia¡¯s energetic voice echoed in the plaza. ¡¸Enough already! Olivia onee-san will use that ¡ºFleet Footed Rush¡» thing right? Didn¡¯t I tell you that¡¯s too sly!?¡¹ The girl with a large red ribbon on her light brown hair lightly hit Olivia¡¯s stomach. Her name was Patty Sullivan, the only daughter of Akagi and Anne, owners of the ¡ºGrey Crow Pavilion¡» where Olivia was lodging. ¡¸Ahaha, sorry, I used it without realizing~¡¹ Patty looked right at Olivia who was scratching her cheeks. ¡¸Muu¡ª¡ª Olivia onee-san, are you the type who can¡¯t take a loss?¡¹ ¡¸Well, I don¡¯t think so.¡¹ Olivia said as she thought back to the only time she almost lost to Ashton in Military Chess. When Ashton was smiling confidently, Olivia suddenly felt dizzy and collapsed onto the board. And of course, the game was ruined. She could still clearly remember Ashton¡¯s face, who looked as if he saw the end of the world. She even kindly advised Ashton ¡ºThe most dangerous moment is when you are sure of victory¡». He threw a chess piece at her with the face of a demon. ¡¸During times like this, you should let the kids win.¡¹ ¡¸Why do I have to let kids win?¡¹ If this was war, there were times when you should feign defeat to catch the opponent off guard. But this was just hide and go seek, so Olivia didn¡¯t understand the rationale of giving up the win. She tilted her head quizzingly, and Patty haughtily lifted a finger. ¡¸This is the condition for being a mature and good woman.¡¹ ¡¸Mature and good woman?¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s right. Since Olivia onee-san is an outstanding maiden, you have to remember this well.¡¹ Patty acted like an all-knowing instructor and taught Olivia. Even though she was called an outstanding maiden, Olivia didn¡¯t understand what that meant and just fudged through it with a laugh. At this moment, Patty¡¯s playmate Griffin Noah suddenly showed himself from the bushes. ¡¸Oh, I found Griffin!¡¹ Olivia pointed with gusto. ¡¸You didn¡¯t find me, I came out myself.¡¹ ¡¸Why did you come out by yourself?¡¹ Griffin with his trademark green scarf around his neck sighed tiredly. ¡¸Because I waited so long, and Olivia Onee-san didn¡¯t seem to be looking for me¡ª¡ª So, Olivia Onee-san used ¡ºFleet Footed Rush¡» again?¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s right, you tell Olivia Onee-san off too, Griffin.¡¹ On Patty¡¯s urging, Griffin stood before Olivia. Olivia¡¯s gaze on Griffin made him blush, and he said softly. ¡¸B-Be careful next time.¡¹ ¡¸Yes, got it!¡¹ ¡¸Hey Griffin! Why do you always, always, always, blush before Olivia Onee-san!?¡¹ Patty stamped her feet as she approached Griffin. But Griffin turned his head away to feign innocence. To Olivia, Griffin¡¯s face had obviously turned red. For some reason, when Olivia stared at him, Griffin would turn red like a cooked octopus. Not just Griffin, Ashton and the other men were the same too. In the beginning, Olivia suspected that they contacted Red pancreatic disease¡ª¡ª a type of disease that was spread by bugs. The face of those infected would turn red, followed by the onset of a high fever. In the worst case scenario, it could be fatal, it was a fearsome disease. Olivia forced the reluctant Ashton to drink the medicine she brewed, but his face would still turn red. She tried making the other men drink the medicine too, but to no avail. It didn¡¯t work, but there weren¡¯t symptoms of high fever either, so Olivia concluded that men were just that sort of creature. By the way, Ellis who was a woman also blushed frequently. Evansin said ¡ºMy sister got a unique illness that even the doctors can¡¯t cure. Please pay it no mind, Major Olivia¡». He even apologized, so that was an exception. ¡¸Muu, Griffin is going to be Patty¡¯s groom in the future! It¡¯s already decided that we will inherit the ¡ºGrey Crow Pavilion¡»! So you must never be unfaithful!¡¹ ¡¸G-Got it.¡¹ Griffin, who was intimidated by the fierce Patty, answered in a mosquito-level volume, then stole a glance at Olivia. When Olivia smiled, his face turned even redder. Patty wasn¡¯t going to let this go. They were just like how Akagi and Anne acted when they quarreled, she was like a carbon copy of Anne. ¡¸So you are here, Major¡­¡¹ Claudia who appeared around the corner of the plaza sighed in relief after finding Olivia. She flicked her golden locks back out of habit and quickened her pace. ¡¸What a coincidence, Claudia. You here to play hide and go seek too¡ª¡ª Hmm? What¡¯s wrong, Griffin?¡¹ She realized Griffin who was being questioned by Patty was behind Olivia before she knew it and tugged her sleeve. Moving behind me without being detected, his sneakiness could rival Z¡ª¡ª Olivia sighed in awe. With training, he might make a great swordsman. ¡¸Is that pretty Onee-san one of Olivia Onee-san¡¯s friend?¡¹ Griffin was very curious as he peeked at Claudia through her sleeve. When Claudia looked his way, he would hide behind Olivia. He was acting the same he did when Patty introduced him to Olivia. ¡¸Oh right, this is the first time you are meeting her, Griffin. This is my comrade and friend, Claudia.¡¹ Olivia pushed Griffin to Claudia. Griffin was hesitant at first, but¡ª¡ª ¡¸N-Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Griffin Noah, five years old.¡¹ He opened his hands bashfully and waved in greeting. Claudia had a fluffy smile that Olivia had never seen before. ¡¸You can greet others properly even though you are so young, that¡¯s wonderful. I¡¯m Claudia Jung.¡¹ ¡¸Ehehe¡­ Claudia Onee-san, want to play hide and go seek?¡¹ Griffin invited Claudia a little bashfully. Claudia squatted down and looked Griffin in the eyes. ¡¸Sorry, I have military duties¡ª¡ª I still have work to do with Olivia Onee-san in the castle, so I can¡¯t play.¡¹ ¡¸I see¡­¡¹ Seeing Griffin turn sullen, Claudia smiled troublingly and patted his blonde hair. ¡¸Can you let me join next time?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, got it, I will invite you next time.¡¹ Griffin nodded his head like a bobble head doll sold at the street side stalls. Patty who was watching showed a scary expression for a five years old child. She grabbed Griffin by the collar and dragged him to a corner of the plaza. When Olivia saw this scene, she thought about the scary imp featured in the drawing book ¡¶Unlimited Chef Works¡·. I hope Griffin doesn''t get tossed into a pot and get cooked alive¡ª she worried for him. Waving goodbye to Griffin who was sending SOS signals with his eyes, Olivia turned to Claudia who was looking at Griffin with a similar worried face. ¡¸They sent a message?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, Field Marshal Cornelius wants to speak to you directly.¡¹ ¡¸He really made me wait so long. Do you know what¡¯s that about, Claudia?¡¹ ¡¸They didn¡¯t say, but it¡¯s probably related to promotions.¡¹ Claudia was smiling brilliantly, she really likes promotions. Olivia decided to leave the plaza before she made any speeches. Olivia turned back, and in her pupils was the reflection of Griffin sitting in seiza getting smaller as she moved further away. ¢ó Letizia Castle, Field Marshal Cornelius¡¯s Office. ¡¸My apologies for keeping you for so long.¡¹ ¡¸No, you are too kind.¡¹ When Claudia first entered Cornelius¡¯ office, she sighed a little in her heart. The room¡¯s decor was befitting of a Field Marshal, and were all top class. Aside from daily necessities, armours and weapons were displayed neatly. The most prominent of all is the sword hanging on the left wall. There was an icy bluish white gleam on the sword that was shorter than the norm. The golden hilt was engraved with the symbol of the Lemuria Kingdom ¡ª¡ª a double headed snake (So this is the one of a kind legendary sword, Lemuria, huh. Amazing.) Cornelius''s voice snapped Claudia out of her trance. ¡¸You can admire it as much as you like later. Do take a seat for now.¡¹ Claudia turned and saw that Cornelius and Olivia had already sat down. Realizing that she was acting impolitely, her face flushed red. ¡¸P-Pardon my impudence!¡¹ Claudia quickly lowered her head in apology and sat down beside Olivia. As she adjusted her sitting posture and looked Olivia''s way, she saw Olivia had already laid her hands on the snacks. Claudia felt dizzy at the sight of that. ¡¸Major! How could you snack wantonly!?¡¹ ¡¸Ehhh? But I got permission, Lord Cornelius said that I could.¡¹ Olivia didn''t stop her hands while speaking to Claudia. Olivia looked absolutely blissed as she munched on the snacks. ¡¸Field Marshal Sir, allow me to apologize again!¡¹ Claudia almost banged her head on the table when she bowed. Even if she was granted permission, she shouldn''t eat in such an insolent manner. This was the Field Marshal''s office, not a place to relax. If Otto learned of this, he wouldn''t let the matter rest so easily. Her sweating that stopped had started rolling down her back again. ¡¸Lieutenant Claudia, raise your head.¡¹ ¡¸Yes Sir!¡¹ After timidly lifting her head, what Claudia saw was Cornelius'' smiling face. The Field Marshal didn''t seem to be mad, which was a relief for Claudia. On closer look, Cornelius''s eyes were gentle, as if he was looking at his adorable grandchild. ¡¸Major Olivia, are the snacks tasty?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, super delish!¡¹ ¡¸Please use a formal tone!¡¹ She was stressed enough to get stomach ulcers, but Claudia still did her duty to advise Olivia in her choice of words. ¡¸¡ª¡ªAhem, it is absolutely delightful.¡¹ Olivia paid no heed to Claudia''s worries and started swaying her legs with a happy smile¡ª¡ª Claudia really felt like running away from the room. ¡¸It''s good, huh? I think so too, since my old lady is famous for her pastries. When I told her about Major Olivia, she got up early to make plenty of snacks. My old lady will be happy to know that you like them. Lieutenant Claudia, don''t hold back, try one.¡¹ Cornelius offered her a silver tray with a smile. Claudia gulped at the sight of the tray full of pastries. (So it''s handmade by that great person¡­¡­) Speaking of Cornelius'' wife Sabrina Wym Curling, she long reigned over the high social circles, and was full of majesty and magnanimity. A great woman with the nickname ¡ºEmpress¡». There was a great story about her. Lunar Calendar Year 960. Aiming for the gap when Cornelius and his subordinates were away from his territory, Galbera attempted a revolt. Sabrina put on her armour majestically and attacked with the small garrison unit under the cover of night. Galbera was careless and she crushed his basecamp. Sabrina fought in the frontlines and splendidly killed Galbera. When he learned of the revolt, Cornelius rushed back and found the blood soaked Sabrina saying with a smile¡ª¡ª ¡ºThe scum who attempted a revolt in our territory has failed.¡» Hence, Sabrina was still very influential even though she retired from high society. Even the fearsome Lambert would behave himself in her presence. If her mother Elisabeth learned that Claudia didn''t sample the pastry made personally by that person, she would faint on the spot. (Can''t be helped, just think of this as part of my military duties.) Claudia convinced herself with that and timidly took a piece. She put it in her mouth, and a gentle sweetness slowly spread. (Well, it is delicious, but¡­¡­) However, Claudia just wanted to swallow it quickly and didn''t have the heart to savour the taste. To escape from this interrogation-like situation, she straightened her back and got right into business. ¡¸Field Marshal Sir, regarding today''s summon¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸Hmm?¡ª¡ª Oh, that''s right. I almost forgot about the main agenda, age is getting to me.¡¹ Cornelius said as he pulled out a neatly folded piece of paper to Olivia. Olivia browsed it and quickly lost interest, passing it off to Claudia. After nodding to the two of them, Claudia checked the contents of the paper. It stated the new Eighth Army would be formed with Olivia appointed as its inaugural commander, and also her promotion to Major General. (This¡­¡­ is way beyond my expectations, I didn''t expect them to go this far¡­¡­) If Claudia remembered correctly, there had never been a Major General under the age of 20. Even more so for the commander of an army. Even the member of the Royal family, Lieutenant General Sara of the Sixth Army, was appointed as a Major General when she was 20 years old. Which means this is another accomplishment in Olivia''s history of heroic exploits. Before the excited Claudia could speak, Cornelius said: ¡¸The details will be given at a later date, and this is the agenda for this meeting. Any objections so far?¡¹ When asked, there was a gleam in Olivia''s dark eyes as she thought of something. ¡¸A Major General ranks higher than a Senior Colonel, right?¡¹ ¡¸Hmm? I don''t quite get the point of your question, but that is correct.¡¹ Olivia snickered and told Cornelius she understood. Claudia knew better than anyone else that Olivia wasn¡¯t interested in making it big. That was why Claudia sighed deeply in her heart as she realized the reason why Olivia accepted this so readily. ¡¸Ahem. As of this moment, Olivia Valedstorm is promoted to the rank of Major General, and appointed as the inaugural commander of the Eighth Army.¡¹ ¡¸Yes Sir! Major General Olivia hereby accept the post as the inaugural commander of the Eighth Army!¡¹ Olivia stood up swiftly from the couch and gave a formal salute. The only flaw would be the crumbs on her uniform falling off. Cornelius nodded with satisfaction and turned his gaze towards Claudia. ¡¸As for you, Lieutenant Colonel Claudia, please continue to assist Major General Olivia as her adjutant.¡¹ ¡¸Yes Sir! ¡­ Pardon me, Field Marshal Sir.¡¹ ¡¸Yes?¡¹ ¡¸Am I a¡­¡­ Lieutenant Colonel?¡¹ Suspecting that her ears were wrong, Claudia couldn¡¯t help asking Cornelius. Putting exceptions like Olivia aside, she understood that bigger than normal promotions would be given to raise morale during tough situations. Even so, a triple promotion was still rare. From what Claudia remembered, no one from her academy batch managed that¡ª¡ª More accurately speaking, Liz had not achieved that yet. Cornelius looked at the troubled Claudia with a wry smile. ¡¸Dissatisfied with being a mere Lieutenant Colonel?¡¹ ¡¸N-No Sir! I will continue to do my best as Major General Olivia¡¯s adjutant!¡¹ There was no way she was unhappy, her parents would be overjoyed to learn that. Claudia straightened her back and saluted with utmost respect. ¡¸I see, I will be expecting great things from you.¡¹ ¡¸Yes Sir!¡¹ After chatting idly for a while more, the two left the room. Cornelius sat down at his desk, pulled the drawer at the top right and took out a delicate letter with the faint smell of perfume. (Well then, what should I do about this¡­¡­) It came from a small nation to the west of the Dubedirica continent. Cornelius focused on the letter sent from the Holy Nation of Mekia. ¢ô After leaving Cornelius¡¯s office, the two of them walked along the passageway in the courtyard. Claudia suddenly stopped. ¡¸What¡¯s wrong?¡¹ Olivia looked back and saw Claudia¡¯s face was more serious than usual. ¡¸Your Excellency, I will take my leave first.¡¹ ¡¸Ehh? It¡¯s noon, let¡¯s eat together in the Mess Hall.¡¹ Olivia took out a silver pocket watch and showed Claudia that both hands were pointed to the top. She ate quite a bit of snacks, but that was different from a meal. If she didn¡¯t eat a proper meal, the orchestra in her stomach would start to play. ¡¸My apologies. I want to accompany you, Madam, but with the founding of the Eighth Army, there is much work to do. I don¡¯t even want to waste time on lunch.¡¹ Claudia¡¯s words made Olivia tilt her head, she couldn¡¯t fathom how setting up the Eighth Army was more important than food. Both the books and Olivia herself firmly believed that an army couldn¡¯t fight on an empty stomach. As she was thinking about that, Claudia who was alternating her gaze between Olivia¡¯s brand new Major General insignia on her collar and Olivia¡¯s face laughed happily. ¡ª¡ª Scary. That was Olivia¡¯s honest feelings. ¡¸I-I see. I will go to the Mess Hall alone then.¡¹ Judging that she shouldn¡¯t stay, Olivia promptly left. Claudia saluted with a serious expression¡ª¡ª maybe it was just a psychological effect, but her back seemed straighter than usual. ¡¸Yes Mdm! Please enjoy your lunch. I will bid my leave now, Your Excellency.¡¹ ¡¸Y-Yes. See you later.¡¹ Olivia sent Claudia with a stiff wave. Claudia muttered ¡¸it¡¯s going to get busy¡¹, and left with a spring in her steps. After watching Claudia go with a fearful face, Olivia obediently headed to the Senior Officer Mess Hall. She visited several times already, so she didn¡¯t get lost. (Hmm¡­ Speaking of which, she was emphasizing on the ¡®Excellency¡¯ term. Claudia always called me by my rank, so it doesn¡¯t feel too out of place¡­ Excellency, huh¡­ Should I put on airs? General Paul and Lord Cornelius are friendly, but the others are haughty¡­) Noticing her reflection on the window, Olivia crossed her arms in a dignified posture. She didn¡¯t pay much attention to her uniform, but felt the dark green uniform suited her and meshed well with her silver hair. Unfortunately, she didn¡¯t look dignified at all. The troubled Olivia tried different poses, but they all lacked something. (Putting on air doesn¡¯t suit me after all. Anyway, I don¡¯t know how to do that in the first place¡­ But I still want to try it once!) With random thoughts in her head, Olivia stepped forth once again. At this moment, a man with a serious face and walking with precise steps that seemed to be carefully calculated appeared¡ª¡ª an old acquaintance of Olivia, Otto. (Aha! The rank of Major General gets to be useful immediately. This must be the guidance of the Goddess Citresia!) Flicking the golden rank insignia on her collar happily, Olivia made a pretentious cough. She held her hands behind her to act like a big shot. Otto who noticed Olivia swiftly stepped aside to the wall and saluted. (Uwah! Uwah! Adjutant Otto is saluting me! This is big news!) Olivia tried to stifle her smile amidst her surprise. It seems that news of her promotion had reached Otto¡¯s ears. ¡¸Ara ara! Adjutant Otto, it¡¯s been a while.¡¹ Going off on her whim, Olivia used a very pretentious tone. She took reference from the traitor Dominique she met in Fort Glacise, since he was the most pretentious person she ever met. But Otto wasn¡¯t fazed. ¡¸Yes, it¡¯s been a long time since our last meeting, Major General Olivia.¡¹ He used formal speech too. ¡¸Pfft!¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­ Did I say something amusing, Your Excellency?¡¹ Otto looked at Olivia who couldn¡¯t contain her laughter in surprise. She had gotten used to it now, but she still hated formal speech¡ª¡ª but to Olivia right now, it sounded as pleasant as the chirping of the birds. ¡¸No, don¡¯t mind me. It has really been a while, you seem to be doing well.¡¹ Olivia, who was getting cocky, tried patting Otto¡¯s shoulder. Normally, he would lash out at her. If there was a table nearby, he would slam it loudly. Since Otto loved to slam tables. Otto looked at his right shoulder without saying anything special. ¡¸Yes, thank you for your concern. I¡¯m glad to see Major General Olivia is as lively as ever.¡¹ By the way, I heard when a subordinate suddenly becomes a superior, the former superior will show a sour face¡ª¡ª Olivia thought as she looked at Otto¡¯s emotionless face. Olivia was completely unconcerned with hierarchies, and is just happy to minimize the use of formal speech. But that wasn¡¯t the only reason she accepted this promotion. Olivia couldn¡¯t tell what Otto actually felt, but he didn¡¯t look unhappy at all, as if Olivia had always been his superior. As expected of the ¡ºIron Mask¡». ¡¸Yes, I¡¯m always lively¡ª¡ª I mean, I have always been in good health. Are your wife and kids doing well? If I recall correctly¡ª¡ª they resides in the capital, correct?¡¹ ¡¸¡­ Yes, they are residents of the capital as you say, they are healthy and well.¡¹ Otto frowned at that, probably feeling something was weird. Olivia did ask that, but not because she was interested in his Otto. Or rather, who would be interested in people they didn¡¯t even know the name and faces of? She was just just mimicking the chatter about family she heard from a bureaucrat before. ¡¸Hmm, that¡¯s wonderful. You haven¡¯t seen your family for a while, adjutant Otto, that must make you happy, right?¡¹ ¡¸¡­ Yes, that is true.¡¹ Olivia nodded exaggeratedly. ¡¸And of course, I want to meet Z again too. Well then, work hard on your duties then.¡¹ When the giggly Olivia was about to leave, ¡¸Major General, a moment please?¡¹¡ª¡ª these words that could freeze her blood stopped her. Olivia turned her head back like a swivel on rusty gears. ¡¸W-What is it?¡¹ A Major General is higher than a Senior Colonel, a Major General is higher than a Senior Colonel¡ª¡ª she kept repeating in her heart. ¡¸¡­ Your rank insignia is crooked. Your uniform is a little unkempt, an untidy attire will ruffle one¡¯s heart too. As a commander, you need to be a role model to the troops. Even more so for the commander of an army. Please keep that in mind.¡¹ Otto reached out to Olivia¡¯s collar and quickly straightened her rank insignia. ¡¸Thank you very much.¡¹ Olivia said in a formal tone, and it was too late when she covered her mouth in a panic. Otto¡¯s expression turned stern as he stared at Olivia. ¡¸¡­ That won¡¯t do, a superior mustn¡¯t use formal speech to their subordinates.¡¹ ¡¸My deepest apology.¡¹ She used formal speech again with a polite bow. Even though she hated formal speech, it came out naturally. Is this a curse Otto put on me? Olivia groaned in her mind¡ª¡ª ¡¸Oh? Right after I gave my humble opinion, Your Excellency spoke formally again? This is troubling, Major General Mdm, you need be more firm in your attitude in order to issue orders to your subordinates.¡¹ Otto started his absolutely merciless lecture. He kept droning on about the ¡¸importance of self discipline¡¹ ¡¸Value your subordinates more than before¡¹ with no signs of stopping. This was no different from before, and the reason for her promotion to Major General was becoming murky. As he went on, Otto even touched on the cleanliness of her room. No no no, that has nothing to do with this¡ª¡ª Olivia wanted to protest loudly, but that would definitely invite an even more terrible fate, so she gave up on it. (How much longer will he go¡­) Otto seemed to have forgotten how to shut his mouth. Even though Olivia would cast pleading gazes at the officers walking past the corridor, they didn¡¯t do anything else except saluting¡ª¡ª at best, they just looked at her with pity and sympathy. (Why isn¡¯t anyone helping me? If Ashton is here¡­ No, Ashton isn¡¯t good with adjutant Otto either. Claudia, Claudia will definitely save me¡­) I should have forcefully dragged Claudia to the Mess Hall¡ª¡ª Olivia regretted, her good mood completely ruined. However, this was her own doing, so she didn¡¯t have the right to complain to anyone¡­ People shouldn¡¯t attempt things they couldn¡¯t do¡ª¡ª Olivia thought to herself. ¡¸Like I said¡ª¡ª¡¹ A sudden ¡¸Pomf¡¹ drew Otto¡¯s eyes away from Olivia. Someone had dropped a bundle of documents on the passageway, and was frantically picking them up. (I don¡¯t know who you are, but that¡¯s a big help! This is a great chance!) Seizing the momentary gap in Otto¡¯s words, Olivia immediately conveyed her thanks. If she continued listening, her mind would become a mess. ¡¸¡­ Thank you for listening to my humble advice. It¡¯s a little late, but allow me to congratulate you on your promotion to Major General, and your appointment as the commander of the Eighth Army.¡¹ ¡¸Y-Yes. Farewell then.¡¹ Otto smiled wryly at Olivia who was speaking nonsense, then saluted again. In order to escape quickly, Olivia saluted as she walked off. A voice behind her said ¡¸Please walk slowly in the corridors!¡¹. Olivia fled with all her might. Volume 4, 2: Who Are You Fighting For Part 1 Volume 4, Chapter 2: Who Are You Fighting For Part 1 ¢ñ Dubedirica continent, Central area. Bordering the Farnesse Kingdom was Stonia Duchy, ruled by the Archduke Silvester von Bernstein and four elders¡ª¡ª known as the ¡ºFour Sages¡». The Duchy was divided into five zones, with Silvester ruling the center and a Sage governing the zones in each cardinal direction. In the beginning of the war, they and the Confederation of Sutherland declared their neutrality. However, it had been reduced to a vassal state of the Empire, just like the neighbouring Swaran Kingdom. ¡¸Everyone¡¯s present.¡¹ Answering Silvester¡¯s summons, the Four Sages had gathered in a room inside the main Castle Corks. In contrast to the clear blue skies, the ones gathered at the round table had sullen faces. The reason was a letter brought by an Imperial envoy. In short, they were asked to start a war against the Holy Nation of Mekia. Silvester was 38 years old. The Archduchy was passed down from father to son, and he was the seventeenth Archduchy. His hair that was honey coloured before the war had turned quite grey now, silently expressing how much stress he was under. ¡¸I understand if they request us to attack the Farnesse Kingdom, but why the Holy Nation of Mekia? That¡¯s where the main Saint Illuminous church is based. If we attack recklessly, we would incur the wrath of all their believers.¡¹ The veins popping on the forehead of the North Sage showed his concerns as Silvester listened quietly. There were plenty of pious followers of the Goddess of Creation, Citresia. The moment the Stonia Duchy declared war against the Holy Nation of Mekia, even if they won, they would face intense retaliation from those believers. A bigger problem was the private army of the Saint Illuminous Church, the ¡ºKnights of the Holy Church¡». It was only one division in strength, but was known for being an elite organization. If you messed with them, it would be difficult to escape unscathed. (Win or lose, our nation will suffer heavy losses. All the cons and not one benefit. I¡¯m a laughingstock of an Archduchy who can¡¯t complain about the Empire¡¯s viciousness¡­) Ignoring the frustrated Silvester, the West Sage laughed with mockery. ¡¸You can ask the Imperial envoy for the reason, my dear Duke¡ª¡ª ¡®pray tell us unworthy lot, the reason to wage war against the Holy Nation of Mekia.¡¯ But in the end, they don¡¯t have any intention to tell dogs their reason.¡¹ Before the frowning North Sage could speak, there was a loud bang on the round table. The East Sage had slammed the table with the posture of a demon. ¡¸If possible, we would have killed that envoy! Stop listing the things we can¡¯t do one after another! How unpleasant!¡¹ ¡¸Fufu, then what? If we don¡¯t act immediately, it will displease the Empire, you know? Even now, the Imperial envoy is waiting in the guest chambers as we speak.¡¹ After a squabble between the East and West Sages, the South Sage who was almost 80, Roman Casael spoke in a hoarse voice. He was the leader of the Four Sages, and the first to propose the stable path of neutrality. On top of that, he was also Silvester¡¯s teacher. ¡¸Even if we agree to the Empire¡¯s demands, we don¡¯t have any intel on the opponent¡¯s military¡­ Or is the Empire asking us to investigate ourselves?¡¹ ¡¸Teacher, regarding that, the Imperial envoy provided us with that information.¡¹ Everyone focused their gazes on the North Sage who was handed a bundle of papers. The group then browsed the documents that were given out. In that short period of time, the room was filled with the sound of flipping papers. ¡¸¡ª¡ª Hmmp, the Empire has been hard at work. They are really that keen on getting us to wage war?¡¹ The East Sage tossed the documents onto the table with a grunt. The West Sage stroked his chin and continued the East Sage¡¯s conversation. ¡¸According to this report, the opponent numbers between 40,000 to 50,000¡­ If I recall correctly, the Holy Nation of Mekia has a population of about one million, is their estimation accurate?¡¹ Even the Stonia Duchy which had a population of three million could only mobilize 60,000 troops. Be it war or peace, the upkeep of an army was a huge expense. They got a lot of military funds from the Empire, but if they want to increase their army, it would be very taxing on their economy and even lead to the fall of the nation itself. So Silvester thought the West Sage¡¯s question was reasonable. However, the North Sage who was the most worldly and knowledgeable refuted that. ¡¸No, we can¡¯t be sure of that. After all, the Holy Nation of Mekia had plenty of ores of great quality. Furthermore, their workmanship is outstanding. A tour of their lands and you will know how well their pricey Mekia ores and accessories are selling.¡¹ ¡¸So the Holy Nation of Mekia has the means of maintaining a large army¡­ In this era, that makes me envious.¡¹ The East Sage¡¯s words made the North and West Sages nod in agreement. They often squabbled, but came to a consensus this time. ¡¸¡ª¡ªArchduke Silvester, the envoy must be getting tired of waiting.¡¹ The leader of the Four Sages, Roman, subtly urging him to make his decision. Silvester cast his eyes to the ceiling to escape the murky gaze of that old man. They had exchanged all their views thus far, but Silvester¡¯s answer had not changed since the beginning. (Plainly speaking, I don¡¯t have any choice¡­) Sensing that the Four Sages had their eyes on him, Silvester sighed as if he was venting all the frustration in his chest and said: ¡¸No matter how much we dislike it, since there is the example of the Swaran Kingdom, we can only submit. If we reject them, the Sun Knights garrisoned in Fort Kiel won¡¯t take it lying down.¡¹ ¡¸¡­ It can¡¯t be helped.¡¹ Roman¡¯s wrinkles deepened. The three Sages looked shocked, but didn¡¯t rebuke him. This is the Sun Knights that captured the impregnable Fort Kiel, a formidable force. Silvester was unfazed as he quietly sipped his cold tea. As the silence and worry loomed in the room, the East Sage remembered something. ¡¸Oh right, I heard the Sun Knights were defeated by the Farnesse Kingdom recently. Is that true?¡¹ ¡¸The truth behind that matter is still unclear, but such rumours are widespread in the streets.¡¹ The North Sage nodded sagely while stroking his chin. News of the Crimson Knights¡¯ defeat had reached Silvester¡¯s ears, but he brushed it off as just a stroke of luck built on top of several coincidences. So to him, the Farnesse Kingdom was still in a dire situation in their war against the Arsbelt Empire. (However, if the Sun Knights¡¯ defeat was true¡­) Of the three pillars supporting the Empire, two had crumbled. If that last pillar was as strong as the rumours, it wouldn¡¯t fall that easily. Even so, Silvester wasn¡¯t the only one who saw it as a glimmer of hope in the boundless darkness. ¡¸Have the tide changed?¡¹ The West Sage said a little excitedly, and the North Sage concurred with a nod. ¡¸Maybe so. Even the Imperial Army is not infallible. And the Royal Army has that famous Ever-Victorious General Cornelius, maybe the Empire is in trouble?¡¹ A bold smile appeared on the face of the East Sage as he spoke. ¡¸With that, their intentions are now clear. They want to grind down our forces, which they see as a threat to them. In other words, they want us to be a good boy and not try anything funny.¡¹ The three Sages were about to start an intense discussion when Roman suddenly interjected with a shrill voice. ¡¸Assuming that is true, are you planning to revolt against the Empire?¡¹ The three Sages looked at each other and quiet down. Roman¡¯s words were like a bucket of cold water, and Silvester cooled down like the three Sages did. The Imperial Army might be embroiled in a tough war, but that didn¡¯t mean they could dismiss the Empire¡¯s demand. Even more so if their goal was to grind Stonia¡¯s forces down. They could use this chance to turn to the Farnesse Kingdom¡ª¡ª But if they wanted to do so, they needed to clear it through a secret channel first. Plainly speaking, they didn¡¯t have any time to liaise with the Farnesse Kingdom in secret. (No matter what, this is checkmate. In the end. nothing will change¡­) Silvester smiled in self mockery and quietly told Roman. ¡¸Usher the Imperial envoy to the audience hall.¡¹ ¢ò Imperial Capital Orsted, Listerine Castle, Chancellor Dalmes¡¯ Office ¡¸¡ª Stonia must be having a heated discussion. But no matter how much they struggle, they only have one path in the end.¡¹ In the center of the room, Dalmes was savouring tea on his couch. Five months after the Battle of Fort Astra ended, Felixus and his adjutant Theresa returned to the capital on Dalmes¡¯ summons. ¡¸The unit that attacked Fort Astra is confirmed to be from the Holy Nation of Mekia?¡¹ ¡¸I can¡¯t be completely sure, but there¡¯s a good chance it is so.¡¹ Felixus added sugar to his tea as he listened, and Dalmes watched with intrigue. When he added the seventh sugar cube, Felixus¡¯ face turned stiff. As for the information submitted by Felixus, Dalmes had sent the Heat Haze to gather more related intel. And as a result, the Holy Nation of Mekia that revered Citresia as their patron Goddess rose out of the waters. The Holy Nation of Mekia was known for the Saint Illuminous Citadel, and had been quiet since the war broke out¡ª¡ª That was the extent of what Felixus knew about them. That was why he was surprised by Dalmes¡¯ conclusion. (Speaking of which, will the Stonia Duchy really accept this so easily?) If things went as Dalmes predicted, Stonia Duchy would opt to fight the Holy Nation of Mekia even if they knew the Empire¡¯s intentions. So if they didn¡¯t have the resolve to do so, they would just throw caution to the wind and rise in revolt against the Empire. (Even if inevitable death awaits, I would choose to die with honour.) Felixus expressed his views and Dalmes laughed creepily. As Felixus furrowed his brows, Dalmes bowed deeply. ¡¸Pardon me. Sir Felixus is right to worry about that, but they would probably accept our demand.¡¹ ¡¸Lord Chancellor, what makes you so confident?¡¹ ¡¸Because the ruler of the Stonia Duchy, Archduke Silvester is a mediocre person. Even if he sees through our intentions, he won¡¯t have the guts to defy us. The best evidence is them opening their gates to the Imperial army without any resistance in the first place. In that sense, the Swaran Kingdom is far better than them.¡¹ Dalmes pressed the bell on his desk. While freshly brewed tea was brought in, Felixus couldn¡¯t help pitying the Stonia Duchy. Stonia chose to submit to the Empire without a fight, a decision based on high level politics. As a result, they didn¡¯t suffer any combat losses¡ª ironically, that turned into the main reason why Dalmes had marked them. After the Crimson Knights¡¯ defeat, the Sun Knights also lost. This news would definitely give their vassal states second thoughts. So Dalmes opted to strike first and use Stonia Duchy as an example to warn others. (Can the Stonia Duchy defeat the Holy Nation of Mekia?¡­¡­) As he sipped on his tea, Felixus reviewed the information he read earlier. Stonia Duchy had an army of 60,000. The Holy Nation of Mekia was estimated to have 40,000 to 50,000 troops. With that in mind, the Stonia Duchy had the advantage. However, war wasn¡¯t decided solely by numbers. Aside from fixed assets such as troop¡¯s morale, training, and the ability of the commander to adapt, complicated factors like terrain, weather and other outside variables could have unexpected influence too. If he was asked the most important factor that would decide the battle, Felixus would answer ¡®morale¡¯ without any hesitation. For the Stonia army forced into war, they had no fighting spirit to speak of. They had the initiative of attacking without any premonition, but the Holy Nation of Mekia had the achievement of toying with the Crimson Knights with just half of their opponent¡¯s numbers. ¡¸Who do you think will win, Lord Chancellor?¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s hard to say. Or rather, I¡¯m not concerned at all. My priority is to wear down Stonia Duchy¡¯s forces, then evaluate the prowess of the Holy Nation of Mekia that had bared its fangs at the Empire.¡¹ Dalmes¡¯ words surprised Felixus. Felixus had some grasp on the Chancellor¡¯s personality, and he wasn¡¯t the type who likes roundabout ways like evaluating an opponent¡¯s strength. ¡¸It¡¯s rare to see you so cautious, Lord Chancellor.¡¹ Dalmes¡¯ face turned sullen. ¡¸¡­ That might be so. But according to Sir Felixus¡¯ report, the Holy Nation of Mekia has committed their Sorcerer into battle, right? On top of that, they had great relations with the Saint Illuminous Church, so we can¡¯t ignore the religious zealots and the Knights of the Holy Church either.¡¹ ¡¸Knights of the Holy Church¡­¡­¡¹ The Knights of the Holy Church were an army founded to protect devotees, but that was just the superficial reason. It was clear from history that they were used to wipe out heretics. In that sense, Dalmes was right to exercise extreme caution. ¡¸Aside from the Knights of the Holy Church, they also had almost two million devotees¡­ At this stage, the Empire should avoid direct conflict with them.¡¹ In just the Capital Orsted alone, there were multiple Saint Illuminous churches. Going to extremes, they had many potential enemies around them. Even Felixus couldn¡¯t fault Dalmes for his methods. ¡¸I understand the Chancellor¡¯s concerns.¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s wonderful. And of course, if they become an obstacle against the Empire, the Empire¡¯s chariots will swiftly run over those zealots and the Knights of the Holy Church.¡¹ Dalmes concluded matter of factly. He said that casually, but Felixus knew that Dalmes was serious. ¡¸¡ª Well then, what¡¯s my mission?¡¹ Felixus sat up and cut straight into the heart of the matter. He didn¡¯t think that Dalmes would recall him without any reason. Dalmes nodded with delight. ¡¸It¡¯s a breeze to talk with Sir Felixus. Straight to the point. I would like Sir Felixus to go to Stonia Duchy as a Military Consultant.¡¹ ¡¸Military Consultant, huh¡­¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s right, carefully observe the combat prowess of the Holy Nation of Mekia. Whether they would be a threat to the Empire, and the movements of the Sorcerers¡ª But it isn¡¯t clear whether they would commit Sorcerer into the battle against the Stonia Duchy.¡¹ ¡¸¡­ They probably would.¡¹ Felixus thought about Amelia Stolast. Dalmes peeked at Felixus, waiting for his formal acknowledgement. ¡¸I understand. I hereby accept the mission as a Military Consultant¡ª On the other hand, what should we do about Death God Olivia? I think we should take countermeasures post haste.¡¹ Dalmes¡¯ stopped his wrinkled hand that was reaching for his cup. He showed a confused face as he locked eyes with Felixus. ¡¸Death God Olivia¡­¡­?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, Death God Olivia.¡¹ ¡¸¡ª Oh, the girl with the Dark Sword you mentioned before¡­ Death God is a being that controls death as it wished. It is laughable to call her a Death God with her meagre exploits.¡¹ Dalmes smirked, speaking as if he knew the real Death God. ¡¸That might be so, but she is involved in all our recent defeats. Allow me to repeat this again, there is a need to take action against her.¡¹ ¡¸In any case, it¡¯s fine to leave her alone for now.¡¹ Felixus was doubting his ears. Just what was Dalmes thinking to arrive at this nonsensical conclusion? ¡¸Bu¡ª¡ª¡¹ Dalmes raised his right hand to stop Felixus who wanted to pursue the matter, and stood up from the couch slowly. ¡¸I will be counting on you to act as a Military Consultant. There are pressing matters that requires my presence, so I will be taking my leave.¡¹ Evening out the creases on his robe, Dalmes¡¯ attitude made it clear he was refusing to discuss this further. Felixus felt uneasy by the way he was dismissing this issue. If Graden and Rosenmarie were here, they would feel the same way. (The Chancellor is taking this too lightly, he isn¡¯t the type to ignore such things¡­ Should I report this directly to His Majesty? ¡ªNo, that will probably be useless. Nowadays, I don¡¯t see any reaction from him, other than the times when he converse with the Chancellor¡­) He knew it was futile, but Felixus still insisted that Dalmes reconsider. Dalmes looked at the large ebony bookshelf with an impatient face, and ended the conversation by saying ¡¸I will look into it¡¹. ¢ó Confederation of Sutherland Twelfth City, Nozan Persilla The Twelfth City, Nozan Persilla, which borders the Farnesse Kingdom, was inhabited by brown skinned people who hailed from the east of the continent. In the Confederation of Sutherland, it was known for the aesthetic balance between natural scenery and manmade structure. At the northern edge of the city, the symbol of Nozan Persilla, the Esu Rudo palace stood gracefully. Esu Rudo was owned by the Mayor Cassandra, with a standalone residential tower and a six sided building for administration usage. There was also a long building built on top of a river that flowed through the palace. Esu rudo was made up of these three buildings. The dark green palace decorated with streaks of white was recognized as the most beautiful building in the 13 cities. Palace Esu RudoFront Court The interior of the palace matched its luxurious exterior, although the wooden Front Court seemed out of place. On the walls to either side were 8 sets of large statues of demons with angry faces. With giant axes in their arms, they stood stoically in a row, as if to intimidate any visitors. In the central platform was a large incense urn, and its faint purple smoke emit a sweet fragrance. Bonfires were lit at equal distance, illuminating the room in place of windows. ¡¸Queen Cassandra awaits, this way please¡­¡¹ A huge man with the fur of a one horn beast draped over his left shoulder¡ª he had Nozan-Persilla¡¯s top rank and grade in the military, Drake Zum Gorgon. He followed behind the female courtier. Nozan-Persilla¡¯s military rank convention was very different from other nations. Starting from the base foot soldier, a ¡¶Common Officer¡·, it was followed by ¡¶Sand Officer¡· ¡¶Tough Officer¡· ¡¶Tough Silver Officer¡· ¡¶Tough Gold Officer¡· ¡¶Iron Officer¡· ¡¶Silver Officer¡· ¡¶Gold Officer¡· ¡¶Heavy Silver Officer¡· and ¡¶Heavy Gold Officer¡·. Starting from Silver Officers, each rank was further divided into five grades. Even for those in the same rank, being in the first grade was very different from being in the fifth grade. Drake¡¯s rank and grade were both the highest, which meant he stood at the top of Nozan Persilla¡¯s military. (I hope she will listen to my advice¡­) As he got nearer to the Throne Room, Mayor Cassandra¡¯s figure became clearer. Her luxurious long hair reached her waist and her brown skin was covered by thin clothes dyed in vibrant colours such as red and purple¡ª She was an embodiment of sexiness, and she wore the same smile as always. Drake kneeled before the throne and bowed low. Cassandra looked down at the kneeling Drake and asked him directly. ¡¸What do you need?¡¹ ¡¸Your Majesty, it¡¯s regarding the invasion of the Farnesse Kingdom.¡¹ ¡¸I see, the dates of the invasion has been set.¡¹ ¡¸With regards to that¡­ I humbly suggest we stop the invasion.¡¹ ¡¸¡ª Why?¡¹ Before the icy voice that could freeze one¡¯s body, Drake raised his head. Cassandra was still smiling, but Drake had served her long enough that she was steaming inside. It would be a problem if he angered her further, so Drake tread lightly. ¡¸We have determined that the Imperial Army is now at a disadvantage against the Royal Army.¡¹ ¡¸The Imperial Army is at a disadvantage?¡ª This joke isn¡¯t funny.¡¹ Cassandra took off her mask for the first time and showed a cold face. ¡¸This is not a joke. During our intel gathering to prepare for the war against the Farnesse Kingdom, we determined this fact. Please take a look, I believe you will understand.¡¹ Drake took out a scroll with the details on it, and handed it to a female courtier waiting at the side. The courtier slowly approached the throne with her back hunched, and respectfully handed the scroll to Cassandra. Cassandra gracefully untied the string and opened the scroll. ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹ As he listened to the crackling sound of wood in the fire, Drake waited on the Queen¡¯s next words. A while later, Cassandra handed the scroll back to the courtier, ordering her to toss the scroll into the fire. ¡¸W-What are you doing?!¡¹ When Drake stood up and tried to stop her, the courtier already tossed the scroll into the fire. Drake watched stiffly as the scroll burned dryly. ¡¸Heavy Gold Officer Drake, are you here to waste my time with this useless report? The ruler of Nozan Persilla isn¡¯t that free.¡¹ Cassandra showed an attitude of complete distaste, but Drake couldn¡¯t refute her immediately. The burned scroll detailed the defeat of the Crimson and Sun Knights. In the end, the plan to invade Farnesse Kingdom was just something Cassandra thought of on a whim. In the beginning, Drake was arrogant and thought he could take down the Farnesse Kingdom. He noted that he should reflect on his actions properly, including his tardiness in collecting intel. Drake had the view that the best option was to watch from the side if the Farnesse Kingdom was ready to counter attack. There was no reason to risk the trip into the lion¡¯s den. ¡¸As Your Majesty just read, the Crimson and Sun Knights had been defeated. It isn¡¯t clear how the Royal Army that was beaten and bruised has turned to the offensive, but they are like rats driven into a corner by a cat. We shouldn¡¯t strike at such a moment.¡¹ ¡¸The Royal Army are rats? Heavy Gold Officer Drake, you have a way with words.¡¹ Cassandra opened the fan in her hand with a smile. Her unhappy tone gave Drake the urge to be more direct in his advice. But before he could speak Cassandra looked at him with disinterested eyes. ¡¸What a boorish man¡­ well, that¡¯s one way of putting it.¡¹ ¡¸Do you have a different view, my Queen?¡¹ Cassandra closed the fan in her hand with a snap. ¡¸Well, they picked impressive names like Crimson and Sun, but that¡¯s just for show. From the looks of things, even the so called elite Azure knights is no big deal either.¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s taking things too lightly. It¡¯s because they are the Empire, that¡¯s why they manage to push the ¡ºLion Nation¡» Farnesse Kingdom to the brink. Please consider it carefully.¡¹ As Drake bowed his head low, Cassandra sighed deeply. ¡¸I understand.¡¹ ¡¸So you finally understand?!¡¹ The relieved Drake, raised his head and found Cassandra smiling dryly again, and his heart sunk. ¡¸Yes, I understand very well now. Heavy Gold Officer Drake is a ball-less coward who is of no use. Just how did you climb up to the rank of Heavy Gold Officer? A warrior who is afraid of war, really?¡¹ I¡¯m not afraid of war¡ª before Drake could speak, Cassandra instructed a female courtier ¡¸Call Arthur over¡¹, the female courtier left the Throne Room with a bow. (Arthur¡­¡­?!) The image of Arthur¡¯s cocky face flashed across Drake¡¯s mind. One of the pillars in Nozan Persilla¡¯s military, Heavy Silver Officer Arthur, 27 years old. He was a young and brave warrior, and an ambitious man. Normally, it wouldn¡¯t be strange for him to become a Heavy Gold Officer, but Drake sensed something dangerous about him, and he stopped him from advancing beyond a Heavy Silver Officer¡ª ¡¸Your Majesty, I brought Sir Arthur here.¡¹ Arthur who entered the throne room with a female courtier approached the throne and kneeled in an elegant manner. His flashy demeanour raised a few eyebrows, but from the way Cassandra was smiling and nodding, it seemed very effective. ¡¸Your Majesty, Arthur Mau Finn is here to respond urgently to your summons.¡¹ ¡¸Thank you for your hard work. You must know the reason why I called you here, correct?¡¹ ¡¸Yes! Please leave it to me, Arthur. I will splendidly seize the Farnesse Kingdom¡¯s territory and present them to Your Majesty.¡¹ Arthur answered without any hesitation. Drake didn¡¯t miss the moment Arthur tilted his head with a mocking smile. ¡¸How reliable, you are a warrior. I hope someone can learn from you.¡¹ Cassandra looked at Drake as she said that. ¡¸¡­ Your Majesty, will you not stop no matter what?¡¹ ¡¸You are saying those nonsense again¡­ Even if the Royal Army has the upper hand, they should have suffered major losses. If the Empire has really been beaten off, that would just be more good news.¡¹ ¡¸But¡ª¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Enough. Heavy Gold Officer Drake, I hereby order you to be confined to your house for the time being¡ª Well then, Heavy Silver Officer Arthur, notify me once the preparations are done.¡¹ ¡¸As you wish, Your Majesty.¡¹ Cassandra stood up from her throne and walked past the two kneeling men, and left the Front Court together with the female courtier. The cheerful voice behind them seemed certain of Nozan Persilla¡¯s victory. ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹ After Cassandra¡¯s presence grew distant, Drake stopped Arthur who was about to leave. ¡¸What is it?¡¹ ¡¸You should have seen that report, why didn¡¯t you stop Her Majesty?¡¹ ¡¸Because Her Majesty craves for war, and I¡¯m simply indulging her demands.¡¹ ¡¸Even if that shallow thinking brought huge losses to Nozan Persilla?¡¹ It would be great if they won, but the problem was losing. There was the possibility of the Farnesse Kingdom riding on their momentum of victory and counter attacking. ¡¸Heavy Gold Officer Drake, you have been suspended from duty, please don¡¯t interfere with our military affairs. Right now, I¡¯m the commander-in-chief of the campaign against the Farnesse Kingdom.¡¹ ¡¸¡­ Ku. In that case, I have nothing else to say. Show me what you can do then.¡¹ ¡¸Of course, and you finally got a vacation from Her Majesty, so use this chance to spend it leisurely. I will achieve a splendid victory in the place of Heavy Gold Officer Drake who had contracted a cowardice disease.¡¹ ¡¸¡­ Are you mocking me?¡¹ Drake put his hands on the ¡ºCrescent Sabre¡» by his waist. He was within striking distance, but Arthur was completely unfazed. He even spread his arms out cheerfully. ¡¸Mock? I wouldn¡¯t dare mock the great Heavy Gold Officer Drake! I¡¯m just plainly stating the facts¡ª¡ª By the way, aren¡¯t you going to draw that thing on your waist?¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸Yes, that will be wise.¡¹ Drake clenched his quivering fist as he watched the laughing Arthur leave. The wood kindled in the fire, and splinters danced with the flames. Drake looked at the statues of the giant demons standing side by side. (Are you also laughing at my supposed cowardice?) The light from the swaying flames made the statues look like they were smiling. Volume 4, 2: Who Are You Fighting For Part 2 Volume 4, Chapter 2: Who Are You Fighting For Part 2 Translator: Skythewood Editor: Hiiro ¢ô Holy Nation of Mekia Holy Capital Elsphere, La Shaim Castle ¡¸The Holy Angel has arrived!¡¹ The guard¡¯s loud voice echoed out as he solemnly opened the door engraved with the Goddess Citresia. Sofitia hel Mekia was wearing a light purple attire that matched her hair colour and had a silver sceptre in her hand. She gracefully walked past the guards in neat formation. It was Spring and nature was booming. Having formally acknowledged Stonia Duchy¡¯s declaration of war against the Holy Nation of Mekia, a war conference would be held in the La Shaim Castle on Sofitia¡¯s orders. Gathered in the ¡¶Hall of the Holy Spirit¡· for the conference were¡ª¡ª Holy Legate Lara Mira Crystal. Senior Chiliarch Johann Strider. Chiliarch Amelia Stolast. Senior Centurion Zephyr Barschmide. And also twelve other Senior Centurions proficient in both administrative duties and combat¡ª commonly referred as ¡ºTwelve Winged Guards¡», a total of 16 people. They got up as one and received Sofitia with their salutations. Sofitia sat down in a chair pulled out by a servant, and ordered everyone to sit down. ¡¸As you all know, our Holy Nation of Mekia has been notified of the Stonia Duchy¡¯s declaration of war. And of course, I plan to engage them in open combat.¡¹ Everyone nodded in agreement to Sofitia¡¯s words. One of the Senior Centurion raised his hand. Sofitia nodded slightly to give him permission to speak. ¡¸Holy Angel, it is well known that the Stonia Duchy is the dog of the Arsbelt Empire, so the Empire must be behind this.¡¹ ¡¸It is as you say, the Empire must have known that our Holy Nation of Mekia is responsible for the assault on Fort Astra. Otherwise, the unrelated Stonia Duchy will not declare war so suddenly.¡¹ They might be after Mekia¡¯s bountiful ore reserves, but Sofitia refuted that thought. As expected of the Empire, they acted fast after they figured things out. ¡¸However, I don¡¯t understand why the Empire isn¡¯t taking action directly?¡¹ ¡¸Indeed, the Empire has never shown mercy to anyone who defies them. Coercing the Stonia Duchy to attack seemed uncharacteristically passive for them.¡¹ ¡¸The Imperial Army suffered consecutive losses against the Royal Army, so that might be a reason.¡¹ ¡¸That might be true, but unlike the Royal Army, the Imperial Army can still spare the effort. That line of reasoning won¡¯t work.¡¹ Naturally, the Senior Centurions raised their doubts. The difference in battle prowess between the Empire and the Holy Nation of Mekia was clear for all to see. However, the Empire didn¡¯t declare war directly, so these were the few reasons they could think of. With the defeat of their symbolic Crimson and Sun Knights, the Empire would want to see the reactions of the other nations. ¡¸Maybe they are wary of the Saint Illuminous Church?¡¹ The Saint Illuminous Church was based in the Artemia Cathedral, located within the Holy Nation of Mekia. Furthermore, it was a religion with many believers in the Empire. Since the devotees viewed the Holy Nation of Mekia as holy ground, declaring war would rile those devotees up. In fact, Sofitia received a letter from Pope Krishna Halbert of the Artemia Cathedral, that the Knights of the Holy Church would gladly lend their aid. With potential riots from zealots and the Knights of the Holy Church mobilizing, even the Empire would not escape unscathed. The Empire understood that very well, which was why they were pretending they weren¡¯t involved¡ª Sofitia explained to the group. ¡¸They call themselves an Empire, but they sure loves petty tricks.¡¹ Lara crossed her arms with an annoyed face. ¡¸Their strategy is clear, the pitiful one is the Stonia Duchy who got sent out as cannon fodder.¡¹ According to the intel reports by the Owl, Stonia Duchy had around 60,000 soldiers. Compared to that, the Holy Winged Legion numbered 50,000. Numerically speaking, Mekia was at a great disadvantage. However, no one showed any fear and were in high spirits. Seeing no one had said anything to dampen the mood, Sofitia was pleased. ¡¸Holy Angel, how big of an army shall we mobilize?¡¹ Amelia said without any inflexion, and Sofitia answered with a smile. ¡¸Sending out all our forces might be good, but 30,000 would be enough this time.¡¹ After a brief silence, the Senior Centurions started getting rowdy. ¡¸Half the enemy¡¯s numbers¡­ We sure are taking it easy.¡¹ Amelia nodded and said coldly. ¡¸Amelia is right.¡¹ Even Lara who was always admonishing Amelia concurred. ¡¸The Empire will be gauging our military prowess with this battle, so winning with smaller numbers is one of the conditions.¡¹ Winning with inferior numbers. It was easy to say that, but executing it was anything but easy. Aside from the use of special tactics, there were few examples of countries winning battles with a smaller army. The victory of the Seventh Army over the Crimson Knights was an example of such a miracle. However, the Holy Nation of Mekia had outstanding Sorcerers like Lara, Johann, and Amelia who was as good as a thousand men. In contrast, Stonia had the advantage of numbers, but they were forced into this war by the Empire, and lacked the important factor that would win them battles¡ª which was troop morale. They could win. Sofitia wasn¡¯t worried about that. ¡¸We understand your thoughts, Holy Angel¡ª Speaking of which, who will you appoint to command the frontlines?¡¹ Lara cast an uneasy gaze her way, and Sofitia laughed at her cute behaviour. ¡¸Don¡¯t worry, this is the first major battle since I took the mantle of the Holy Angel. I don¡¯t intend for anyone else but the leader of the Holy Winged Legion, Lara, to take command.¡¹ Lara¡¯s face turned better immediately. Sofitia could see her smile occasionally, but that wasn¡¯t so for her subordinates who all looked surprised. Even the poker-faced Amelia was staring at Lara with her mouth wide open. Showered by the curious gazes, Lara coughed a few times to conceal her embarrassment and stiffened her expression. ¡¸Understood. Lara Mira Crystal would decimate the Stonia army with the 30,000 soldiers of the Holy Winged Legion. Holy Angel, please wait in La Shaim Castle for the news of our triumph.¡¹ Sofitia smiled brightly. ¡¸Very well, I will be counting on you, Lara.¡¹ ¡¸Yes!¡¹ ¡¸¡ª¡ª Holy Angel, permission to speak?¡¹ Turning to the voice, she found a serious Johann waiting for her. Sofitia knew his frivolous nature very well, so she sat up straight and answered solemnly. ¡¸Feel free to speak.¡¹ ¡¸I don¡¯t have any question with regards to the Stonia Duchy¡­ What are your plans for the Death God Olivia? Pray tell us your thoughts.¡¹ Death God Olivia. The moment Johann mentioned that name, the excitement in the room faded away and everyone turned serious. Everyone present had read Johann¡¯s report on Death God Olivia. ¡¸Magic¡­ Does that really exist? And getting mana from outside¡ª that¡¯s too preposterous.¡¹ Before Sofitia could speak, Amelia cast a suspicious gaze towards Johann. Lara had the same eyes, so it was clear they were both thinking about the same thing. Zephyr wanted to speak, but Johann stopped him with a gaze. ¡¸Well, I understand how you feel, Ms Amelia. I witnessed Magic with my own eyes, and it felt like a dream to me too. So, I just want to make one thing clear¡ª if we make an enemy out of her, we will suffer greatly.¡¹ Johann said firmly and Zephyr nodded. Johann was a man who could analyze the situation calmly, the same applied to the leader of the ¡ºOwl¡», Zephyr. Sofitia had no reason to ignore their warnings about Death God Olivia. After receiving Johann¡¯s report, Sofitia ordered the civil officers to investigate Magic thoroughly. However, there were no records of Magic in ancient tomes or anywhere else. ¡¸I fully appreciate the danger of Miss Death God. But from Johann¡¯s description of her, she seemed to be very friendly.¡¹ If not, Johann wouldn¡¯t be sitting here with all his limbs in place. This clearly showed Olivia¡¯s overwhelming combat prowess. Johann stroked his chin and searched his memories. ¡¸I can¡¯t be completely sure¡­ but I don¡¯t think she bears any hostility towards us.¡¹ ¡¸In that case, there is no sense in rushing. Let¡¯s wait and observe the situation for now.¡¹ Sofitia felt her decision to send Johann to investigate was a wise decision. If she had sent Amelia, the Holy Nation might have lost a valuable Sorcerer. Johann was only alive because of his sociable nature. ¡¸Instead of that, I¡¯m more concerned about ¡ºZ¡» who taught Magic to Miss Death God. Is there any records on that in the books?¡¹ ¡¸Even if you ask me that¡­¡¹ ¡¸Any trivial thing will do, even just the gender will be fine.¡¹ ¡¸¡­ My deep apologies. I was in no position to ask back then.¡¹ ¡¸¡­ Me too, this is a shameful display for the leader of the ¡ºOwl¡».¡¹ Johann scratched his head bashfully and Zephyr hung his head in shame. ¡¸Don¡¯t misunderstand, I¡¯m not blaming either of you. You have achieved the main objective and brought back valuable intel.¡¹ Of course Sofitia wanted more information. An existence like ¡ºZ¡» was more dangerous than Olivia, so she couldn¡¯t ignore it. The threat was as great as an entire nation. On the other hand, from Johann¡¯s report, Sofitia knew that was asking for too much. Magic¡ª probably a higher tier of Sorcery¡­ Going by the report, similar to Sorcerers, mana exhaustion would also lead to death for the usage of Magic. Maybe Magic and Sorcery had the same origin¡ª Sofitia thought. If their origins were the same, maybe Lara and the other Sorcerers could use Magic too. To realize this goal, they need to get into contact with ¡ºZ¡». And the first step would be getting on the good side of Death God Olivia. ¡¸So, we are letting Death God Olivia do as she please?¡¹ Lara concluded, and Sofitia nodded. ¡¸That¡¯s right, focus on the battle with Stonia Duchy for now. I haven¡¯t told anyone yet, but I have already made arrangements with regards to Miss Death God.¡¹ ¡¸You already¡­ As expected of the Holy Angel.¡¹ Sofitia answered Lara¡¯s respectful eyes with a smile. Even that Ever-Victorious General would be caught off guard when he suddenly received that letter. ¡¸¡­ Pardon me, but might I ask what arrangements have you made?¡¹ Johann asked Sofitia warily. Not just Johann, everyone was looking at Sofitia curiously. ¡¸Fufu, in due time. Look forward to it in the meanwhile.¡¹ Sofitia knocked the silver sceptre against the floor to declare the end of the war conference. Volume 4, Interlude: The Frenzy of Elis Volume 4, Interlude: The Frenzy of Elis Translator: Skythewood Editor: Hiiro Royal Capital FizzSouth Zone In Grimoire Street, known for being a bustling street even in the prosperous south zone, two exceptionally beautiful women were strolling along there. One of them was Ellis Crawford, who seemed to be having the time of her life, the other was Olivia Valedstorm, who was greedily breathing the smell of the food from the stalls.. ¡¸Olivia Onee-sama, the weather is great today, so this will be a wonderful date!¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s right. By the way, where are you taking me, Ellis?¡¹ Olivia asked Ellis who was humming happily beside her. Unlike Ellis who was wearing her uniform, Olivia had her dark armour on. They weren¡¯t heading to a fight, this was just Ellis¡¯ request. ¡¸ Allow me to keep this a secret for now.¡¹ Ellis smiled after licking Olivia¡¯s entire body with her eyes. Olivia understood she didn¡¯t want to say, and pointed at one of the many shops along the street. ¡¸How about that shop?¡¹ ¡¸¡­ That run down place?¡¹ Ellis frowned. This was an easily recognized building with a faded orange triangle roof. By the way, the sign board ¡¸Le Franchell¡¹ was slanted heavily to the right, and was on the verge of falling off. When Olivia saw this place for the first time, she reacted similarly to Ellis. ¡¸Well, Ashton told me about this place, a cake shop only the experts would know. The cake I tried during the castle¡¯s victory celebration is delicious, but this shop is even better. Isn¡¯t that amazing?¡¹ ¡¸So this is the shop Olivia Onee-sama had on your mind all this time?¡¹ ¡¸Right right, this is the shop.¡¹ ¡¸Aha¡­ I see...¡¹ Ellis said as she looked up at the signboard again. About half a month ago, Olivia was making a huge fuss, so Ashton reluctantly brought her to this shop. When Olivia was feeling uneasy about the shoddy shop, Ashton beside her was looking around restlessly too. But when the cake entered Olivia¡¯s mouth, it wiped all her worries away. It wasn¡¯t just tasty, it felt like the cake was melting on her tongue. Olivia still remember when she thanked Ashton, he looked relieved with a face that said ¡ºTold you so.¡» Olivia made up her mind to eat there everyday while she was still in the capital, but Claudia stopped her ambition. Her reason was ¡ºIt might be tasty, but you will grow tired of it if you eat one everyday.¡» Olivia thought she was right and followed her advice. It has been two whole days since Olivia¡¯s last visit. ¡¸Ellis will find the food delicious too.¡¹ But Ellis didn¡¯t react much. Olivia perked up her ears and heard her mumbling ¡¸Olivia Onee-sama and cake, Olivia Onee-sama and cake, Olivia Onee-sama and cake, Olivia¡ª¡ª¡¹ She kept repeating the same thing. Sensing danger, Olivia slowly pulled away from Ellis, but Ellis immediately closed the distance like a Yasha. <Ò¹²æ: Japanese Demon https://yokai.fandom.com/wiki/Yasha> ¡¸Olivia Onee-sama, why are you moving so far away from me?¡¹ Ellis tilted her head adorably and asked with a smile. ¡¸Y-You seemed to be in deep thought, so I don¡¯t want to be a nuisance.¡¹ ¡¸I will never in my life ever find Olivia Onee-sama a nuisance. Even if the sky falls down, that will still be impossible.¡¹ ¡¸I-Is that so¡ª So what about the cake?¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s a tempting offer, but I will pass for now.¡¹ ¡¸G-Got it.¡¹ She was rejected, but Olivia felt relieved instead¡ª but this was only for an instant. ¡¸And, so! We can go have cake after we are done with this errand. A two step killing move.¡¹ Olivia didn¡¯t understand what a two step killing move was. What she did know was not to defy the smiling Ellis, so she kept nodding. This was the birth of a different Yasha, separate from Claudia. ¡¸Oh, today is the most wonderful day.¡¹ ¡¸I-I don¡¯t really understand, but that¡¯s great.¡¹ Olivia looked with complicated feelings at the mesmerized Ellis who was hugging herself with both arms. (Humans seem more complicated and stranger than what Z told me. I have still much to learn.) Olivia thought about the figure of Z as he gave lessons with a book in one hand. ¡ì ¡¸Olivia Onee-sama, this is the place.¡¹ When they arrived at their destination, Ellis hurried to open the door and pulled Olivia in. ¡¸This is the place you want to take me to?¡¹ Olivia surveyed the shop curiously. The layout of the shop was fashionably designed to appeal to young girls, with the trendy clothes laid out neatly on the shelves. According to the clerk, even the Fourth Princess, Sara, would visit in secret¡ª but that didn¡¯t matter to Ellis. ¡¸That¡¯s right, but we are not here to pick clothes for Olivia Onee-sama.¡¹ On off days, Olivia only wore a few outfits, and the colour on all of them had faded beyond recognition. Olivia didn¡¯t pay much attention to clothes, and Ellis didn¡¯t have any urge to let her wear pretty dresses. Olivia was already a perfect piece of art, and even rags would look great on her. Before Olivia, even the Goddess of beauty Aphrodia would pale in comparison. (Fufu, if Olivia Onee-sama put that on¡­) As Ellis was smiling to herself, an acquaintance of hers jogged over. It was the clerk she spoke with during her last visit. ¡¸Lady Crawford, we have been eagerly waiting for your visit. Are you here to pick up your order?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, is it done?¡¹ ¡¸It is a masterpiece made with great care by our tailors. I have prepared the things to your liking myself, Lady Crawford. Please wait a moment and I will fetch you for you.¡¹ After that, the clerk ran off and disappeared deep inside the shop. Ellis took on the mission of playing Olivia¡¯s body double and got a tidy bonus. After assuring the shop that money wasn¡¯t an issue, the clerks¡¯ attitude turned respectful. Shortly after, the clerk came back with two boxes. ¡¸Pardon us for the wait, this is the goods you ordered.¡¹ The clerk opened the boxes properly and took out the items, then laid them out carefully on the counter. One was a ceremonial white cape to be draped over the left shoulder, while the other was a short red cape meant for the battlefield. Both of them had the same emblem in the center, crossed scythes and a skull covered in roses¡ª the Valedstorm coat of arms that struck fear into the Imperial Army. Olivia looked back and forth between the two capes and asked. ¡¸They have the Valedstorm coat of arms on them¡­ Are they for me?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, this is a gift to celebrate Olivia Onee-sama¡¯s promotion to Major General, please accept them.¡¹ When she heard Olivia¡¯s black armour was a gift from Ashton, she custom ordered these capes to compete with him. ¡¸Thank you, Ellis!¡¹ Olivia immediately put on the ceremonial cape with a heart stopping smile. Ellis endured a bout of dizziness and desperately asked the clerk for a mirror. Olivia stood before the mirror and turned around with her cape in hand. ¡¸How is it? Does it suit me?¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s perfect¡­ I¡¯m getting a nosebleed.¡¹ ¡¸Ehh? But why?¡¹ ¡¸Olivia Onee-sma, humans are beings who will bleed out of their nose at the sight of something too wonderful.¡¹ ¡¸Heehee, I didn¡¯t know humans are like that.¡¹ Olivia nodded in awe, then took out a black notebook and scribbled on it. When she locked eyes with the clerk, she looked away. ¡¸After we go back, I want to let Ashton and Claudia see this as soon as possible.¡¹ ¡¸The two of them will definitely be moved when they see you¡ª Well then, on to our next destination.¡¹ ¡¸We look forward to your next visit.¡¹ After confirming the payment, the clerk sent them off with a smile. The two of them then headed to the cake shop recommended by Olivia. An hour later¡ª ¡¸Ellis?¡¹ ¡¸Ah~¡¹ ¡¸Erm, well¡­¡¹ ¡¸Ah~¡¹ ¡¸I-I got it.¡¹ Ellis succeeded in getting the troubled Olivia to feed her cake. Claudia who learned about this in the future would choke her with a smile, but that¡¯s another story. Volume 4, 3: Dragon versus Tiger! Volume 4, Chapter 3: Dragon versus Tiger! Translator: Skythewood Editor: Hiiro Rias Plains Located to the east of the Holy Nation of Mekia, Rias Plains was right next to the mountain range with a big river that divided the plains into the east and the west. Spring had come to the Rias Plains, a place known for the various flowers that bloomed here¡ª but now, there were no signs of that scenery here. The crowd stomped on the flowers, ending its short lifespan. And the reason was the two armies of the Holy Winged Legion and Stonia, a total of 90,000 were poised to face off here.. Stonia Duchy basecamp. The angry man with his arms crossed was Field Marshal Auguste Gibbs Lanvinstein. He was a large man with a buffed body. Back in the Lunar Calendar Year 997, when faced with the Empire¡¯s demand for the Stonia Duchy to submit as a vassal state, Auguste was firmly in the hawk faction till the very end. However, as advised by the leader of the Four Sages, Roman, Archduke Silvester chose to become a vassal state. Auguste lost to the Empire without a fight. After that, he spent every day drinking his sorrows away. And now, Archduke Silvester ordered an invasion against the Holy Nation of Mekia. When he received this edict, Auguste laughed coldly in his heart. They chose to become a vassal state in order to avoid war, but in the end, they still had to fight. And the opponent was the sacred land for the devotees of the Goddess Citresia. Given the condition of the troops right now, they would have been better off fighting the Empire right from the start. ¡¸¡ª What¡¯s wrong with me thinking this way?¡¹ Auguste looked at the purple army banners flying high and soldiers in light green army, and said to the Chief of Staff¡ª Major General Cecilia Para Cadio, who was standing beside him. She was called the best genius woman since the founding of the Stonia Duchy, and earned her place here by outperforming numerous talented officers. ¡¸Field Marshal Sir, it¡¯s only natural for you to be enraged. But there¡¯s no point in saying anything more now, the dye has been cast.¡¹ Auguste knew that too, but he still had to say it. He had to say it before this stupid battle started. But if he, the Field Marshal, complained anymore, the already low morale would worsen. (For once, this is a troubling position to be in¡­) Pushing the darkness welling up in his heart to a corner, Auguste gave a loud pep talk to his listless men. ¡¸¡ª Even so, the enemy¡¯s numbers are surprisingly low. I heard they had 40,000 to 50,000 men.¡¹ There were 30,000 enemy soldiers at the very most, very different from the intel given by the Imperial envoy. ¡¸That¡¯s right¡­ Is the Empire¡¯s estimation wrong?¡¹ Cecilia said as she turned her gaze diagonally to the right. Standing there was a man in azure armour and cape. A Military Consultant sent by the Empire for the war against the Holy Nation of Mekia, Felixus von Sieger. Right now, he was observing the battlefield leisurely with his arms crossed. ¡¸No, I can¡¯t imagine that happening. I heard the Empire¡¯s spy unit ¡ºHeat Haze¡» is excellent. And there¡¯s also the strongest man in the Empire¡­ Well, he just looks like a delicate man with a pretty face.¡¹ The women referred to Felixus, who was in a way an enemy, the ¡ºAzure Gentleman¡» and got in heat over him. Quarrels about whether he locked eyes with them had happened quite a number of times. All that might sound retarded, but Auguste had to admit Felixus was a really handsome man. His luscious dark hair, flawless nose bridge and lips, and his dark blue eyes had a gentleness and intelligence that didn¡¯t match his reputation as the strongest man. There weren''t many men who could become a sight for sore eyes just by standing still, so Auguste could understand why the women were all so worked up over him. Even the Archduke¡¯s daughter looked at him with a thirsty expression, it made him too speechless to even get angry over this. ¡¸He is amazingly handsome¡­¡¹ Cecilia said in a longing tone. Auguste sighed in his heart, ¡ºYou are thirsty for him too?¡» ¡¸Ahem! ¡ªChief of Staff Cecilia.¡¹ ¡¸P-Pardon me. Assuming the Empire¡¯s estimation isn¡¯t wrong, there is only one conclusion.¡¹ Cecilia had an awkward expression. Understanding what she meant, Auguste furrowed his brows. ¡¸You are saying the Holy Winged Legion is looking down on us?¡¹ ¡¸I wouldn¡¯t put it that way¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸We submitted to the Empire without a fight, so it can¡¯t be helped if they think that way.¡¹ Auguste¡¯s dry laugh echoed hollowly. If he was in their shoes, he would feel the same way. Even with that in mind, wasn¡¯t 30,000 overdoing it? He didn¡¯t know what the enemy commander was thinking about, but the number of troops would affect the chance of victory, so naturally, Auguste would commit all the forces he had on hand. ¡¸We outnumber the Holy Winged Legion by two to one. I don¡¯t see how we can fail, but¡­¡¹ Contrary to her forceful tone, Cecilia¡¯s face didn¡¯t relax. Auguste added: ¡¸Our troop morale is low, but even with twice their numbers, victory is not guaranteed¡ª that¡¯s what you want to say right,?¡¹ After a few seconds of hesitation, Cecilia nodded. ¡¸It¡¯s regrettable, but there has been quite a number of deserters during our march.¡¹ ¡¸Are those soldiers devotees of the Goddess Citresia?¡¹ ¡¸It is as you say, they are the more pious ones of the devotees.¡¹ Auguste took a deep breath and looked up into the sky. No matter what reasons they gave, desertion in the face of battle was punishable by death, even if their attempts ended in failure. They chose to flee despite knowing that, which showed how deep their faith was. ¡¸The Goddess Citresia¡­ How problematic. God is unique, and we only need the one and only God of War, Zorbes.¡¹ The God of War Zorbes was the Stonia Duchy Patron God since ancient times. With three heads and six arms, it wielded weapons like chakram and trident. Unlike the Goddess of creation Citresia, it was known for its destructive prowess. <ƒÒÔÂ݆: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chakram> ¡¸God of War Zorbes¡­ It has been so long since I heard that name. The last time I read about him was in the Stonia founding chronicles I read when I was five years old.¡¹ Cecilia said nostalgically. Speaking of which, the Stonia founding chronicles wasn¡¯t a book meant for children, it was used for research by historians. Auguste didn¡¯t point that out and continued. ¡¸The young ones nowadays aren¡¯t interested in mythology, With that in mind, the popularity of the Goddess Citresia is mind boggling, Don¡¯t you think so, Chief of Staff Cecilia?¡¹ ¡¸Y-Yes.¡¹ Cecilia nodded a little troublingly for some reason. ¡¸Never mind, enough about that. How did you deal with the ones attempting to desert?¡¹ ¡¸Don¡¯t worry, we have just detained them for now. Under military laws, they should be executed publicly, but I think we should make an exception this time.¡¹ Anyone else aside from Cecilia would have executed them on the spot. That was only to be expected. However, Cecilia wasn¡¯t a stickler to the rules and had a flexible mind, which was why Auguste thought so highly of her. ¡¸Indeed. Things won¡¯t end peacefully by just securing victory, I don¡¯t think the Saint Illuminous Church will stand by idly.¡¹ If they knew that the devotees would be executed, the Saint Illuminous Church would let the Knights of the Holy Church join the fray on the pretext of a Holy War. To prevent things from devolving into that, they had to treat the devotees cautiously. It was stifling, but that was the cruel reality the Stonia Duchy had to face. ¡¸Your Grace, the enemy¡¯s vanguard had started their attack.¡¹ Auguste looked and saw the enemy had deployed in the Arrow formation. They moved tidily as well with outstanding discipline, clearly displaying the strict training they had been through. <ähʸ: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%99%A3%E5%BD%A2#/media/%E3%83%95%E3%82%A1%E3%82%A4%E3%83%AB:Hachijin.svg> ¡¸Taking the Arrow formation against an army twice their numbers¡­ Just what are they thinking?¡¹ ¡¸They must be really confident in the coming battle.¡¹ Had they never experienced real war before? In any case, this was a great opportunity. ¡¸Field Marshal, how should we proceed?¡¹ ¡¸Is it summer, when the moths throw themselves into the fire? Lure them into the center of our formation and wipe them out. That should somewhat raise our morale.¡¹ ¡¸Understood, I will get the preparations underway.¡¹ Cecilia''s shrill voice echoed on the battlefield. Holy Winged Legion, Vanguard Of the 30,000 men in the Holy Winged Legion, Amelia led 7,000 light infantry to form the vanguard. She flicked her hair back with her fingers, then leisurely looked at the 60,000 Stonia army in formation before her. The Holy Guards had an intimidating aura about them after deploying in an Arrow formation, in sharp contrast to the stoic Stonia Army. One of the Twelve Winged Guards protecting the ¡ºGate of Six¡» in La Shaim Castle was Senior Centurion Jan Alexia, who wields a halberd. He walked to Amelia who was at the fore of the formation and saluted. ¡¸Chiliarch Amelia, all the preparations are complete, we are ready to attack on your orders!¡¹ Amelia took out a white pocket watch after receiving that report. She opened the cover which had the engraving of the Goddess Citresia and checked the time. ¡¸It took 15 minutes for the formation to be ready, that¡¯s far too long. Even though this is a war to show the glory of the Holy Angel to the world.¡¹ Amelia said plainly and Jan reporting gulped. ¡¸My deep apologies!¡¹ ¡¸¡­ I will overlook it this time.¡¹ ¡¸Thank you for your generosity!¡¹ ¡¸There won¡¯t be a next time, remember that.¡¹ Amelia looked back and her glare made Jan take a step back. But he immediately righted himself and said firmly. ¡¸Yes! I will etch it into my heart!¡¹ ¡¸Also, it¡¯s an honour for a warrior to be the vanguard. Spread the word, I will cut down anyone who shows fear before the enemy.¡¹ ¡¸Yes! Your will shall be done, Chiliarch Amelia!¡¹ He turned and jogged away. Shortly after, the Holy Guards raised their weapons high with a roar. ¡¸¡¸The Goddess Citresia will watch over the Holy Winged Legion!!¡¹¡¹ ¡¸¡¸In the name of the Holy Angel, victory shall be ours!¡¹¡¹ ¡¸Then start rampaging them, the party is about to begin.¡¹ Amelia drew her sword in high spirits and sounded the horn for the assault. ¢ò Sorcerers, whose existence was doubtful to most people¡ª the Holy Nation of Mekia was a mysterious nation that produced lots of them. They might be small, but there was a time when they ruled over the Dubedirica continent. There were as many books based on that era as there were stars, and the stories captivated the hearts of countless people. The most popular amongst women was the story of Johann Strider, depicted in drawings as a handsome man and survived to this day. A man with lovers everywhere, he never married his entire life. He was an exception with more love stories than tales of heroic exploits. And popular amongst men were the Seventh Generation Holy Angel, Sofitia hel Mekia, known for her extraordinary charisma and beauty, as well as the ¡ºSilver Beauty¡» Lara Mira Crystal. On the other hand, it wasn¡¯t clear if this was the truth¡ª there was a person said to enjoy killing, known as the ¡ºBloody Princess¡», Amelia Stolast. One of the books described her as squeezing out the blood of an entire mob, as she stood with blood covering her entire body and a crazed smile on her face. The truthfulness of the above depiction was in doubt, but all the books had one thing in common. She was merciless on the battlefield. Maybe people were drawn to such cruelty, she had a small group of diehard fans¡ª A few hours after the battle started between the Holy Winged Legion and the Stonia army. The vanguard of the Stonia army feigned a complete collapse in their formation and pretended to be in disarray. Amelia who was right in the fray stabbed at the back of the fleeing soldiers as if she was trying to carve their hearts out¡ª ¡¸Now!!¡¹ Two soldiers from both sides attacked Amelia. Amelia lowered her stance and slashed in an arc. ¡¸Kyaa!¡¹ Amelia licked the tip of her blood stained sword as she looked condescendingly at the soldiers who couldn¡¯t believe their eyes. ¡¸You thought you caught me off guard? Act the part of a gutter rat properly and scram.¡¹ ¡¸Chiliarch Amelia, we have split the enemy into two halves!¡¹ Jan shouted loudly as he swung his bloody halberd with his back to the dazzling sun. Amelia glared at him. ¡¸Instead of saying something so obvious, hurry up and decimate them piece by piece.¡¹ ¡¸Yes! I will get right on it!¡¹ Swiftly relaying the order to all units, the Holy Guards switched into high mobility pursuit mode. Amelia watched as she enjoyed the thickening scent of blood, a Holy Guard knelt before her in ragged breath. ¡¸C-Chiliarch Amelia! Emergency report!¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸Chiliarch Amelia!¡¹ ¡¸¡­ How noisy, I was just in a good mood.¡¹ Amelia frowned. If this wasn¡¯t a battlefield, she would have ¡®educated the Holy Guard who rained on her parade. How regrettable. ¡¸My apologies! This is urgent!¡¹ ¡¸Hah¡­ So, what is it?¡¹ Amelia looked at the Holy Guard. The Holy Guard looked frightened for a moment, then started his report. ¡¸Enemy forces are approaching from our rear!¡¹ ¡¸Enemy forces?¡ª Please be more precise, how many are there?¡¹ ¡¸About twenty thousand!¡¹ ¡¸Twenty thousand¡­¡¹ Amelia waved Jan over, and grabbed the telescope Jan took the initiative to offer. She looked at the direction the Holy Guard was pointing at. In her eyes were the Stonia army closing their encirclement. Like what the Holy Guard said, they numbered around twenty thousand. (I got careless¡­) Amelia grunted and handed the telescope back to Jan. Jan looked through the telescope too, then groaned. ¡¸The¡­ The timing is too coincidental. In my humble opinion¡­¡¹ With that as a pretext, Jan slowly mentioned the possibility that everything the enemy had done so far was to draw them deep. Amelia quietly listened to his opinion. ¡¸To think the Stonia army played us like a damn fiddle¡­¡¹ Jamming the halberd in his right hand deep into the ground, Jan showed a face of anguish and regret. The brave Holy Guards attackers sounded shaken too. Amelia was planning to strike at the weak points of the enemy defences, but that was a clever trap set up by the enemy all along. They were clueless as the trap snagged them¡ª the commander probably didn¡¯t even relay the plans to the soldiers acting as bait and fleeing. If all this was planned, then Amelia would have no qualms about praising the display of intellect which was above her own. ¡¸We seem to be locked in a giant cage for now. For a dog that licked the boots of the Empire without any resistance, they are doing pretty well.¡¹ As Amelia was mumbling anxiously, the old soldier that had fallen to her feet snapped his fingers and opened his mouth. He was still alive for now. ¡¸Just die already!¡¹ Amelia raised her right arm to stop Jan from stabbing the veteran with his halberd. ¡¸Chiliarch Amelia¡­¡­¡¹ Jan looked perplexed. But Amelia didn¡¯t do that out of a sense of mercy, she was just curious about what he had to say, since he could have lived if he had kept his mouth shut. ¡¸Foolish people of the Holy Nation of Mekia¡­ there is no way¡­ you can win.¡¹ ¡¸Is that all you have to say!?¡¹ ¡¸Listen up, our Stonia Duchy has been protected by the God of War Zorbes since ancient times¡­ Your patron Goddess Citresia¡­ Is just a second tier trash Goddess¡­ She is leagues below the God of War Zorbes¡­ so you have no chance of winning.¡¹ Amelia kicked the head of the laughing veteran hard, and his neck snapped in an impossible angle, which ended his laughter. ¡¸God of War Zorbes? I have never heard of that god, and I¡¯m not interested. The Goddess of Creation Citresia is the one and only Goddess.¡¹ Amelia kept kicking the dead veteran. As the Holy Guards watched with bated breath, the veteran was twisted out of shape as his white armour slowly turned black. Jan who was watching with fear said timidly. ¡¸The Holy Winged Legion will never be defeated, but our vanguard will get cut off if this continues. Please leave this place to me and withdraw for now, Chiliarch Amelia.¡¹ Jan said with determination, and Amelia spread her arms out in surprise. ¡¸Withdraw? That doesn¡¯t sound like something a Twelve Winged Guard should be saying, are you serious?¡¹ ¡¸Of course I am serious.¡¹ Jan answered firmly, and Amelia nursed her temple and shook her head. ¡¸Hah¡­ Jan Alexia. Don¡¯t just work out your body, train your brains occasionally. We can make use of this great opportunity.¡¹ ¡¸Opportunity? This is an opportunity for us?¡¹ ¡¸I won¡¯t repeat myself.¡¹ The strategy of the Stonia army was working, and their guard must be down now. If they were hit hard at this moment, their morale would plummet for multiple reasons. No matter how many soldiers they have, defeating them would be as easy as snatching candy from a baby¡ª this was a great chance for Mekia. As Jan watched on with incredulity, Amelia started explaining impatiently. Jan didn¡¯t interrupt her, but he didn¡¯t look convinced. ¡¸I understand what you mean,,, but it will be difficult for us to achieve that under such a dire situation. As you said earlier, Chiliarch Amelia, our vanguard is trapped in a cage. Forget about an opportunity, we are¡ª?!¡¹ Amelia grabbed his chest and pulled him close. Firm and wavering eyes¡ª two contrasting gazes stared at each other. ¡¸You have been nagging for some time now, are you mistaking something? I only said we seemed to be locked in a giant cage ¡®for now¡¯, don¡¯t advance the conversation on your own.¡¹ ¡¸B-But if this carries on¡­¡¹ Jan insisted on his view, which made Amelia sighed deeply. It would be easier to convince him with actions instead of words. It¡¯s pathetic, but easing the worries of foolish subordinates was also the duties of a superior. ¡¸Back off.¡¹ After pushing Jan aside, Amelia injected a large amount of mana into a magic circle. The outer edge of the magic circle started to spin, and her left hand was gradually covered by a bluish white light. ¡¸Look at Chiliarch Amelia¡¯s left hand!¡¹ ¡¸Ohh! Chiliarch Amelia is going to use Sorcery!¡¹ The Holy Guards started getting rowdy. Amelia who was targeting the enemy vanguard spread her legs, then slammed her glowing left hand hard onto the ground. ¡¸Look carefully. This is the start of the real party.¡¹ A light shot out in front with Amelia¡¯s words. When it reached the enemy¡¯s forward unit, the land started quivering as the light faded. ¡¸What¡¯s going on? An earthquake?¡¹ The Stonia army stopped in their strides. The shaking got more intense that they couldn¡¯t even stand. A soldier suddenly shouted. ¡¸Wait! Something coming out of the ground!¡¹ After those words were uttered, the other soldiers also spoke with surprised voices. ¡¸These are? Vines?!¡¹ ¡¸W-What are these monstrous vines!? It¡¯s entangling my body?!¡¹ ¡¸I-I can¡¯t move!¡¹ ¡¸Hieeee! It¡¯s sucking my blood!¡¹ ¡¸Ughh¡­ Save¡­ Me¡­¡¹ The giant vines engulfed the vanguard in an instant, painting a terrible hell scene. ¡ª High level Bondage Sorcery, Thousand Dazzling Net. The vines created with Sorcery bound the enemy, and the countless thorns suck out their blood. It was said that when all the blood had been drained, a crimson flower would bloom from the corpses. Of all the Sorcery Amelia had mastered, this was the cruelest one she knew. ¢ó Holy Winged Legion, Center Guard ¡¸Huh? Ahhh! Sir Johann, this is terrible! Lady Amelia¡¯s unit has been surrounded by the enemy, we have to save her!¡¹ Senior Centurion Angelica Brenda who was holding a telescope with one hand yelled, and Johann couldn¡¯t help sighing. ¡¸Rescue? Easy for you to say, but I doubt the enemy will let us pass through. Or do you want to bring the enemy along too?¡¹ Shortly after Amelia¡¯s vanguard engaged the enemy, Johann¡¯s Centre Guard clashed with the Stonia forces too. On this different battlefield, Johann¡¯s army was fighting smoothly because of the vast difference in morale. However, the Centre Guard only numbered ten thousand, and Johann couldn¡¯t spare the troops against the Stonia army of twenty thousand. ¡¸I don¡¯t want to say this, but¡ª¡¹ ¡¸What do you want me to do?¡¹ ¡¸Do you even need to ask? Sir Johann can go boom with your Sorcery, just one bloom will be enough.¡¹ Angelica hopped around with her arms flailing around. Whenever she jumped, the thing on her back would jingle noisily. The girl¡¯s claymore didn¡¯t match her petite body at all, but she was one of the Twelve Winged Guards guarding the ¡ºGate of one¡», known as ¡ºCleaving Angelica¡» ¡¸Talk is easy, but to be clear, my Sorcery is very taxing. If I really go boom like you said, then my mana will run out in an instant.¡¹ ¡¸Isn¡¯t it fine to exhaust your mana?¡¹ Angelica tilted her small head confusedly. Johann shot her a speechless gaze. Mana exhaustment meant death, she should have heard about that in bed time stories. ¡¸What nonsense are you sprouting?¡¹ ¡¸Hmm? I¡¯m not sprouting nonsense?¡¹ Angelica made no signs of straightening her head. (Was I mistaken?) For an instant, the faces of many women flashed across Johann¡¯s mind. On second thought, this involved the root of Sorcery, and wasn¡¯t common knowledge. He finally concluded that Angelica did know about the lethal effect of mana exhaustion. ¡¸Hah¡­ So, you are saying it¡¯s fine even if I died?¡¹ Angelica was all smiles. ¡¸That couldn¡¯t be. Even if you forgot about our date and went off to meet other girls, I don¡¯t mind one~ tiny bit.¡¹ Angelica¡¯s unexpectedly vicious words stunned Johann. ¡¸I think it¡¯s a ~young, energetic silver haired girl who is very very pretty~¡¹ Angelica intentionally dragged out her voice, and looked at him with her moist purple eyes. She was as cute as a small critter¡ª unfortunately, there was a sharp gleam deep within her eyes like a sword crafted by a master artisan. It was clear that Angelica was furious, but Johann was dumbstruck that she got it all wrong. ¡¸Oh, you are talking about that person.¡¹ ¡¸Which person?¡¹ Angelica narrowed her eyes with a faint smile. Sensing danger, Johann quickly changed his tune. ¡¸Ahem, I¡¯m just talking to myself. First of all, I didn¡¯t forget about my promise with you, Angelica. That was an investigation mission handed down directly from the Holy Angel, so it can¡¯t be helped. And the subject just coincidentally happened to be a pretty girl.¡¹ Johann emphasized the word ¡ºcoincidentally.¡» Johann didn¡¯t exaggerate his words this time. This was the simple truth, and he had nothing to feel guilty about¡ª ¡¸Eh? Isn¡¯t that strange~¡¹ Angelica rested her index finger on her cheek and tilted her head, making it clear she had something to say. Johann had an ominous feeling, but gestured for her to go on. ¡¸Because, I heard that~ Sir Johann volunteered for the assignment, right~? And you knew from the very start that the subject was a beauty, correct~?¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸Hmm? Why aren¡¯t you saying anything, Sir Johann~?¡¹ Angelica looked at him as if she was walking garbage, and Johann decided to hold his peace. No, that was his only option. It was true that he volunteered, knowing Olivia was a beauty. Saying more slipshort excuses would not just get him into more trouble, it might even kill him. (But why did Angelica know all that?) It was only natural for Johann to be curious. The culprit Johann would keep things quiet, and he didn¡¯t think Angelica could investigate all that on her own. As Angelica¡¯s stubborn gaze made Johann shrivel his body, an idea sprung to his mind. (I see! It must be Miss Amelia. Everything made sense if she was the one who prattled to Angelica¡ª Tch! What a pain¡­¡­) Amelia¡¯s social skills were deplorable, but was on great terms with Angelica somehow. When he saw the two of them visit an accessory shop, Johann even rubbed his eyes in disbelief. Amelia probably liked Angelica¡¯s forthright character¡ª in anycase, this was the situation Johann found himself in. Johann coughed loudly a few times and ordered Angelica with a serious face. ¡¸Such trivial matters aside, Third Company is in a bit of trouble. Send in the Ninth Company to support immediately!¡¹ ¡¸Ahh! You are diverting the topic!¡¹ Johann waved his hand, pushing away Angelica¡¯s finger that was almost touching his face. ¡¸I¡¯m not changing the topic.¡¹ ¡¸Muu! Really now, Sir Johann is too sly¡­¡¹ Angelica grumbled quietly as she relayed the accurate instructions to a messenger. Shortly after, the Ninth Company went off to reinforce the Third Company. ¡¸¡ª So, we still can¡¯t save Lady Amelia after all?¡¹ Angelica talked about reinforcements again with serious eyes. She was clearly worried about Amelia. ¡¸Like I already said, we can¡¯t spare any men. I know how you feel, but it¡¯s not possible now.¡¹ ¡¸Can¡¯t we ask Holy Legate Lara for aid?¡¹ In place of an answer, Johann gently patted Angelica¡¯s fluffy white hair as she proposed an alternative. Angelica said ¡¸Don¡¯t think you can fudge things over with this¡¹, but she still docily let Johann pat her head. ¡¸If she feels it is dangerous, Holy Legate Lara will take action without us asking¡­ Don¡¯t worry, a Chiliarch is not just a pretty vase.¡¹ He might be saying that, but Johann couldn¡¯t be sure either. No matter how strong Sorcery was, in the end, it was used by humans. A moment of lapse and she might die too. However, Johann didn¡¯t think the smart Amelia would fall without a fight. ¡¸That might be true¡­¡¹ Angelica swallowed the rest of her words, but her expression was clearly sullen. Johann understood she couldn¡¯t accept this completely since she wasn¡¯t looking at him. ¡¸Think about it. It may be fine for Holy Legate Lara, but if I go to her aid, she will bear a grudge forever. That¡¯s how prideful Amelia is.¡¹ ¡¸Yes, you are right¡­¡¹ She thought about Amelia¡¯s personality, and Angelica couldn¡¯t help smiling. At this moment, Johann suddenly felt a chilling wave. A mana wave only Sorcerers could sense¡ª (Miss Amelia used that spell, huh.) Angelica looked at Johann who was suddenly smiling wryly. ¡¸Your worries were in vain, Angelica.¡¹ ¡¸Ehh? What do you mean?¡¹ ¡¸I felt a disturbance in the mana force, that must be Miss Amelia using high level Sorcery.¡¹ ¡¸High level Sorcery? What is high level Sorcery?¡¹ Angelica¡¯s eyes were sparkling. She must be expecting some glamorous spells, and Johann frowned. ¡¸It¡¯s better that you don¡¯t know, you might not be able to hold your food down.¡¹ ¡¸Ehh~ putting it that way makes me even more curious~¡¹ Angelica puffed out her cheeks and shook Johann¡¯s arm. He wanted to ignore her, but Angelica showed no signs of giving up. With no other choice, Johann took out the telescope hanging on his waist. ¡¸Alright, I will lend you the telescope. See for yourself if you are that curious. However¡ª¡¹ ¡¸However?¡¹ Johann looked at Angelica seriously. ¡¸Don¡¯t complain after you see it.¡¹ ¡¸No problem!¡¹ Angelica happily took the new model of telescope from Johann, then scaled speedily up a nearby tree, as if the Claymore on her back was just a prop. A while later, she staggered back with unfocused eyes and a pale face. ¡¸Ughh¡­ How disgusting, the Stonia soldiers are all shrivelled up.¡¹ ¡¸I already told you it will make you puke. I had the same reaction as you when I first saw that.¡¹ ¡¸Really now, just what is that Sorcery?¡¹ Angelica pouted unhappily. ¡¸Thousand Dazzling Net, a high level Sorcery that drains all the blood of its opponents.¡¹ ¡¸Bleeahh¡­ That¡¯s why the corpses are all dried up. Are the red flowers around the corpses¡­¡¹ ¡¸You catch on quickly, those are the ¡ºevidences¡». By the way, the Sorceries Miss Amelia mastered are amongst the most vicious.¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s too vicious¡ª Sir Johann, you can use that kind of Sorcery too?¡¹ Johann scratched his head as Angelica looked on with worry. ¡¸I won¡¯t, or more accurately, I can¡¯t¡­¡¹ The type of Sorcery one could use was dependent on one¡¯s character, interest and talent. According to Johann¡¯s master, the Bondage Type Thousand Dazzling Net was a Sorcery that suited the sadistic Amelia, and didn¡¯t mesh well with Johann. After he explained that, Angelica patted her breasts in relief. ¡¸That¡¯s great.¡¹ ¡¸So how about it? The situation should have changed around now.¡¹ If the enemy didn¡¯t lose their will to fight after seeing the Thousand Dazzling Net, they would be worthy of respect. There wasn¡¯t any need to worry in the first place¡ª Johann showed a self mocking smile. ¡¸Y-Yes! Lady Amelia¡¯s Sorcery had caused the enemy to fall into confusion, it is just a matter of time before we switch from defence to offence.¡¹ ¡¸Is that so. I didn¡¯t expect this to happen, but let¡¯s get things started here too.¡¹ ¡¸You are finally going to use it?¡¹ Angelica looked stiffly at Johann¡¯s left hand. ¡¸I¡¯m not trying to be stingy, I¡¯m just waiting for the right moment.¡¹ ¡¸The right moment?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, I have to follow the intentions of the Holy Angel.¡¹ ¡¸Is this the ¡®performance¡¯ the Holy Angel mentioned during the war conference?¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s right. Since the Empire incited this war, they must have someone observing from the sides. We need to display our strength properly, and let them know the consequences of making an enemy out of the Holy Nation.¡¹ Johann flexed his left hand, and Angelica raised her fist with a smile. ¡¸Please start things off with a boom! A big boomer!¡¹ ¡¸Hah¡­ you sure are taking things easy.¡¹ Johann sighed deeply and raised his left hand to the sky. As he injected mana into a flame magic circle, Angelica ordered the troops to pull back. ¡¸¡ª Sir Johann! The withdrawal is complete!¡¹ ¡¸Then it¡¯s time¡­ To be honest, I pity you. But this is war, so don¡¯t bear any grudges against me.¡¹ With a scorching light, a large ball of fire flew out of Johann¡¯s left hand¡ª No, it would be more correct to call it a miniature sun. With a howl, it stopped above the Stonia Army. ¡¸Explode!¡¹ Johann clenched his left hand into a fist, and the fire ball exploded, pouring flames like a rain on top of the Stonia army. ¡ª High level Flame Sorcery, Crimson Rain of the Flowery Wind. Fire fell like a misty rain, quickly engulfing the enemy into a crimson vortex. This was one of the wide-area Sorcery Johann was proficient in. Volume 4, 3: Dragon versus Tiger! Part 2 Volume 4, Chapter 3: Dragon versus Tiger! Part 2 Translator: Skythewood Editor: Hiiro ¢ô Stonia ArmyBasecamp ¡¸Lieutenant Colonel Lorant was killed in action!¡¹ ¡¸Colonel Leinbach was killed in action!¡¹ ¡¸Major General Eberhart was killed in action!¡¹ Pale faced messengers came one after another to inform the demise of senior Stonia officers. The basecamp was wavering from unease. (I thought this might happen, and it really did¡­) With his back to the noisy group, Felixus said to himself in his heart. Looking through his telescope, he could see countless vines binding the Stonia soldiers. To the west was a hellish scene of fire raining down from the sky. That was obviously Sorcery, it was clear that the Holy Winged Legion had at least two Sorcerers. (The Bondage type Sorcery is probably the work of Amelia Stolast. The other is Flame Sorcery, and it affects a vast area¡­ clearly the doings of a good Sorcerer, the chess pieces the Holy Nation of Mekia have are better than expected. I feel sorry for the Stonia army, but this is valuable intel.) He kept his telescope and heard rough footsteps behind him. Felixus turned and found an enraged Auguste behind. ¡¸Lord Auguste, how can I be of service?¡¹ ¡¸Be of service!? What the hell is that!?¡¹ ¡¸That?¡¹ The moment Felixus said that, Auguste grabbed him by the collar and lifted him slightly off the ground. It would be difficult to lift a fully armoured man with both hands, which clearly showed how strong Auguste was. At this moment, Felixus heard Theresa said in the angriest tone she had ever used. ¡¸Lord Auguste! Unhand him at once! This is a disgraceful behaviour towards His Grace Felixus!¡¹ ¡¸Shut up, little girl!¡¹ ¡¸L-Little girl¡­?!¡¹ Auguste¡¯s shouting made Theresa flushed red. To stop her from doing anything rash, Felixus tried to sound as calm as possible. ¡¸Lieutenant Theresa, don¡¯t worry.¡¹ ¡¸But Your Grace¡ª¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m fine.¡¹ Felixus smiled. Theresa still wanted to say something more, but nodded quietly. ¡¸Lord Auguste, he is an important figure of the Imperial Army.¡¹ Cecilia who rushed over urged Auguste to stay calm. Auguste cooled his head and awkwardly released Felixus. After coughing a few times, Auguste lowered his head slightly. ¡¸Sorry, I lost my head there¡ª allow me to ask again, what is going on there?¡¹ ¡¸Are you referring to the Sorcery?¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s obvious. The Holy Winged Legion having Sorcerers is a shock to me. I have my doubts¡­ but did Sir Felixus knew about this?¡¹ The rage in Auguste¡¯s eyes turned into doubt. The feelings in her eyes were less intense, but Cecilia cast the same gaze towards Felixus. ¡¸Are you referring to the fact that the Holy Winged Legion possess Sorcerers?¡¹ ¡¸Indeed!¡¹ Auguste¡¯s voice became brash again, and Felixus answered nonchalantly. ¡¸Yes, of course I knew.¡¹ ¡¸What¡­? You knew but kept quiet about it?!¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s correct.¡¹ ¡¸But why! If we had that intel beforehand¡ª¡¹ ¡¸If you knew, you can¡¯t even do battle, right?¡¹ Felixus cut off Auguste. ¡¸Sorcerers are beyond the realm of humans, at least that¡¯s what the Imperial army thought of them. The same applies to the Stonia army, correct?¡¹ ¡¸¡­ Correct. Sorcerers are monsters in the guise of humans.¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s the reason. Morale was already low, so I judged the intel of Sorcerers would be poison to the Stonia army. It seems that my assessment is correct.¡¹ Not just the Empire, almost everyone thought of Sorcery as just fairy tales. There were many of them in the past, but the number of Sorcerers in present days were very limited, and was normally treated as nonsense. As a soldier, he naturally knew about Sorcerers. However, very few people actually witnessed Sorcery. With how rare Sorcerers were, they were treated like mythological legends, a group that should be feared. ¡¸¡­ I see. It is as you say, Sir Felixus. But why is our morale low in the first place?¡¹ Auguste¡¯s fists quivered gently. He was stopping himself from grabbing Felixus by the collar again. And Cecilia was restraining him with her eyes. Felixus intentionally spoke sarcastically at Auguste. ¡¸Pardon me, but everything that happened is the responsibility of the Field Marshal of the Stonia army, Lord Auguste, no? No matter how it comes to this, the ones who decided to fight is your country.¡¹ ¡¸Ughh¡­¡¹ ¡¸Sir Felixus, do you know Sorcerers well?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, it is as Lady Cecilia suggests, I have some knowledge about Sorcerers. By chance, I¡¯m acquainted with a Sorcerer with a strange personality.¡¹ ¡¸I see¡­ regrettably, I¡¯m completely clueless with regards to Sorcerers. If possible, can you share some information with us?¡¹ Cecilia said with a deep bow, her blonde hair falling gently over her shoulders. Auguste said annoyedly. ¡¸Chief of Staff Cecilia, you don¡¯t have to be so subservient.¡¹ ¡¸My Lord, our strategy that should have won us complete victory was easily crushed by their Sorcery. With the entire army in danger of falling apart, we shouldn¡¯t bother with such trivial details.¡¹ Cecilia advised Auguste and requested Felixus for aid once more. ¡¸Lady Cecilia, please raise your head, I will gladly help you. Since it has come to this, I won¡¯t hide the information about Sorcerers any longer.¡¹ Felixus started to explain¡ª ¡¸¡ª I see, I understand now. To use the powers of the gods, they had to meet the required condition and pay an adequate price.¡¹ To summarize Felixus¡¯s words, there were three main points about Sorcerers. First. Sorcerers use the Magic Circle on their left hand to cast Sorcery. Second. Depending on the power of the Sorcery, time would be needed to prepare. Third. The source of a Sorcery¡¯s power wasn¡¯t unlimited. Overuse would lead to death, it was a double edged sword. Which still meant that Sorcerers were still a big threat, but not impossible to deal with¡ª Cecilia concluded. ¡¸That¡¯s correct. They have surpassed the realm of humans, but they aren¡¯t invincible. They will bleed when you cut them, and die if you hit a vital spot. Aside from their usage of Sorcery, they are no different from normal humans. There are ways to fight them.¡¹ Felixus said and Cecilia smiled bitterly in her heart. What Felixus said made sense, but only because he was the strongest man in the Empire. Cecilia had no expectations of normal soldiers using such tactics against Sorcerers. Before the Sorcerers called the apostles of God, he stood tall without any fear¡ª (He definitely¡­ had experience fighting against a Sorcerer. And he still lives. He probably possess ¡ºsomething¡» that can rival a Sorcerer¡­) With that conclusion in mind, Cecilia turned to Auguste who still looked annoyed. ¡¸My Lord, we should retreat. We might be able to come up with countermeasures against Sorcerers after analyzing Sir Felixus¡¯ information. But we don¡¯t have the time right now.¡¹ Felixus was impressed by Cecilia¡¯s words. In contrast, Auguste stared angrily at Cecilia with quivering shoulders. ¡¸So we just run away like that?¡¹ He was forced into this war, but his pride as a warrior didn¡¯t allow him to back down¡ª Auguste¡¯s enraged face made this point very clear. Cecilia nodded, well aware of how Auguste was feeling. ¡¸Unfortunately, our troop¡¯s morale is waning. There¡¯s no point even if outnumber them two to one.¡¹ ¡¸¡­ I don¡¯t think the Empire will agree to us retreating.¡¹ Auguste looked at Felixus angrily. ¡¸We just need to get the acknowledgement of the Empire. We committed almost our entire forces into this battle. If we got wiped out, then there is no future for the Stonia Duchy, and we will disappear from the Dubedirica continent one day. I don¡¯t think that is the wish of the Empire at this point in time.¡¹ It was just a rumour, but she heard that the Farnesse Kingdom had turned the tide of the war around. If that was true, then the Stonia Duchy was still a valuable shield for the Empire. Judging that to be the situation, Cecilia looked at Felixus who was listening with his arms crossed. ¡¸Sir Felixus, will that be alright?¡¹ Felixus scratched his cheeks and said quietly. ¡¸I think you are mistaken.¡¹ ¡¸Mistaken?¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m just a mere Military Consultant, I¡¯m only in position to give advice, and have no rights to oppose any decisions by the Stonia Army.¡¹ ¡¸Even though you guys are the ones who instigated this war.¡¹ Auguste said condescending. ¡¸I don¡¯t deny that. Speaking of which, you should hurry if you want to retreat. If this dragged on any longer, you can¡¯t retreat even if you want to.¡¹ ¡¸My Lord, it is as Sir Felixus says. The Holy Winged Legion is gaining momentum as we speak, please give the orders to fall back.¡¹ In the face of Cecilia¡¯s desperate pleadings, Auguste finally relaxed his clenched fist and sighed deeply. ¡¸¡ª All units fall back.¡¹ ¡¸Yes! Relay the orders at once!¡¹ Holy Winged LegionBasecamp ¡¸Reporting. Red smokes are rising from the Stonia basecamp, and the Stonia army is gradually retreating.¡¹ Heavily armoured with a streamlined silhouette¡ª on the six wheeled silver chariot, Lara observed the battle and stood up from her luxurious chair as she listened to the report. ¡¸The Stonia army is retreating, huh¡­¡¹ ¡¸It seems that Lady Amelia and Sir Johann¡¯s Sorcery is effective.¡¹ The woman beside the chariot lazily answered Lara¡¯s mutterings. Beside her was a pure white horse standing quietly. The woman who had light purple hair similar to the Holy Angel was Historia von Stampede. From her sleepy face, it might be hard to believe that she was a guardian of the La Shaim Castle, the protector of the last door, the ¡ºDoor of Twelve¡». She was Lara¡¯s confident and irreplaceable friend. ¡¸Historia, don¡¯t be too relaxed. This is war.¡¹ ¡¸Don¡¯t force me, humans can¡¯t defy their biological needs.¡¹ Historia blinked her half opened eyes and yawned. Lara could only nurse her temple and sigh at her relaxed demeanour. ¡¸Really now¡­ You are the first chair of the Twelve Winged Guards, you have to be a model for the Holy Guards.¡¹ ¡¸I never asked for this.¡¹ Historia sighed with both hands on her hips. Lara¡¯s face started to twitch. ¡¸Fufu¡­ Historia, you have a problem with the Holy Angel¡¯s judgement?¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s here! Ahhh, it¡¯s here! Lara really likes the Holy Angel.¡¹ Lara¡¯s ears were heating up as Historia snickered. The Holy Guards around them cast curious gazes at Lara, and she silenced them with a look. ¡¸Everyone is here, watch your words in public.¡¹ ¡¸Yes yes, I¡¯m very sorry¡ª So, what should we do? Personally, I¡¯m fine with letting them go, it¡¯s easier for me.¡¹ Historia stretched her back as she watched the battle in the distance. Lara grunted. ¡¸Enough foolish talk, of course we will pursue them. They dare step onto the sacred land of Mekia, and I won¡¯t forgive them even if they are the Empire¡¯s puppets.¡¹ ¡¸Sigh, I know Lara will say that.¡¹ Historia looked at Lara and sighed. ¡¸I told you to stop sighing.¡¹ ¡¸Yes yes, got it.¡¹ ¡¸Just one ¡®yes¡¯ will suffice, Dual Sword Historia.¡¹ ¡¸¡­ Just how long are you going to call me by that embarrassing name?¡¹ As she locked eyes with Historia whose gaze suddenly turned sharp, it was Lara¡¯s turn to smile. The Stampede house was originally known for being learned and educated. However, with the advent of Historia who wielded blades like an extension of her limbs, many people mistook their house for having a history of warriors. In terms of sword skills alone, Lara was no match for her. ¡¸But Angelica and the others really like their nicknames.¡¹ ¡¸Hah? Don¡¯t compare me to that woman who has flowers in her brain all year round!¡¹ ¡¸Then do your job properly.¡¹ ¡¸Tch¡­ I understand.¡¹ Historia stepped on a stirrup with her left feet and mounted the white horse, and raised her sword high into the air. Her lethargy was completely gone, and her noble figure attracted the gazes of the Holy Guards. ¡¸Listen up! My dear Holy Guards! Thanks to everyone¡¯s effort, we have achieved victory! However, it¡¯s not over yet! The foolish Stonia army dare bare their fangs at us, the Holy Nation of Mekia, so we have to slam down the holy hammer down on them! Prove your loyalty to the Holy Angel!!¡¹ ¡¸¡¸Yes!!¡¹¡¹ ¡¸¡ª¡ªHoly Legate Lara, your orders please.¡¹ On Historia¡¯s urging, Lara waved her left hand majestically. ¡¸Begin the attack.¡¹ On Lara¡¯s orders, four black horses neigh as they pull the chariot. Thirteen thousand Holy Guards roared in unison and began their pursuit. The battle between the Holy Winged Legion and the Stonia army came to a close in just half a day¡ª ¢õ The retreating Stonia Army was attacked by the Holy Winged Legion in hot pursuit. Under Auguste and Cecilia¡¯s command, they managed to maintain order¡­ ¡¸It¡¯s almost time to give them the final blow?¡¹ Amelia cast the ¡ºBerserk¡» Sorcery on a few Stonia prisoners and released them. They went mad after returning to their base and attacked their allies while howling like feral beasts. On the other hand¡ª ¡¸Holy Legate Lara is making her move. The battle is decided, but stay alert.¡¹ With Angelica happily swinging her bloody Claymore in the lead, Johann¡¯s unit was massacring the Stonia army. Johann would unleash a few spells occasionally, creating large numbers of charred corpses every time he did. ¡¸¡ª¡ªChief of Staff Cecilia! We can¡¯t shake off the enemy¡¯s pursuit!¡¹ As blood was spilled on the battlefield, a Stonia officer yelled loudly. ¡¸Before giving up, do what you can to let more of our troops escape!¡¹ Cecilia admonished him, but she was struck with anxiety inside too. (This won¡¯t do¡­ S-Someone has to act as the rearguard¡­) For an instant, the figures of her family flashed across Cecilia¡¯s mind. To chase that image out of her mind, she made a strong request to Auguste to allow her to be the rearguard. ¡¸How old are you?¡¹ ¡¸hah?¡¹ Seeing that Cecilia was confused, Auguste repeated himself. ¡¸I¡¯m asking how old are you?¡¹ ¡¸Twenty four¡­¡¹ Auguste touched his helmet with his blood stained hand. ¡¸Twenty four¡­ you are a long way from death.¡¹ Cecilia immediately got what he was saying. ¡¸Throughout the world¡¯s history, there has been no precedence of a Field Marshal acting as a rear guard! I should be doing that here!¡¹ ¡¸That won¡¯t do. I don¡¯t know how you evaluate yourself, Chief of Staff Cecilia, but you must not die in such a stupid war. This is for the future of the Stonia Duchy.¡¹ ¡¸Isn¡¯t it the same for you, My Lord!?¡¹ They couldn¡¯t lose Field Marshal Auguste here. Or else, the chaos would be unimaginable even if they managed to retreat. Adding the problems with the devotees of the Goddess Citresia to that, the Stonia Duchy would have a tough road ahead. Cecilia glared at the troubled Auguste. ¡¸Don¡¯t make such a scary face, it will ruin your beautiful face.¡¹ ¡¸Don¡¯t change the topic with that kind of joke!¡¹ The wrinkles in the corner of Auguste¡¯s eyes deepened before the furious Cecilia. He quickly stiffened his face again. ¡¸Listen up, I¡¯m the Field Marshal commanding the Stonia army. Someone has to take responsibility for this defeat, we can¡¯t push that to Archduke Silvester, can we?¡¹ ¡¸T-That might be so¡­¡¹ ¡¸As Sir Felixus says, Stonia Duchy is the one who made the final decision. The enemy has Sorcerers¡ª that can¡¯t be an excuse for losing the battle. You should know that too, Chief of Staff Cecilia. In that case, I should end things like a warrior in battle¡ª¡¹ Auguste smiled sinisterly. Cecilia lost her words as the man before her showed his fighting spirit for the first time. ¡¸It¡¯s true that Chief of Staff Cecilia is still young, it¡¯s hard to accept letting her die before us. Hence, please allow us whose time is limited to accompany you, My Lord.¡¹ Looking back, Cecilia saw the old officers and soldiers standing proudly in neat ranks. Cecelia felt the scene had a sort of aesthetic to it. Auguste looked at the old veterans and sighed deeply. ¡¸Don¡¯t be a busybody, you old fools should scram and watch over your grandkids.¡¹ In response to Auguste¡¯s sarcastic words, they took a step forward instead. There were fearless smiles on their weathered faces. ¡¸Bunch of retards. I say again, this is a road to hell, with zero chance of returning home.¡¹ ¡¸How unsightly! My Lord, when did you start speaking in such a disheartening manner!? Have you forgotten that we have survived numerous battlefields together!? We have not lost yet!¡¹ The old Lieutenant Colonel Bacchus smashed his giant spear that was three times as tall as he was into the ground. With that, the rest started saying tough words. ¡¸As Lieutenant Colonel Bacchus said, the Holy Winged Legion is nothing! Show the mob from the Holy Nation of Mekia the spirit of our Stonia army!¡¹ ¡¸The God of War Zorbes is with us!¡¹ ¡¸You guys¡­¡¹ Auguste looked at the old soldiers one by one, and smiled sinisterly. ¡¸Since you have resolved yourselves, I won¡¯t stop you. But don¡¯t slow me down.¡¹ Officers and foot soldiers raised their weapons in unison with a roar. Auguste watched this scene in awe, then turned to Cecilia. ¡¸That¡¯s how it is, I will lead the veteran warriors to engage the Holy Winged Legion. Chief of Staff Cecilia¡ª I leave the rest to you.¡¹ ¡¸¡­ Understood, and go wild.¡¹ Cecilia saluted. It would spoil the mood if she refuted further. Before being a soldier, she was a woman, and knew that she should send off men who had made their resolve with a smile. Satisfied, Auguste looked to Felixus standing beside them. ¡¸It is as you see. Sir Felixus, any objections?¡¹ Felixus didn¡¯t answer to his sarcastic words, and reached out his right hand silently. Auguste¡¯s eye twitched, and then slowly reached his hand out to shake Felixus¡¯ hand. ¡¸¡­ I know it¡¯s unreasonable to ask this of you, but Sir Felixus, I hope you can help more soldiers to escape.¡¹ As Auguste bowed low, the officers got rowdy. Theresa behind Felixus muttered softly ¡¸that¡¯s really unreasonable.¡¹ Felixus gently put a hand on Auguste¡¯s shoulder. ¡¸Raise your head, Lord Auguste. I don¡¯t know how much I can do, but allow me to do my part and help.¡¹ ¡¸Your Grace! You are being too kind there?!¡¹ A panicking Theresa forcefully squeezed in between them, and Felixus looked at her with a perplexed face. ¡¸Since Field Marshal Auguste asked me for a favour, I can¡¯t turn him down.¡¹ ¡¸But...!¡¹ ¡¸Lieutenant Theresa, say no more.¡¹ Theresa moved the corners of her lips, but gave up with a deep sigh. As Auguste was thanking Felixus, a female officer cried in panic. ¡¸Lord Auguste, a new unit is approaching us!¡¹ Cecilia immediately took out her telescope. A unit with glamorous banners appeared in her field of vision, with the transport leading them being the most prominent thing about them. At a glance, it looked like a large carriage with its roof removed. However, it had several overlapping shields to serve as armour, and the flanks had large crossbow turrets affixed to it, making it an unusual sight. (It looks a little weird, but pretty at the same time. It must be ferrying the enemy commander, so their main unit is coming¡­) Cecilia bit her lips quietly. ¡¸My Lord, that is probably the enemy¡¯s main unit, they want to settle the battle right here.¡¹ Auguste smiled boldly. ¡¸Good, saves me the trouble of finding them. This is a good chance to take out the enemy commander.¡¹ Auguste swiftly gave his orders and a unit built around the old soldiers was quickly formed. A short while later, an army of 5,000 charged the enemy main unit with a roar. As Cecilia watched them go with complicated feelings, Felixus called out to her. ¡¸I will lead my men to stop that flame Sorcerer. Lady Cecilia, please withdraw quickly while I have their attention.¡¹ ¡¸Erm¡­ will that really be fine?¡¹ Cecilia asked timidly. He made a promise to Auguste, but Felixus had no obligation of honoring it. No one can blame him if he claims that he only said so to put Auguste at ease. If she was in the same position as Theresa, Cecilia would make similar comments about him being too nice. But Felixus just nodded firmly. ¡¸I know Your Grace will accept their request, and already made the preparation to move out.¡¹ Theresa was still fuming, so the one who answered was a tall man, the captain of his bodyguards. Behind him were ranks of soldiers in beautiful azure armour. The eyes of the highly motivated soldiers were filled with confidence. ¡¸Sir Felixus and everyone in the Azure Knights, I, Cecilia Para Cadio, offer you my deepest thanks.¡¹ The only thing Cecilia could do now was to bow deeply. ¡¸Sir Johann Sir Johann! A blue armoured unit has appeared on our left flank!¡¹ Angelica¡¯s whose Claymore was stained with blood showed her white teeth. ¡¸Blue armour, you say?¡¹ Johann looked to the left and saw the unit with uniform blue armour, which was reaping the lives of the Holy Guards like a hot knife through butter. The glorious Holy Guards of the Holy Winged Legion were forged through harsh training. However, they were being played like a damn fiddle by a unit of 500 men. ¡¸¡­ That¡¯s probably the Azure Knights.¡¹ ¡¸Azure Knights¡ª the one from the Empire?¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s right. So they are taking part in this battle, things just got more problematic.¡¹ Amongst them, the one at the fore who was probably the captain was exceptionally skilled. Angelica could tell too, and she spun her claymore above her head a couple of times before saying coldly in high spirits. ¡¸That dark haired man in front seems pretty good. Can I take him on?¡¹ Angelica said with a crazed smile. She seldom smiled like that on the battlefield¡ª only when she saw a worthy opponent. Johann pressed down on Angelica¡¯s head as he observed that man fight. He then cast the Sorcery ¡ºRigid Wind¡» on himself. Angelica opened her eyes wide as a faint crimson light covered Johann¡¯s body. ¡¸Sir Johann?¡¹ ¡¸I will be his opponent, Angelica, make sure you don¡¯t get caught up in this.¡¹ ¡¸Ehh~ it will be fine, leave this to me!¡¹ Johann forcefully grabbed Angelica¡¯s shoulder as she was about to rush in. Angelica looked back and saw Johann¡¯s eyes were filled with displeasure. ¡¸You won¡¯t listen to what I say?¡¹ ¡¸I told you is fine, my sword is going to get rusty.¡¹ ¡¸I can¡¯t lose you here. Alright, be a good girl.¡¹ ¡¸Muu¡­ got it.¡¹ Angelica puffed her cheeks like a frog. Johann soothed her as he observed that man¡¯s movements once more. The elegant dance that flowed smoothly¡ª Johann knew someone who fought with such movements. (Yes, I know that very well.) That man noticed Johann¡¯s gaze. He flicked away the blood on his sword and jaunted over casually. The two of them faced off some distance apart. ¡¸Are you the commander of this unit¡ª Sorcerer?¡¹ The first to speak was the man who even Johann had to admit was handsome. ¡¸On a closer look, you really are disgustingly handsome, you must be very popular?¡¹ ¡¸¡­ If possible, please answer my question.¡¹ Johann shrugged exaggeratingly at the man with furrowed brows. He had no plans for idle chat¡ª with that in mind, Johann frowned too. ¡¸If you want to ask questions, how about stating your name? We might be from different lands, but the etiquettes should be common, right? Or is such impudence common in the Arsbelt Empire?¡¹ ¡¸So you know I¡¯m from the Empire.¡¹ His deep blue eyes opened slightly, and Johann smiled wryly. ¡¸If you don¡¯t want others to know, hide that armour of yours.¡¹ He pointed at the other party¡¯s armour, and that man smiled wryly too. ¡¸Pardon me, I¡¯m the Empire¡¯s General Felixus von Sieger.¡¹ Johann cursed in his heart. Speaking of Felixus von Sieger, that was the commander of the Azure Knights, reputed to be the strongest man in the Empire. During the battle of Fort Astra, he defeated Sorcerer Amelia easily. He was probably supervising the Stonia army. To be honest, Johann didn¡¯t expect such a heavyweight to participate in this war. ¡¸I¡¯m a Holy Winged Legion Senior Chiliarch, Johann Strider. As you suspected, I¡¯m a Sorcerer.¡¹ Johann extended his left hand and cast a fireball in place of a greeting. Felixus slashed vertically at the fireball calmly. With a violent gust of wind, the fireball vanished. ¡¸Are you kidding¡­?!¡¹ Angelica behind Johann said in surprise. ¡¸Blowing away a fireball with the wind of a sword slash¡­ It seems my instinct is spot on, you are a monster in the same vein as that girl.¡¹ ¡¸That girl¡­? You know Olivia Valedstorm?¡¹ Felixus looked shocked. ¡¸That¡¯s right, we even had a meal together.¡¹ Johann smiled as he took a stance with his rapier that was engraved with the litanies of the Goddess Citresia. It was a treasure bestowed by Sofitia for this battle. ¡¸¡­ I see, there are things I need to ask you then.¡¹ With that, Felixus raised his sword. ¢ö (Seize the initiative.) The first to strike was Johann, charging Felixus who was in a standard high guard stance. His body strengthened with ¡ºRigid Wind¡» covered the distance like the wind, and he thrust his arm out with a powerful strike. But Felixus wasn¡¯t fazed at all. Not just that, Felixus even took a step forward. ¡¸Ughh¡­?!¡¹ It felt as if a giant wall was suddenly erected before Johann, so he hastily kicked off the ground to move sideways. The next moment, a slash that howled like the wind came down along with Felixus¡¯ sword. (He isn¡¯t reinforcing his body with Sorcery, so how is he swinging his sword so fast? I thought this might happen, so I can¡¯t win through normal means after all. This isn¡¯t the time to conserve my mana.) Felixus who returned to his standard stance was calm, and Johann reminded himself again that his opponent was a monster. The truth was, Johann could feel a ¡®pressure¡¯ from Felixus that was similar to Olivia. What would happen if the two of them clashed? He felt intrigued, but¡ª (I need to focus on my own battles for now.) Johann raised his left hand and casts four blue fireballs. The fireballs slowly turned into the form of a bird, then surrounded Johann from four different directions. ¡¸Birds engulfed in flames¡­?¡¹ Felixus muttered in surprised as he looked at the birds hovering in the air. ¡¸I¡¯m not planning to attack you with them. They are just insurance.¡¹ With a firm kick off the ground, Johann charged Felixus once again. a bigger fireball than before was forming in his left hand, which Johann threw into the ground before him. The ground burned intensely on impact. Certain that his opponent¡¯s vision was obscured, Johann immediately leaped up high, spinning in the air and landing behind Felixus. He was in his blind spot, gaining overwhelming advantage¡ª However, his foe was no mere mortal. When Johann stabbed his rapier right at his back, Felixus vanished from Johann¡¯s sights. At the same time, the bird behind Johann cawed sharply. Johann turned and slashed immediately. Sparks flew as the two blades clashed. ¡¸I was wondering if you will make the same moves as Olivia. I was right to take precautions.¡¹ Surprise coloured Felixus¡¯ eyes as the blades creaked between them. His earlier attack was enough to kill a normal swordsman, so it was understandable that Amelia mistook Felixus for a Sorcerer. If he didn¡¯t have the intel from Amelia, Johann would probably have gotten injured. In fact, during his fight with Olivia, Johann was toyed by her almost instantaneous movements the entire time. If he didn¡¯t cast the detection Sorcery ¡ºflame¡», he would be helpless against Felixus¡¯ strike. (That fight wasn¡¯t a waste, I have to thank Olivia for that¡­ But to Olivia, it probably just feels like she was playing with a cat.) Olivia¡¯s innocent smile flashed before Johann¡¯s eyes. After a few more exchanges, the two pulled apart to observe the situation. In contrast with Johann who raised his sword on guard, Felixus asked curiously. ¡¸You said my movements just now was similar to Olivia¡¯s?¡¹ ¡¸¡­ I did say that.¡¹ ¡¸Did she used Fleet Footed Rush too?¡¹ ¡¸Oh, so that movement is called Fleet Footed Rush. That¡¯s some nice naming sense.¡¹ Johann remarked and Felixus appeared a little impatient. ¡¸I will appreciate it if you can answer my question.¡¹ ¡¸Both of your movements look the same to me.¡¹ ¡¸Is that so¡­¡¹ After thinking for a moment, Felixus slowly sheathed his blade. ¡ª Is he scared? As if to mock Johann who momentarily thought that way, Felixus placed his right feet forward and lowered his stance. His azure eyes seemed deeper and his breathing slowed. Switching from movement to stillness made the air about him different. ¡ª What is he trying to do? Johann immediately used ¡ºRigid Wind¡». As crimson light surrounded him again, Johann¡¯s muscles and bones started groaning. (Ughh¡­ casting it again is too much of a burden for my body. But he is definitely up to something, I can¡¯t let him get his way.) In order to conceal his pain, Johann took deep breaths and focused his strength into his legs, pushing hard against the ground. Not just his body, Johann¡¯s vision, hearing, sense of touch, taste and smell were all raised to the limits. His eyes caught Felixus¡¯ slight jaw movement, and his ears heard faint words. ¡ª¡ªFleet Footed Rush, Limit. With a cracking sound, Felixus vanished with a crater in the ground. (He disappeared?! How is that possible?!) Johann could capture any movements with his eyes right now, unlike his duel with Olivia. But he still lost sight of Felixus. As Johann was growing anxious, he felt a sharp pain when an impact hit his right flank. As Johann was sent flying horizontally, the scene of Felixus punching with his right fist with dust scattered in the air was reflected in his eyes. A few seconds later, the bird that was above Johann¡¯s cawed while he was sprawled on the ground. (Fufu¡­ Even the ¡ºFlame¡» couldn¡¯t detect him, just how fast is he?) Johann jumped up from the ground and carefully dusted himself off. He flew quite far, but he didn¡¯t take too much damage. ¡ºRigid Wind¡» could lightened the damage, but Felixus was probably holding back. He was probably concerned with the intel about Olivia. ¡¸Want another go?¡¹ ¡¸Of course.¡¹ ¡¸I see¡­ Looks like my mission is complete. Now, it will be wonderful if you can give me intel about Olivia Valedstorm.¡¹ Felixus glanced at the Azure Knights who were still fighting. From what he said, it seemed that his goal was to delay the Holy Winged Legion. As the Azure Knights performed their tasks well, Johann¡¯s Centre Army was completely tied down. The Imperials contributed splendidly to the Stonia Army¡¯s retreat, living up to their reputation as elites. ¡¸Even the Empire thinks Olivia is a threat?¡¹ ¡¸¡­ That¡¯s right, I can¡¯t deny that. If not for her, the war against the Farnesse Kingdom would have ended by now.¡¹ Felixus smiled in resignation with his arms crossed. Felixus wasn¡¯t exaggerating, since Johann felt the same way too. If not for Olivia, the Holy Nation of Mekia might be at war with the Arsbelt Empire right now. That was how much Olivia affected the environment around her, and why her brilliance could even rival that of the sun. ¡¸Normal people can¡¯t stop that girl. You might have monstrous strength, but common methods won¡¯t work on her.¡¹ ¡¸Of course I know that, that¡¯ why I want more intel on her.¡¹ ¡¸That might be your rational, but why should I hand that intel over to an enemy? If you join my organization, I will give you whatever you intel you want.¡¹ Johann said with a smile. Felixus sighed and drew his sword once more. ¡¸¡­ That¡¯s impossible. I don¡¯t like this method, but there¡¯s no other choice¡­¡¹ ¡¸You think you can force me to say it through coercion? Let me tell you first, I won¡¯t utter a single word even if you torture and interrogate me.¡¹ Johann had to risk his life to get this intel on Olivia. He didn¡¯t know how well the Empire knew Olivia Valedstorm, but they shouldn¡¯t know about her Magic. Even if Johann was offered a pile of gold, he wouldn¡¯t leak out that secret. ¡¸I know that very well. I just got to know you, but I have somewhat grasped your personality. But there are ways of extracting intel with no regards to your wishes.¡¹ ¡¸Without regards to my wishes? How is that¡­?!¡¹ Johann stared at Felixus. Only a Sorcerer could force someone to speak against their will. But Amelia¡¯s testimony stated that Felixus wasn¡¯t a Sorcerer. Johann considered what he was implying. ¡¸Sorcerers aren¡¯t monopolized by the Holy Nation of Mekia, the Empire also has a Sorcerer. Well, the Sorcerer might be a little queer¡­¡¹ Felixus trailed off with a bitter laugh. Johann finally remembered Amelia¡¯s report about a Sorcerer in the Empire, and ground his teeth for overlooking that. (In that case, that¡¯s probably an independent-type Sorcerer¡­) There were four main types of Sorcerers. Johann and Amelia were combat types. The support type that cast Sorcery on weapons and tools. Lara was an all rounder that encompassed both of the above types. And last of all, the independent that didn¡¯t fall into these three categories. Further subdivision would depend on the individual¡¯s personalities, like Johann¡¯s proficiency in Flame Sorcery and Amelia¡¯s mastery of Bondage Sorcery. Speaking of which, independent types were a rarity even amongst the rare Sorcerers, and were shrouded in mysteries. This might be a bluff by Felixus, but Johann didn¡¯t think so. ¡¸Things just got even more problematic.¡¹ ¡¸In that case, why not reconsider?¡¹ Felixus said as he closed in. ¡¸Like I said, I will tell you anything if you join the Holy Nation. The Holy Angel will pull out all the stops to welcome a man like you. And of course, we will prepare the adequate status and position for you.¡¹ As the sparks flew with a deafening clash, Johann tried his recruitment speech again. The Holy Nation of Mekia might be small, but its citizens took pride in their prosperity. It wasn¡¯t just their rich ore mines and excellent gem processing techniques. The biggest reason was Sofitia¡¯s policy of accepting any talents without questioning their origins. An example would be Angelica, the guardian of La Shaim Castle¡¯s ¡ºGate of One¡», who was from an orphanage. If it was the man known as the strongest in the Empire, Sofitia would definitely welcome him. However, Felixus¡¯ eyes didn¡¯t waver. Not just that, there was a hint of anger in them too. ¡¸I already swore absolute fealty to the Emperor, and that wouldn¡¯t change even if I died. Isn¡¯t that the same for you?¡¹ ¡¸Haha, you are right. I won¡¯t betray the Holy Angel even in death. We are both warriors, so I never expected to resolve this with talk alone.¡¹ ¡¸Then it¡¯s time to decide this match.¡¹ The two swordsmen with fearless smiles took stances against each other, then closed the distance with the speed of a flying bullet. Johann immediately poured mana into his Magic Circle and waved his scorching hot hand without any hesitation. Flames erupted from the ground and surrounded Felixus. ¡¸This¡­ is no ordinary fire.¡¹ Felixus observed the snake-like flames and muttered. His ever calm demeanour reminded Johann of Olivia. ¡¸It is as you say. You can determine the results in hell.¡¹ Johann closed his left hand and the fire encirclement grew smaller. In response, Felixus sheathed his sword and lowered his stance once again. This might look like Fleet Footed Rush, Limit, but his right arm was on his hilt this time. (Olivia used Magic to defend the Flaming Wheel of the Flowery Wind. But he shouldn¡¯t be able to use Magic or Sorcery. Even if he used Fleet Footed Rush, he would be reduced to dust the moment he touched the Flaming Wheel of the Flowery Wind¡ª ¡ºCheckmate¡». But what is this feeling of unease I feel from the bottom of my heart?) Johann was careless when he faced Olivia. To avoid the same mistake, he carefully observed Felixus¡ª and he clearly heard Felixus¡¯ voice said: ¡¸Ashura Whirlwind!¡¹ He drew his sword at lightning speed, creating a large tornado. The flames around Felixus and the rising tornado vanished into the air. (What the heck¡­) Johann watched that scene dumbfoundedly, while Felixus said to him with a refreshed expression. ¡¸Is that Sorcery just now your ultimate move?¡¹ It was a taunt, but¡ª (He is right, the Flaming Wheel of the Flowery Wind is my best move. He defended it so easily¡­ What a monster.) ¡ºRigid Wind¡» could strengthen his body to the limit. But if this went on, he couldn¡¯t defeat Felixus. (What should I do? Use ¡ºRigid Wind¡» again? ¡ªNo, I will definitely die.) Johann thought to himself to calm down. If he used Rigid Wind again, his body would fall apart. Sorcery might be the work of God, but the users were just frail humans. No matter how much they trained their bodies, there were limits. Johann thought as he braced his rapier in a horizontal stance¡ª ¡¸Don¡¯t bully my Johann!¡¹ Angelica¡¯s angry figure entered Johann¡¯s field of vision and faced off against Felixus. ¡¸Stop, Angelica! You are no match for him!¡¹ ¡¸But¡ª!¡¹ Angelica looked back at Johann with a pained voice, but her eyes suddenly brightened. ¡¸¡ª You seemed to be in a bind, Senior Chiliarch.¡¹ A haughty voice came from behind. At the same time, numerous vines flew out from before Felixus. Felixus wasn¡¯t fazed as he quickly severed the vines and took a step back. Johann looked back and saw Amelia holding a sword in one hand and flicking her light blue hair back with the other. Behind her was Jan Alexia, one of the Twelve Winged Guards just like Angelica, and the vanguard unit hoisting their banners. ¡¸Amelia-chan, Amelia-chan!¡¹ Angelica dashed towards Amelia like a hare and hugged her happily. Amelia pushed her away a little bashfully. ¡¸Don¡¯t call me that on the battlefield¡ª Speaking of which, we meet again. It¡¯s an honour to find you in a place like this.¡¹ Amelia who was standing beside Johann smiled cruelly at Felixus. In response, Felixus¡¯ face became stoic. ¡¸Amelia Stolast¡­ I want to settle the score with you for Fort Astra, but it will be tough fighting two Sorcerers at the same time.¡¹ Felixus who had cut off the vines around him alternated his gaze between Johann and Amelia with a sigh. ¡¸You can pull out then.¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s surprising, you are letting me go?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, we have no plans to kill you here in the first place. I will pick the right time and place to end you. So enjoy the limited number of days you have left.¡¹ Amelia¡¯s smile turned even crueler as she spread her arms. Johann thought that her pride that had never wavered was only reliable during instances like this. ¡¸¡­ Very well then. It¡¯s a pity I didn¡¯t get more intel of Olivia Valedstorm, but I already got plenty of intel.¡¹ Felixus turned and left casually. Johann thought about attacking his back that was filled with openings, but decided against it. Deceit was part of the battlefield, but this went against Johann¡¯s sense of aesthetic. (Well, not like my sneak attack will work anyway¡­) Shortly after, the Azure Knights retreated in an orderly fashion¡ª ¡¸Phew¡­ That was a big help, Miss Amelia. I got pushed to the brink this time and my mana is almost out.¡¹ Johann sat down on his butt and panted hard. Because of the burden he had to endure during the battle, he had a hard time standing up straight. Amelia looked down at Johann arrogantly with both hands on her hips. ¡¸Well, you owe me one then.¡¹ ¡¸Amelia-chan, you are so cool!¡¹ ¡¸You are doing it again¡­¡¹ Amelia looked troublingly at Angelica who was hugging her arm, while Angelica was bouncing around with a smile. (A smile suited Angelica more after all.) Johann felt at ease and smiled too. ¡¸Alright then, let¡¯s leave the rest to Holy Legate Lara.¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s right. If she wins, we won¡¯t need to do anything more.¡¹ The two of them looked in the direction of the main unit¡¯s assault as they spoke. ¢÷ Johann and Felixus¡¯ battle ended with the intervention by Amelia. On the other hand, an intense battle had broken out between the rearguard unit led by Auguste and Lara main army. This was a great battle that would be immortalized by bards in the future. ¡¸Hahaha! Brats of the Holy Winged Legion! Don¡¯t think you can beat me off with just that!¡¹ Bacchus wielded his giant spear ¡ºDevil Path¡» to stop the advance of the Holy Winged Legion. Those who stood against him died either to a stab or a blunt blow. His energy that made his wrinkles and white hair looked like mere decorations were evidence of long decades of training. ¡¸You damn old coot! Let¡¯s get him!¡¹ A Decanus ordered, and five Holy Guards thrust with their spears as one. Bacchus deftly spun to dodge, but lost his balance because of a corpse by his feet. At that instant, a Holy Guard stabbed him in the back from his blindspot. ¡¸Ughh¡­¡¹ ¡¸This is it!¡¹ As Bacchus stopped, the Holy Guards stabbed desperately with their lances. Blood kept spewing from Bacchus¡¯s body. ¡¸We killed him!¡¹ While the Holy Guards was smiling¡ª ¡¸H-He¡¯s still alive!¡¹ Bacchus didn¡¯t fall, and laughed at the Holy Guards, though his bloody teeth. The Holy Guards forgot to continue their attack and looked dumbly at Bacchus. On the battlefield, one mental lapse would lead to death. Seizing the openings they showed, Bacchus reaped their lives with his spear. ¡¸This old man is immortal!¡¹ Faced with this unbelievable scene, the frightened Holy Guards slowly backed away. Bacchus laughed like a maniac, spun his spear above his head and slammed it onto the ground. ¡¸Shyahahaha! See that? We are protected by the God of War Zorbes, He is giving us strength right now too. Our Lord Zorbes says that fools who worship that trash Citresia are worthless.¡¹ ¡¸Y-You bastard! Calling the Goddess of creation, Citresia, a trash god!? Tell that to your maker then! Men, shoot this scum!¡¹ An agitated pious Centurion said with spit flying from his enraged face and ordered the Holy Guards. As the arrows of the Holy Winged Legion blotted out the sun and rained down on him, Bacchus¡¯s life ended with him wearing a scary smile¡ª When the messenger reported to Auguste, he was frowning about his clink in his sword after killing twenty Holy Guards. ¡¸Lord Auguste. Lieutenant Colonel Bacchus was killed in action, his unit has been wiped out.¡¹ The messenger reported calmly. There were several arrows sticking into his back, and blood was dying his body red as he spoke. Anyone could tell that was a mortal wound. ¡¸How did he died?¡¹ ¡¸He didn¡¯t retreat a single step and fought splendidly to the end.¡¹ Auguste nodded at the proud messenger. ¡¸Is that so¡­ Thank you for delivering the report. Leave things to us and have a good rest.¡¹ ¡¸Thank you for your concern, I will take up on your offer¡­¡¹ The messenger quietly collapsed onto the ground, his body completely still. Another brave warrior died on the battlefield. ¡¸Tonight, we dine in hell.¡¹ Auguste tossed aside the broken sword in his hand and picked up the sword of the man he just killed. That man must have a high status since his sword was of great quality. ¡¸Not yet¡­¡¹ Auguste muttered and smiled like a maniac, just like Bacchus did. Volume 4, 3: Dragon versus Tiger! Part 3 Volume 4, Chapter 3: Dragon versus Tiger! Part 3 Translator: Skythewood Editor: Hiiro Two hours had passed since Lara¡¯s Holy Winged Legion¡¯s main unit clashed with Auguste¡¯s rearguard. The Stonia army who had turned into berserkers remained steadfast even as the people around them fell. They didn¡¯t take one step backwards and advanced eagerly to engage the enemy. There were no strategies nor tactics as they fought like witless beasts. However, the Holy Winged Legion was still stopped in their tracks, and even forced back. (This is literally a wall of death, half assed attacks won¡¯t be able to break through. Hah, I thought this would be a walk in the park¡­) Sneaking a peek to her side, her friend of 15 years was standing there observing the battle. There was a gloom on her beautiful face that only Historia could notice. (From the looks of things, Lara won¡¯t move for a while¡­ there¡¯s no other choice.) Historia sighed in her heart, and dismounted from the white horse by stepping off the right saddle. ¡¸¡ª You are going?¡¹ Lara asked, and Historia drew her dual swords in place of a response. They were dual silver swords glistening like the new moon. The dual swords named ¡ºBlue Moon¡» were made shorter than usual to match Historia''s preference to get right into her opponent¡¯s faces. A masterpiece by one of the top craftsmen of the Holy Nation of Mekia, Dagan Asylum. ¡¸It can¡¯t be helped, we will suffer serious losses if this goes on. Or will you use your Sorcery, Lara? That¡¯s the quickest way.¡¹ Even this death wall would crumble easily before Lara¡¯s Sorcery. This was the surest, safest, and easiest way. The subject herself grunted and said casually. ¡¸Don¡¯t be foolish. With so many retards there fighting through sheer madness, so this is a great chance. It will be a waste to wipe them out with Sorcery.¡¹ ¡¸A great chance?¡¹ Lara nodded with a smile. ¡¸Subduing those people will be a valuable experience for the Holy Guards, this is a great chance to raise the fighting prowess of the Holy Winged Legion.¡¹ ¡¸A valuable experience¡­ that does sound like something Lara would say.¡¹ Lara¡¯s aim was clear¡ª she wanted to nurture the Holy Winged Legion into the strongest army in the Dubedirica continent. This goal was for the sake of Sofitia, so it would be useless to refute it. (But Lara¡¯s demand is too much, the Empire also has the Azure Knights too¡­) Feeling sympathy towards the Holy Guards who had to live up to Lara¡¯s expectations, Historia twirled the Blue Moon in her hands as a warm up. ¡¸It¡¯s been a while since I saw you strut your skills, I will be watching closely.¡¹ Lara raised the corners of her lips as Historia sighed deeply. ¡¸My sword techniques aren¡¯t street performances, you are taking things too easily, Commander-in-Chief.¡¹ ¡¸I only said that because I believe in you though.¡¹ Lara said matter of factly, and Historia felt an itch on her back. Lara seldom complimented others, so even as a friend, she felt bashful¡ª Historia hurriedly concealed her embarrassment. ¡¸Yes yes yes, you sure are great at complimenting others!¡¹ ¡¸Just one yes will suffice, Dual Sword Historia.¡¹ Lara mention of the taboo nickname made the chariot driver snicker. Historia glared at the driver. ¡¸Like, I, said!! Don¡¯t call me by that nickname!!¡¹ With that, she charged towards the wall of death. On the battlefield filled with shouts and screams, an old soldier who noticed Historia sneered as he slashed his nicked sword at her. To counter, Historia lowered herself to the point of almost touching the ground to evade and slid right into that soldier¡¯s arms. ¡¸Farewell.¡¹ With that, a backslash from the sword in her right hand severed that old soldier¡¯s artery. With no regards for the old soldier who was sprouting blood like a fountain, three men nearby slashed at Historia with shining eyes. Historia cut off the hand of one with a slash, sending his sword spinning in the air. She deftly dodged the attacks of the other two with agile steps. She kicked the hilt of the sword in the air, sending it back to its owner¡¯s chest. ¡¸Ughh!!¡¹ The man collapsed onto his face while clutching his chest. The Blue Moon didn¡¯t give the other two a chance to attack again, stabbing their hearts with a thrust to her left and right. ¡¸That woman is a master swordsman!¡¹ Someone yelled, and the crazed gazes all focused on Historia. Historia pulled out her swords without being fazed and flicked away the blood on her swords. As the Stonia soldiers who couldn¡¯t even utter complete sentences rushed her one after another, she waved them on. ¡¸Kill her!¡¹ In contrast to those soldiers wielding their weapons wildly, Historia switched her diagonal slash midway into a horizontal one, and thrust halfway into diagonal slashes, killing her opponents with her fluid and ever changing sword techniques. Her swordsmanship backed up by her talent created a mountain of corpses in no time. ¡¸¡ª Well, that should do.¡¹ Historia stood calmly before the pile of cadaver, which even stopped the Stonia soldiers out of wariness. And Historia didn¡¯t miss that opening. ¡¸The enemy has stopped moving! Now is our chance! Charge in!¡¹ Historia pointed at the gap she created with her sword. The Holy Guards renewed their assault with a roar. ¡ª Thirteen thousand against five thousand. Historia opened a hole in the Wall of Death. With the large difference in numbers between the two forces, casualties shot up drastically. No matter how insane one was, humans would reach their limit at some point, even more so for old soldiers. With the passage of time, the rearguard slowly lost their momentum and the tide turned in the Holy Winged Legion¡¯s favour. ¡¸Phew, my job¡¯s done with that. I will leave the rest to Lara.¡¹ Ignoring the rearguard that was being ravaged, Historia looked in Lara¡¯s direction. (They are finally forced to the brink¡­) The rearguard had been reduced to two hundred, and were tightly surrounded. As the rearguard unit raised their shields in resistance, the Holy Winged Legion slowly tightened their encirclement. As they faced each other down, one corner of the encirclement was suddenly opened. Auguste observed with bated breath as a transport pulled by four black horses appeared. There was no doubt that was the strange transportation device mentioned by Cecilia. (That means¡­) Two people caught Auguste¡¯s eyes. One was the man in golden armour acting as the driver, the other was a silver haired woman standing proudly with one feet on that man¡¯s shoulder. ¡¸Halt.¡¹ The woman raised her left hand to stop the attack. Her actions and aura all told Auguste that woman was the commander of the Holy Winged Legion. (So their commander was a woman? The nation¡¯s ruler and army¡¯s commander are both women? And she looked about Cecilia¡¯s age¡­) He found this hard to fathom, but Auguste still ordered his surviving followers: ¡¸Don¡¯t let your defences down.¡¹ His men nodded quietly and Auguste walked forth. The woman took one look at Auguste and jumped off her chariot. A young lion and an aged lion¡ª the two from different eras faced each other. ¡¸You are the commander of this unit?¡¹ When he heard this energetic voice, Auguste couldn¡¯t help lamenting his age and nodded in response. ¡¸I see, then tell me the name of the fool who dare bare his fangs at the Holy Nation of Mekia.¡¹ ¡¸¡­My name is Auguste Gibbs Lanvinstein.¡¹ Auguste answered and the woman squinted her eyes. ¡¸Oh, I have never heard of a Field Marshal taking rearguard duties¡­ Interesting. I¡¯m the Commander-in-Chief of the Holy Winged Legion, Holy Legate Lara Mira Crystal. Out of respect for your foolhardy spirit, I permit you to duel with me one on one. What say you?¡¹ He didn¡¯t mention his status, but Lara still identified him by his rank, showing her firm grasp of intel just two weeks after the declaration of war. They might be enemies, but Auguste still felt impressed. Speaking of which, Lara¡¯s proposal was as good as a pie falling from the sky. In any case, his plan was to kill the enemy commander to turn the tides. The other party proposing a duel was beyond his expectations. He was about to accept when the silver eyed girl beside Lara suddenly said exasperatedly. ¡¸What did it turn out like this? Things will be over if we continue our rampage, why did it turn into a duel? I don¡¯t get it.¡¹ ¡¸You think so? I¡¯m just showing my respect to the Field Marshal who chose to act as the rearguard. And isn¡¯t there a saying about ¡ºgiving salt to the enemy¡»?¡¹ ¡¸But you are giving too much. How much food are you trying to preserve¡­? Well, I guess this is Lara¡¯s style.¡¹ The silver eyed girl shrugged and backed away readily. It was clear that she had absolute confidence that Lara wouldn¡¯t lose the duel. The soldiers around them looked calm and their eyes were steady. ¡¸¡ª Sorry for the interruption. So, what say you?¡¹ Lara returned her gaze back to Auguste. ¡¸I don¡¯t have a choice¡­ But is that really fine? You seemed very confident in your abilities, but this might be your undoing.¡¹ Auguste had seen plenty of boastful people die to his sword, this was his concern for the young ones as a senior. However, the subject smiled faintly. ¡¸I see. The Field Marshal¡¯s advice is always worth a listen. But don¡¯t worry, I will announce right here¡ª your sword won¡¯t even come close to touching my body.¡¹ ¡¸¡­ Hmmp. Young fledgling, this is what people call arrogance.¡¹ He said as a gust of wind caressed Auguste¡¯s body who was in a high guard stance. Lara didn¡¯t draw her sword and just stood there idly. ¡¸Are you mocking me, a Field Marshal? If the sword on your waist isn¡¯t a decoration, then draw it out¡­ Or are you chickening out now?¡¹ Lara was unfazed by Auguste¡¯s furious speech. ¡¸Oh right, I forgot to say one more thing.¡¹ ¡¸We are way past the talking stage¡­ So what is it?¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m the Commander of the Holy Winged Legion, and also a Sorcerer.¡¹ ¡¸What?!¡¹ ¡¸The one on one duel is on, so this is good bye.¡¹ Lara showed her defenceless back as she turned around and left. There was a dull thud by the feet of Auguste who was confused by Lara¡¯s actions. Auguste looked down and saw it was his arms holding a black and red sword. It was so familiar that Auguste couldn¡¯t help blinking. ¡¸That¡¯s¡ª my arms?¡¹ The strange things happening to his body were continuing, and his vision was starting to slide down. The screams from his allies rang out as clear as the blue skies. ¡¸My Sorcery can control the wind freely, and create invisible blades in the air. These blades that could easily break cold steel is my parting gift to the Lord Field Marshal.¡¹ When Lara finished, Auguste¡¯s body had collapsed into pieces. ¡¸¡ª I will leave the cleanup to Historia.¡¹ Lara quietly told Historia when she passed her by. Historia slowly raised her left hand with a sigh, and the Holy Winged Legion marched into the devastated rear guard unit. Stonia Duchy Army¡ª 40,000 dead. Holy Winged Legion¡ª 3,000 dead. The battle of Rias incited by the Empire ended with the complete victory of the Holy Winged Legion. Volume 4, 4: Debut Battle Volume 4, Chapter 4: Debut Battle Translator: Skythewood Editor: Hiiro ¢ñ Her fist was fast as lightning and her roundhouse kick sliced through the air. Lunar Calendar Year 997. With her back to the setting sun, the girl on the training ground was working up a sweat. The space before her suddenly twisted and a vicious dark liquid flowed out of the crack. As the girl watched, that dark liquid slowly took on a humanoid form. ¡ºZ, what is it?¡» ¡º¡ª Are you going hunting today?¡» Z looked to the western sky as it asked. ¡ºYes, I have to work for yesterday¡¯s share too.¡» The girl pointed to the stone building at a corner of the training grounds, a warehouse built by Z in the past. Thanks to Z¡¯s magic, it was as cold as winter inside all year round, so her catch wouldn¡¯t spoil easily. If the doors to the warehouse were opened, you could see a Blood Suckling Bird drained of blood hanging from a rope in there. Z glanced at the warehouse and turned its body to face the girl. ¡ºDon¡¯t mind me, continue your training.¡» ¡ºGot it!¡» The girl was suddenly full of drive. Z seldom accompanied the girl aside from its observation. To display the fruits of her training, the girl performed many techniques. ¡ºHyaa!¡» And finally, the girl stopped her high kick at Z¡¯s throat. The wind pressure made Z¡¯s robes flutter, but Z remained stationary. There was a dark mist around it as usual. ¡ºHow¡¯s that?¡» ¡º¡­ For your last kick, it will be better if your left leg extends outwards a little more. and the tip of your feet is unstable, given the sway in your body. With this two points in mind, do it one more time.¡» ¡ºGot it!¡» The girl repeated the flaws to herself and steadied her breathing, then kicked with her right leg at Z once more. Z¡¯s robes fluttered elegantly again. The girl stared at her right leg. ¡ºRemember this feeling.¡» Z snapped its fingers, and a dark whirlpool the girl named ¡ºthe incredibly incredible box of incredulity¡» appeared. Z reached in and pulled out a white towel and started carefully wiping the girl¡¯s face. It happened so suddenly and a strange sense of embarrassment made the girl turn stiff. ¡ºZ, Z?¡» ¡ºYou are already 14, huh¡­¡» After Z wiped off her sweat, it put the towel back in the incredible box and said emotionally. The girl felt Z was strange today, since it suddenly helped her wipe her face. ¡ºZ, what¡¯s wrong?¡» Z was silent for a moment. ¡º¡ª Do you remember the lesson from two weeks ago?¡» Z asked. Z would ask Olivia about past lessons as a form of revision, but that was only during observation time. So this was still strange. The girl felt things were strange as she quickly spun the ¡ºMemory disc¡» in her mind to search for what happened two weeks ago. This was the girl¡¯s memory skill. ¡ºHmm. Instead of relying on the capabilities of the troops, the most important thing is to turn the situation to your advantage?¡» ¡ºNo.¡» ¡ºIs it about deceiving the enemy?¡» The essence of war was mutual deception. By skillfully controlling truth and lies, it was possible for the weak to defeat the strong. ¡ºNot that either.¡» ¡ºThe one left is¡­ the Arsbelt Empire capturing the Farnesse Kingdom¡¯s Fort Kiel?¡» ¡ºCorrect, that¡¯s the one. The Arsbelt Empire successfully captured Fort Kiel. If this continues, it won¡¯t be long before the Empire ruled the continent¡­¡» ¡ºYes.¡» The girl answered nonchalantly. In her daily lessons, she was told that the world¡¯s situation was getting more and more complex. Two years ago, Emperor Ramza the 13th of the Arsbelt Empire declared his goal to unite the continent, and sent a large army against the Farnesse Kingdom. That was the beginning of the ¡ºSecond Continent Unification War¡». She knew about the war raging between the two nations, but that didn¡¯t matter to the girl. No matter who won, it would be fine since it wouldn¡¯t affect her life here. ¡ºZ, you don¡¯t want the Arsbelt Empire to unite the continent?¡» To the girl, Z was indifferent about everything. She didn¡¯t think it would be concerned about the war between humans, but the girl still asked it. Z didn¡¯t answer and vanished into thin air with the words ¡ºthere isn¡¯t much time left.¡» (Not much time left?) She didn¡¯t get it, but the girl felt a sense of unease for some reason. There was still a year before Z disappeared before the girl¡¯s eyes. ¢ò Farnesse Kingdom Letizia Castle More than a month had passed since the battle between the Holy Winged Legion and the Stonia army. The newly founded Eighth Army was holding a war conference. ¡¸We will now begin the War Conference, please take a seat~¡¹ The one urging the others to sit in a voice without any tension was Olivia Valedstorm, who rose to the rank of Major General after skipping five grades. The youngest commander of an army in the Farnesse Kingdom would be recorded into the history books. She was in the seat of honour at the long table, with the officers assigned to the Eighth Army seated on either sides of her. The following eight members were in attendance of this War Conference. Commanding OfficerMajor General Olivia Valedstorm. Adjutant Lieutenant Colonel Claudia Jung. StrategistMajor Ashton Senefelder Second Lieutenant Gauss Ozmeyer. Warrant Officer Guile Marion. Warrant Officer Ellis Crawford. Second Lieutenant Evansin Crawford. Captain Luke Crawford. The Eighth Army was 35,000 strong¡ª in the current Kingdom¡¯s military, they were only behind the First Army in terms of numbers. It was clear that Cornelius had high expectations of Olivia. ¡¸The first mission of the Eighth Army is¡ª the invasion of the Empire.¡¹ There wasn¡¯t any enthusiasm in Claudia as she said that. It was great that they liberated the territory to the north and south of the Kingdom, they paid a great price to achieve that. She understood that staying on the defensive wouldn¡¯t improve the situation, but it was also a fact that the Royal Army couldn¡¯t spare the effort. At a glance, 35,000 might seem a lot¡ª but on a closer look, most of them were actually fresh recruits. If the invasion failed, they would be open to a heavy counter offensive. Worst case scenario, the Kingdom might fall. The ones seated here were aware of that, except a tiny minority who showed confused faces. When Claudia said the final objective was to seize the Imperial Capital Orsted , someone finally snapped¡ª It was the one eyed giant of a man, Second Lieutenant Gauss Ozmeyer. ¡¸No no no, that¡¯s too reckless. It might not be my place to say this, but¡ª the famous Azure Knights is garrisoned in Orsted. Their real capabilities might still be unclear, but being called the strongest elite of the Empire can¡¯t just be a bluff. Although they lost to us, the Crimson and Sun Knights are still active, and would impede our army¡¯s attack. Are they telling the Eighth Army to fight three Knight Corps at the same time? Isn¡¯t that a suicide run?¡¹ Gauss laughed in self mockery. Ellis who acted the role of Olivia¡¯s body double during the battle against the Sun Knights laughed condescendingly. ¡¸Well well! You lack guts despite your huge body. If you are a man, then you should just tell others to leave it to you. And who do you think is leading the Eighth Army? She is the Ultimate beautiful young girl, Olivia Onee-sama. Olivia, Onee, Sama! Forget the three Knight Corps, even the Goddess Citresia is no match for us.¡¹ Ellis who dyed her hair back brown was beautiful and looked like a fair lady if she kept quiet. The gentlemen wouldn¡¯t overlook such a prime target, but their attacks were all defeated by her cruel tongue, which made them flee with sullen hearts. ¡¸Goddess Citresia¡­ Did you just¡­¡¹ Ignoring the dumbfounded Gauss, Ellis looked at Olivia with a mesmerized face. The man beside Ellis nodded in agreement¡ª the former hunter Guile. He had been with Olivia since their first missions, and was in a position to command troops now. The men thought highly of him, and unexpectedly, he was a brave and smart leader. His bright personality made him a talent who could motivate the men. Unfortunately, he had the tendency of over worshipping Olivia. ¡¸Like what Ellis said, Captain Olivia can overcome any obstacles. And the reason is, she¡¯s the strongest Valkyrie in Dubedirica continent. Or rather, she¡¯s an Angel from heaven. I won¡¯t accept any protests.¡¹ Ellis looked happily at Guile who spoke in a loud voice. ¡¸¡­ Hmmp, so you are Guile? You really understand Olivia Onee-sama well, not bad. You aren¡¯t bad.¡¹ ¡¸You are doing great too, Ellis.¡¹ The two of them shook hands with a smile. As he watched the two of them, Ellis¡¯ elder brother Luke looked speechless, while the younger brother Evansin held his head. (Another two problematic children are getting along, looks like the future would be troubling.) While Claudia was hanging her head with a sigh, Gauss sighed too. He might not seem like one, but Gauss probably had it hard too. As for the subject of the topic, Olivia¡ª¡ª ¡¸Hey, is it still not done?¡¹ She was swaying her body like a pendulum as she cast a passionate gaze towards the service cart. ¡¸¡­ It¡¯s almost done. Today¡¯s tea leaves are Rayglanz.¡¹ ¡¸I know, it¡¯s a specialty from the Holy Nation of Mekia, right?¡¹ ¡¸You are really knowledgeable.¡¹ Chief Marietti Continu who was in charge of the administrative matters in Letizia Castle answered nonchalantly. She was seventy, but appeared younger than Claudia¡¯s sixty years old grandmother Patra Jung. Her straight back was probably the reason behind that. She did up her hair tidily and there wasn¡¯t a crease in her plain dark green dress, showing her obsession with cleanliness. Her sharp eyes hidden behind her spectacles could even put Iron Mask Otto to shame. Marietti gracefully picked up the white porcelain teapot and poured orange-red liquid into the neat rows of tea cups. The rising steam filled the room with a soothing fragrance. Olivia breathed out a puff of warm air. ¡¸Rayglanz tea leaves taste better if you let it sit for some time when the taste is stronger. Adding milk when drinking a second cup gives a different pleasant experience.¡¹ Marietti placed a pot of milk with a silver shine beside Olivia, and Olivia immediately looked at it with mesmerizing eyes. Not just the conversation between Guile and Ellis, she wasn¡¯t listening to anything in the first place. As Claudia looked at Olivia speechlessly, Luke coughed a couple of times. ¡¸Lieutenant Colonel Claudia. We are soldiers and aren¡¯t opposed to fighting wars¡­ but can you tell us the details? I think Second Lieutenant Gauss¡¯ worries are warranted.¡¹ Claudia nodded. ¡¸My apologies for being too vague. I will get into the details, and I hope everyone will listen seriously.¡¹ The conversation was derailed by Ellis and Guile, but the situation remained unchanged¡ª the Kingdom that had been on the defensive all this while wanted to invade into the Empire and even capture the Imperial Capital Orsted. And of course, the Eighth Army wouldn¡¯t be fighting alone. This would be a massive counter offensive involving the First, Second and Seventh Armies with over 120,000 soldiers. Including the soldiers working on the back end and supplies, this would involve 80% of their forces. The first stage of the plan would start with the First and Seventh Armies attacking Fort Kiel. To defend Fort Kiel, the Imperials would garrison the Sun Knights there to counter. However, the Royal Army has no plans to seize Fort Kiel¡ª simply put, that was just a grand diversion. While the Imperial forces were distracted by Fort Kiel, the second stage would begin. The stars of the show would be the Second and Eighth Army, who would march against Fort Astra. The Second Army would clear the enemies en route. Their mission was to get the Eighth Army to the Imperial Capital Orsted with as little losses as possible. And in the final stage¡ª the Eighth Army and the Azure Knights defending the capital would battle. Defeating the Azure Knights and capturing the Imperial residence, Listerine Castle, and the mission would be complete. On the side note, the Sixth Army would not be taking part in this operation and defend the Royal Capital. Talk was easy, but executing all that would be fraught with difficulties. The officers¡¯ jaws dropped as they listened to this unbelievable battle plan. ¡¸And for this operation, our forces will be allied with the Holy Nation of Mekia.¡¹ As Claudia concluded her briefing, the room became rowdy. Even Olivia was tasting the tea with sparkling eyes, which were a goodwill gift from the Holy Nation of Mekia in the first place. Since the start of the war, the Farnesse Kingdom made many enemies without any allies standing by their side. Claudia felt that was only to be expected. During the last years of the warring era, the King of Farnesse at that time, Raphael Sem Garmund did what the current Empire was doing and announced his intention to unify the continent. He invaded the various nations with his large forces. Half a century had passed, but the scars had not faded. When the Arsbelt Empire declared their goal of uniting the continent and declared war against the Farnesse Kingdom, there were even nations who supported the Empire. So it was natural for the war conference attendees to react this way. ¡¸It¡¯s that Holy Nation of Mekia where the Church of Saint Illuminous is based, correct?¡¹ Claudia nodded at the surprised Evansin. ¡¸Did we request for their aid?¡¹ ¡¸No, it¡¯s the Holy Nation of Mekia who proposed this alliance. To be frank, I¡¯m not sure about the details¡­¡¹ Claudia confessed, and not just Evansin, all the attendees showed complicated faces. Like Evansin said, the Holy Nation of Mekia was more renowned for being the sacred ground for the Artemia Cathedral, being an independent nation was more of an afterthought to others. And with its location to the far west, information was scarce too. Even the knowledgeable Claudia only knew that Holy Nation of Mekia produces ore and their accessories were expensive. With that being the extent of Claudia¡¯s knowledge, the rest knew even less. Claudia searched through her mind and remembered an unpleasant thought¡ª the handsome face with brown hair. The man who infiltrated the victory party under an assumed name and approached Olivia multiple times. When Olivia said he hailed from the Holy Nation of Mekia, Claudia just felt astonished. But from the looks of things now, his actions were probably part of the espionage efforts by the Holy Nation of Mekia, which irked her. Claudia finished the tea before her in one gulp. ¡¸Comparing our forces to the Imperial army, we are inferior in both troops and resources. We are grateful for the aid by the Holy Nation of Mekia, but¡­¡¹ Ellis helped Luke finish the words he was reluctant to say. ¡¸My elder brother is trying to say¡ª how much help can the army of a minor nation be? If we force ourselves to match another nation¡¯s forces, it might disrupt our rhythm instead. That¡¯s what my straightlaced brother would think.¡¹ Luke wanted to rebuke Ellis who was smiling sarcastically, but reluctantly nodded instead. Ellis was mostly on point, and Claudia said his worries were unfounded. ¡¸How is it unfounded?¡¹ Luke asked without any hesitation. ¡¸I will explain, please look at the documents I¡¯m handing out right now.¡¹ Claudia signalled with a gaze, and an attendant quickly distributed the documents. After confirming everyone had a copy, Claudia cleared her throat. ¡¸This happened about one month ago. The neighbouring Stonia Duchy attacked the Holy Nation of Mekia.¡¹ ¡¸The Imperial vassal state Stonia Duchy versus the Holy Nation of Mekia? ¡­ Another dubious situation.¡¹ Gauss stroked his beard as he perused the report. ¡¸I felt the same way. Considering the distance between them, the two nations didn¡¯t have much interaction. It goes without saying that the Empire is behind this.¡¹ ¡¸Well, that make sense.¡¹ ¡¸But that¡¯s not the point here.¡¹ ¡¸What do you mean?¡¹ Ellis said before Gauss could answer. ¡¸The issue lies with the Holy Winged Legion¡ª the Holy Nation of Mekia¡¯s army. They defeated the 60,000 strong Stonia army with half their numbers. In just half a day.¡¹ That was the main point. The Holy Nation of Mekia might be a minor state, but it had a powerful army. After Claudia said that, the room fell silent with everyone hanging their head in deep thought. Defeating a force twice their numbers¡ª talk was cheap, but the execution would be difficult. And doing so in half a day made it more scary. It was only expected for war veterans to think that way. ¡¸¡ª That¡¯s really reliable, but I don¡¯t think the Holy Nation of Mekia will help us for free, what are they after?¡¹ Ashton who was quiet all this while spoke, and everyone focused their eyes on him. The many strategies he formulated had contributed greatly to the Kingdom¡¯s victory, and Paul even called him an outstanding strategist. His sense of presence in the military had risen greatly. Claudia stared at Ashton. Recently, female soldiers looking at Ashton with passionate eyes weren¡¯t an uncommon sight. There were some who would entice him openly. There were plenty of men who fell from grace after indulging in lust, so Claudia would chase them off whenever she saw such women. Only god would know if Ashton would really fall from grace, but he was already twenty years old. It would be better to be careful since he was at a delicate age. (But he seemed troubled by his current situation though.) As Ashton stared a hole through her, Claudia lightly cleared her throat. ¡¸And of course, they had demands. But since we have formed an alliance, their demands aren¡¯t too overbearing. Are you very concerned about that?¡¹ ¡¸Well¡­ I will be lying if I said no. Why choose Farnesse Kingdom at a time like this¡­ What do you think, Olivia?¡¹ She was as quiet as Ashton¡ª Or rather, Olivia was busy drinking her tea. She set her cup down and said nonchalantly. ¡¸They must have a motive, it¡¯s unnatural for them to help us at this time.¡¹ ¡¸So Olivia feels the same way too.¡¹ ¡¸Yes. Their demands are probably just a misdirection.¡¹ ¡¸Misdirection, huh¡­ I see, that¡¯s possible.¡¹ Ashton narrowed his eyes and looked into the distance. ¡¸Yes, to hide their real goal. A common stratagem in war.¡¹ Olivia leaned her chair back and said in a relaxed tone. Her chair should have toppled over at this angle, but she somehow maintained its balance. An acrobatic trick that would be impossible without thorough balancing training. ¡¸Olivia, can you guess their true intentions?¡¹ Ashton¡¯s question focused everyone¡¯s gaze on Olivia. Olivia scratched her cheeks troublingly. ¡¸I can¡¯t think of any though.¡¹ ¡¸I thought Olivia¡¯s feral instincts will work.¡¹ ¡¸That sounds like something mean. Anyway, I think we should keep our guards up.¡¹ Olivia concluded and Ashton quietly nodded. ¡¸Your Excellency, I¡¯m not sure if it is related¡­ but there will be a lavish party held in Letizia Castle soon¡ª¡¹ ¡¸What about it? There¡¯s plenty of these victory parties recently, so it¡¯s not a surprise.¡¹ Olivia interjected with a puzzled face and her head tilted to the side. ¡¸Please let me finish King Alphonse has invited the ruler of the Holy Nation of Mekia to attend as a State Guest.¡¹ Olivia tapped her finger on the edge of the tea cup and acknowledged in a bored tone. She probably thought this information was useless. If Claudia stopped there, then that would probably be true¡ª ¡¸That ruler¡­ strongly requested Your Excellency to attend for some reason.¡¹ ¡¸Requesting for Olivia?¡¹ Ashton was the first to react with a gloomy face. In contrast, Ellis stood up with a mesmerized expression. ¡¸To think Olivia Onee-sama¡¯s name had spread to a minor nation in the west, how wonderful! Don¡¯t you think so too, Guile?¡¹ ¡¸Of course, it¡¯s only a matter of time before Captain Olivia¡¯s name spread through the entire continent.¡¹ Ignoring the antics of Ellis and Guile, Claudia chewed on the conversation between Ashton and Olivia. (Assuming Her Excellency is right, and the strong request by the ruler of the Holy Nation of Mekia for her attendance, their goal is Her Excellency? Considering Johann¡¯s actions, that would make sense¡­. Seems like we have to increase the security around Her Excellency.) A golden glean appeared in Claudia¡¯s eyes. The war conference then continued seriously with everyone carving their duties deep into their minds. When Claudia ended the conference, they all left the room filled with determination. ¢ó Farnesse Kingdom Letizia Castle Field Marshal Cornelius office. When a certain report was sent to the desk of the busy Cornelius, it was in the middle of summer when the sun was scorching hot. ¡¸¡ª The Confederation of Sutherland is on the move?¡¹ Cornelius sat deeply into his office chair and looked at the blonde youth with delicate features before him¡ª Major General Neinhart. ¡¸Yes. More accurately speaking, it¡¯s the Twelfth City of the Confederation of Sutherland, Nozan Persilla, that had mustered their forces. Please read this for the details.¡¹ Cornelius took the documents and retrieved his glasses from a drawer to read. It was a report about Nozan Persilla gathering their forces in Fort Safa. Fort Safa was located at the borders of the Kingdom, so their intention was as clear as day. After browsing through it, Cornelius signed and returned it to Neinhart. Neinhart respectfully received it and said: ¡¸So Sutherland is finally making their move¡¹ ¡¸It should be safe to assume so. With the Imperial forces pulling back, this is a good chance in a sense¡ª By the way, this report didn¡¯t mention anything outside of Nozan Persilla. What about the other cities?¡¹ Cornelius received a cup of tea from an attendant and asked Neinhart. ¡¸Only the Twelfth City is actively moving, there aren¡¯t any obvious movements from the other cities.¡¹ ¡¸From the looks of things, this isn¡¯t a decision made by Sutherland as a whole.¡¹ Cornelius exhaled in relief. The worst scenario would be the entire Sutherland forces attacking the Farnesse Kingdom. Even speaking conservatively, that would be an army of at least 200,000. The Kingdom didn¡¯t have the forces for a direct confrontation against Sutherland right now, Cornelius who commanded all of the Royal military knew that better than anyone. ¡¸Field Marshal Sir, you think Nozan Persilla is acting by themself?¡¹ ¡¸Yes. It might just be one city, but it ruled itself sovereignly. The other cities are probably not involved with this.¡¹ Even so, for the Royal Kingdom in the midst of their preparation to counter attack the Empire, the invading Nozan Persilla was still a headache. Cornelius let out a deep sigh. ¡¸Please don¡¯t worry. If it¡¯s just the forces of one city, we can repel them as many times as they come.¡¹ Neinhart¡¯s words made Cornelius smile wryly. The smile contained the shame of being consoled by a younger man, and the vexation of how Neinhart wasn¡¯t putting his care and concern towards his adjutant Katherina. A few days ago, Cornelius happened to run into Katherina and he asked about her progress with Neinhart. After petrifying for a moment, Katherina hung her head bashfully and said ¡¸The Major General is dense in such matters¡­¡¹ (I advised her to make things absolutely clear to men like this¡­ But is it working?) ¡¸Something bothering you, Field Marshal Sir?¡¹ ¡¸Hmm? ¡ªOh, it¡¯s nothing. So, who should handle this¡­¡¹ They were sidetracked midway, but the face of a beautiful young girl flashed across Cornelius¡¯ mind. Neinhart sensed that and smiled wryly. ¡¸Major General Olivia¡¯s Eighth Army.¡¹ ¡¸Yes. This is outside our expectations, but this is a good opportunity for their debut battle.¡¹ Even now, Lambert still wouldn¡¯t acknowledge Olivia¡¯s Eighth Army. Lambert wasn¡¯t a man who would nag about a decision that had been made, but Cornelius who had known him for a long time knew how he felt. If the Eighth Army could achieve results here, even Lambert had to recognize their worth. ¡¸You want to summon Major General Olivia over?¡¹ ¡¸Hmm¡­ Where is she right now?¡¹ ¡¸She should be in the proving grounds right now training her recruits.¡¹ ¡¸Let¡¯s make a trip to the Proving Grounds then.¡¹ Cornelius placed his hand on the armrest and slowly got up. Neinhart quickly reached out to help, but was stopped by Cornelius who held up his left hand. ¡¸You don¡¯t have to visit personally, Field Marshal Sir¡­¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s fine, I¡¯m curious about Major General Olivia¡¯s training methods too.¡¹ Not just her martial prowess, her tactics and strategies were outstanding too. Her Autonomous Calvary was turned into elites in a short period of time, so there were no doubts to her competence in this area. Cornelius pursued the path of Martial Arts for most of his life, so he was definitely intrigued. ¡¸Allow me to accompany you then.¡¹ Neinhart requested to follow, and Cornelius said calmly: ¡¸I don¡¯t think I¡¯m so old that I need a walking stick though?¡¹ As the person coordinating between the armies, Neinhart was very busy. Cornelius wanted to turn him down, but Neinhart looked troubled for a moment before requesting to come along again with a stiff expression. (Sigh, there¡¯s no point in arguing further.) After sighing in his heart, Cornelius granted Neinhart to accompany him. ¢ô When they reached the proving grounds on the outskirts of Letizia Castle, an authoritative voice and a strange scene greeted Neinhart. He immediately recognized the voice to be from Claudia. ¡¸That¡¯s their training?¡¹ ¡¸Probably¡­¡¹ Cornelius looked baffled and Neinhart¡¯s answer lacked confidence. After all, it was just beasts chasing fully armoured recruits around. There might be suspicion about this being an act, but the faces of the recruits made it clear that they were desperate. ¡¸If I¡¯m not seeing things, those are Night-Eyed Pale Wolf¡­¡¹ The unexpected term made Neinhart turn back and lock eyes with the stiff faced Cornelius. After catching a rare sight of the Ever Victorious General, Neinhart turned his gaze to the beast again. (¡­ It¡¯s true, those are Night-Eyed Pale Wolf. What¡¯s going on?) Night-Eyed Pale Wolf had purple eyes and bright silver fur, and were Type 1 Danger Beast. They were a smaller threat to humans, but only in comparison to Type 2 Danger Beast. In packs, they were dangerous beasts that could reduce humans to bones instantly. And of course, they were not friendly with humans nor could they be tamed. (In the first place, no one would think of rearing one¡­) In order to grasp the situation, Neinhart cast his gaze at the shouting Claudia. Shortly after, Olivia who was squatting by the stage noticed them. Tossing the branch in her hand aside, Olivia energetically ran up to the Bulwark. ¡¸Fish¡ª Major General Neinhart and Lord Cornelius, are you here to watch the training?¡¹ Olivia asked with a smile and Neinhart cleared his throat. For his achievements in the Central War Theatre, Neinhart was promoted to Major General, so Olivia and him didn¡¯t need to be formal with each other. However, Field Marshal Cornelius was a different matter. He wouldn¡¯t nag all day like Otto, but he would still expect the minimal level of discipline and etiquettes. ¡¸¡ª Wrong. Are you here to observe our training, Sir?¡¹ Olivia immediately discerned the intention behind his cough and saluted beautifully with a click of her boots. Compared to their first meeting a year and a half ago, her observation skills have gotten sharper¡ª Neinhart was awed by Olivia¡¯s growth. ¡¸That¡¯s part of the reason, but I have something else to inform you, Major General Olivia.¡¹ ¡¸I see!¡¹ ¡¸By the way, they are actually training, right?¡¹ Cornelius asked as he looked at the screaming recruits. Olivia glanced at the proving grounds and answered curtly ¡¸It¡¯s training.¡¹ ¡¸The beasts chasing the soldiers are Night-Eyed Pale Wolf¡­ correct?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, they are Night-Eyed Pale Wolf.¡¹ Olivia admitted. From her puzzled expression, she didn¡¯t understand what Cornelius was getting at. The two of them looked at each other. The voice of Claudia shouting ¡¸Run, run! If you don¡¯t give it your all, you will become food for the Night-Eyed Pale Wolf!¡¹ reached them. Beside the stage was a group of people complaining fervently to Ashton. (I can¡¯t ignore this¡­) Olivia was the commanding officer of the Eighth Army, so it wasn¡¯t right to chide her for her training methods¡­ But he couldn¡¯t permit what he was seeing here. ¡¸Major General Olivia, like what Lieutenant Colonel Claudia said, they will get eaten if this goes on, correct? I can¡¯t tell what kind of training this is, but aren¡¯t you going too far?¡¹ Even recruits were valuable combat resources. It would be a headache if they were devoured by Night-Eyed Pale Wolf because of this training. Olivia must understand that, but Neinhart had to ask her. ¡¸Ehh? They won¡¯t get eaten. We keep it a secret from the recruits, but I told them not to eat humans.¡¹ Neinhart¡¯s warning fell on deaf ears as Olivia showed a forthright expression. However, the contents of her words troubled Neinhart. ¡¸Told them¡­ You told that to the Night-Eyed Pale Wolf?¡¹ ¡¸Of course.¡¹ Her words that defied common sense as usual confused Neinhart further. To prove herself, Olivia held her fingers to her lips and whistled. A Night-Eyed Pale Wolf chasing the recruits suddenly stopped, tilted its head and charged their way with ferocious speed. ¡¸Ugh?!¡¹ ¡¸Field Marshal Sir!¡¹ As Neinhart drew his sword and shielded Cornelius behind him, Olivia open her arms and said with a smile: ¡¸It¡¯s fine.¡¹ The Night-Eyed Pale Wolf pounced at Olivia¡ª ¡¸Ahaha! it tickles if you lick me there~¡¹ Olivia who was pushed onto the ground happily swayed her feet in the air. There was no sign that the Night-Eyed Pale Wolf before them wanted to eat Olivia, it was even whimpering and rubbing its head on her. Neinhart was speechless as he looked at this dream-like scene. He was sweating bullets from his brows. ¡¸Is that Night-Eyed Pale Wolf¡­ really fine?¡¹ Olivia got up slowly and gently caressed the head of the Night-Eyed Pale Wolf. ¡¸Yes, like I said, it doesn''t eat humans¡ª ahem, they would not feast on humans. Instead, I feed it food that it likes. Although I don¡¯t think that food taste good.¡¹ ¡¸Food it likes?¡¹ Neinhart knew nothing about the food that Night-Eyed Pale Wolf likes, he never put any thought into that. When Cornelius, Neinhart felt a little curious. ¡¸Yes. It¡¯s chow time, want to come¡ª ahem, would you like to join us to take a look?¡¹ Olivia was already leaning close. The two of them nodded, taken aback by Olivia¡¯s intimidating air. ¡¸Let¡¯s go then¡ª Claudia!¡¹ When she heard Olivia, Claudia climbed up the Bulwark in a hurry. ¡¸My deepest apology for the poor reception!¡¹ The first thing Claudia said was to apologize for her manners. Neinhart dismissed this issue since they didn¡¯t give any notice before their visit. ¡¸I¡¯m going to feed Mike, Tama and Pooch, so let¡¯s take a break.¡¹ ¡¸Yes, understood¡ª Will you be coming too, Field Marshal Sir?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, I intend to do so.¡¹ ¡¸I see¡­¡¹ Claudia glanced at Cornelius worriedly, and smirked at Neinhart¡ª the smile of a kid whose prank worked out. (Weird, what could be the problem?) That bothered Neinhart and he was about to ask when Ashton called for Claudia, and she hurried back to the Proving Grounds. ¡¸Let¡¯s go then.¡¹ Ignoring the bewildered Neinhart, Olivia quickened her pace, and the Night-Eyed Pale Wolves by her side looked like an escort detail. The way they glanced at him every now and then was scary. (This has become something amazing, I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t let the Field Marshal come alone.) From Neinhart¡¯s perspective, no matter how confident Olivia said she was, beasts were still beasts. And Type 1 Danger Beasts were different from normal animals. There was no telling when they would use their ferocious claws on him, so he couldn¡¯t relax. The two kept their distance and walked on a path for about 5 minutes and arrived at a big cave on the cliff to their right. Olivia gleefully walked up to the cave. ¡¸That cave is our destination?¡¹ ¡¸Yes.¡¹ To avoid agitating the Night-Eyed Pale Wolves, Neinhart lowered his voice. Olivia said as she walked carefreely ¡¸It¡¯s cold inside the cave, making it ideal to preserve food.¡¹ The three humans and three beasts soon reached the entrance of the cave. Olivia said ¡¸Go on¡¹ and the Night-Eyed Pale Wolves ran deep inside with saliva dripping from their maws. ¡¸Let¡¯s follow them.¡¹ On Olivia¡¯s urging, Neinhart stepped into the cave and felt a rush of cool air. ¡¸It¡¯s so cool.¡¹ ¡¸Right? This is the best place for a nap.¡¹ Olivia said proudly. Compared to the giant entrance, the cave was surprisingly shallow, and they reached the end in no time. It was bright enough that they didn¡¯t need torches. ¡¸M-Major General Olivia. Is that the food the Night-Eyed Pale Wolves likes?¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s right, they are gouging themselves right now?¡¹ Cornelius pointed stiffly at the spot where a large beast known for its beautiful golden fur and sharp lone horn was lying on the floor. (That¡¯s definitely a One Horned Beast¡­¡­!) His emotions from the past surged forth and his back was covered in cold sweat. This was the second time Neinhart encountered the Type 2 Danger Beast, the One Horned Beast. The first was half a year after Neinhart graduated top from the Military Academy. After receiving a mission to take out the One Horned Beast that suddenly appeared in a village, Neinhart led a hundred elite soldiers and had an intense battle against the One Horned Beast. In the end, they vanquished it with Neinhart getting injured and his unit suffering more than 80% casualties. People praised Neinhart as a hero, but he had always regretted the huge loss that he suffered. (I never thought I would see a nightmare-like One Horned Beast again.) Neinhart took a deep breath, then helped Cornelius who looked really tired sit down on a boulder. Olivia watched the Night-Eyed Pale Wolf feasting on their prey with a smile. ¡¸Did you hunt that One Horned Beast together with the recruits?¡¹ He was the one who asked, but Neinhart didn¡¯t think the recruits would be of any use against a One Horned Beast. And as expected, Olivia shook her head. In that case, there was only one answer. ¡¸Did you subjugate it yourself, Major General Olivia?¡¹ ¡¸Yes. There aren¡¯t many in the woods here, so I had a hard time finding one.¡¹ Olivia¡¯s casual smile made Neinhart shiver. Now that she mentioned it, during the battle to recapture Fort Lamburg, there was a report of them running into an One Horned Beast which was instantly slaughtered by Olivia. He didn¡¯t pay it much mind since a recruit wrote that report. Neinhart thought they mistook a similar animal for an One Horned Beast¡ª but after seeing the carcass before him, he had to believe that report now. They were probably satiated by the flesh of the One Horned Beast, so the Night-Eyed Pale Wolves gathered by Olivia''s feet and rubbed their heads on her thigh again. ¡¸So everyone had their fill¡ª Let¡¯s return to the Proving Grounds then.¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m fine with going back, but can you tell me the point of that training earlier? I¡¯m still baffled.¡¹ Cornelius asked in a tired voice, and Olivia said it was training for their legs and lower body. According to Olivia, what controls the battlefield wasn''t power or skill, but speed. Not just in battles between individuals, the speed during marches could stroke at the enemy¡¯s weakpoints too. The training with the Night-Eyed Pale Wolves would enhance their lower body muscles, and also let them overcome their fear. She said this was Ashton¡¯s proposal¡ª However, Neinhart didn¡¯t think he would suggest something so dangerous, and felt confused. When Olivia said ¡¸I think the effectiveness of Night-Eyed Pale Wolves and feral dogs are about the same¡¹, the two of them didn¡¯t say anything more. Volume 4, 5: The Battle of Vuiran Volume 4, Chapter 5: The Battle of Vuiran Translator: Skythewood Editor: Hiiro ¢ñ Lunar Calendar Year 1000, Month of the Burning Sky Heavy Silver Officer Arthur led the Nozan Persilla army to muster at Fort Safa, which borders the south of the Farnesse Kingdom¡ª and marched on Feldna hills. Their forces numbered 40,000. Arthur captured small strongholds along the wall as he advanced north by northeast. And now, he was chairing a war conference at the crescent shaped ¡¶Lake Sith¡· during a long rest. ¡¸Reporting, there¡¯s an urgent matter.¡¹ One soldier approached Arthur¡¯s retainer, Silver Officer Raji Heil, and whispered into his ears. Raji nodded and went to Arthur with a complicated expression. ¡¸What is it?¡¹ ¡¸The scouts captured a few deserters from the Royal Army. One of them promised to give us valuable intel if we spare their lives¡­ What do you think?¡¹ ¡¸Valuable intel? What can a deserter¡­ Never mind, bring him here.¡¹ ¡¸Yes.¡¹ Raji ordered, and the bound deserter was brought before Arthur. Looking at the calm deserter, Arthur asked. ¡¸Deserting in the face of the enemy is nothing to be proud of, but you seemed rather tough.¡¹ The man before him had a sensible light in his eyes and his body was really buffed. He didn¡¯t seem to be an incompetent man, and had a smile to match that. Raji admonished the captive for his attitude and whispered to Arthur that his rank was a Captain. ¡¸I just don¡¯t want to stay on a sinking ship.¡¹ ¡¸Sinking ship, huh¡­ That is a fair evaluation, but don¡¯t you have any loyalty towards the Farnesse Kingdom at all?¡¹ Given the Kingdom¡¯s current situation, it was reasonable for them to flee¡ª but that was only applicable to forced conscripts. He was a Captain, and didn¡¯t look like he was forced into service. The Royal Army might be on the decline, but Arthur still found officers who deserted with his troops a disgrace. ¡¸Loyalty¡­ Loyalty applies if you have someone to serve. Unfortunately, I don¡¯t feel any loyalty to the reigning King.¡¹ Arthur could understand that. Alphonse Sem Garmund¡¯s image of a foolish king had spread through the entire continent. And naturally, the foolish wasn¡¯t someone who could inspire loyalty from his subjects. ¡¸Forget it. So, let me hear about your so-called valuable intel.¡¹ ¡¸Before that, please swear that you will guarantee the lives of me and my men.¡¹ ¡¸That depends on the intel.¡¹ ¡¸I believe it will satisfy you.¡¹ ¡¸You won¡¯t be the one to judge that¡­ never mind.¡¹ Sparing a few maggots wouldn¡¯t affect the big picture anyway. After he swore on the name of Arthur Mau Finn, the deserter spoke¡ª ¡¸¡ª It¡¯s just as you expected, Commander.¡¹ Raji looked at Arthur with surprise, and the other officers reacted the same way. ¡¸That¡¯s not surprising, they are in the middle of a war against the Empire, so they obviously won¡¯t have enough manpower.¡¹ ¡¸But to muster only 10,000 men¡­ The Nation of Lion is really declining.¡¹ Nozan Persilla had captured three small strongholds without a single casualty. The reason was the strongholds were deserted, just an empty husk. Mustering soldiers to garrison a fort wasn¡¯t always the right answer to defend against a large army. Putting up a staunch defence was only viable if reinforcements were coming. But it would be a different matter if they could erect sturdy defensive structures, mobilize well trained soldiers and a stable supply line. However, the strongholds they captured were all structures from the warring era. It was far from being sturdy, and the economic embargo of Sutherland was still ongoing. For the Kingdom, a bountiful supply line was just a dream. And when they searched the warehouse, there wasn¡¯t even a single piece of bread left. No soldiers and no food. The deserter said the Royal Army had limited strategic options, and opted to muster their forces for an ambush. ¡¸If so, where is the Royal Army planning to deploy? By the way, I think it should be around here.¡¹ Arthur tapped on the map of the Kingdom¡¯s south with his command baton. ¡ª Garlock Valley. It was a two to three days march from Arthur¡¯s current position. Garlock Valley was a wing-shaped canyon created by the attrition of the Madoros River, a good place for a smaller force to hold off a larger one. ¡¸It is as you say, the Royal Army plans to deploy in the Garlock Valley.¡¹ The deserter confirmed immediately. ¡¸Then the matter is simple, let¡¯s go around the Garlock Valley.¡¹ If they passed through the neighbouring Carbadia Hill or Orstoy Forest, they would reach the Vuiran Plains. Raji traced his fingers to the south of the map, which would bring them to the rear of the enemy. But Arthur refuted his solid strategy. ¡¸It waste too much time to go around, we will head into the Garlock Valley as planned.¡¹ ¡¸Proceed as planned?¡¹ A Tough Silver Officer asked with a surprised voice. ¡¸Proceed as planned.¡¹ ¡¸Won¡¯t we play right into the enemy¡¯s hand?¡¹ Not just Raji, even the deserter was looking at Arthur in shock. The officers were getting rowdy. ¡¸And of course, I don¡¯t mean the entire army.¡¹ ¡¸What do you mean, Commander?¡¹ Arthur started explaining his plan; - The troops would be divided into two. Arthur would lead the 20,000 main unit straight for the Garlock Valley and engage the enemy waiting there. - The remaining 20,000 would proceed under the command of Gold Officer Barze, through both sides of the Garlock Valley. After their rendezvous at the Vuiran Plains, they would then attack the enemy¡¯s rear. ¡¸Leave it to me. I, Barze, will pierce the enemy¡¯s rear splendidly.¡¹ Barze who was known for his bravery knocked his thick breast armour. On the other hand, Raji massaged his brows and said: ¡¸We are splitting Barze¡¯s 20,000 army and advancing through both sides? Can¡¯t we just flank through on one side?¡¹ ¡¸The enemy might use the same strategy, although their numbers would just be a few thousand at best. We have 10,000 men on each side, so we won¡¯t lose. By the time the enemy¡¯s pincer attack fails, they will have lost soldiers and their morale will worsen.¡¹ ¡¸I understand your intentions, Commander¡­ But what if the enemy laid down traps?¡¹ ¡¸We won¡¯t need to think so much if we know that. The most important thing is to stop the enemy from seizing the initiative.¡¹ The enemy commander didn¡¯t stubbornly defend the strongholds, so he was somewhat competent. The more competent he was, the more methods he could find. In response to the enemy¡¯s carefully laid traps and ambush, Arthur chose to preemptively show an ¡ºopening¡»¡ª an opening to entice them to abandon their original plan. He would then work together with Barze to massacre these moths plunging into the fire. ¡¸¡ª I see, so we are misdirecting our opponent into our trap.¡¹ ¡¸By controlling where we expose our opening, it will be easy to predict the enemy¡¯s movement. We can then wipe them out piecemeal. Maybe we won¡¯t even need Barze.¡¹ ¡¸Depending on the Royal Army¡¯s responses, this might be possible. Even if they are wary and not take the bait, they will still get pincer attacked by us. This is a two pronged strategy.¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s right. It seems we can report our victory to the Queen in no time.¡¹ Heavy Gold Officer Drake might not know yet, but Cassandra had already promised to promote Arthur to a First Grade Heavy Gold Officer. Which meant he would replace Drake at the peak of the Nozan Persilla military. (The first tasks will be clearing out Drake and the other old relics, and then¡ª) As Arthur was snickering in his mind. ¡¸¡ª Excellency expected¡­¡¹ ¡¸Hmm? You said something?¡¹ The eyes of the deserter were suddenly filled with respect. ¡¸Nothing¡­ I¡¯m just saying that compared to Your Excellency, the Royal Army is too pitiful. Deserting was the right choice after all.¡¹ The deserter had a weird smile on his face, which irked Arthur for some reason. ¢ò South of the KingdomSaltonia regionCaesar¡¯s Mansion ¡¸Will this really be fine?¡¹ Marquis Caesar von Saltonia who owned vast territories in the southwest paced inside his room as he asked the handsome young officer¡ª Evansin. One week ago, Evansin knocked on his door with a few of his subordinates. A fortnight ago, the Nozan Persilla Army began their attack. ¡¸Please don¡¯t worry. Her Excellency Olivia might be young, but her tactical acumen is outstanding and will not disappoint you, Marquis Saltonia.¡¹ The confident Evansin lowered his head sincerely. Caesar sat down on the couch and glanced at the letter on the table. On the envelope was the name Cornelius Wym Curling written with great penmanship. ¡¸That¡¯s what worries me. A sixteen year old Commander? I find that too amusing to feel at ease¡­¡¹ The newly founded Eighth Army. Because the letter sent by Evansin was from his good friend Cornelius, who showed full confidence in Olivia, Caesar reluctantly acceded to her request to withdraw the soldiers in all those strongholds. Originally, he would never abandon those strongholds so easily. Even more so for the territories his forebears tended to with great care. ¡¸The enemy must be shocked to find all those strongholds abandoned¡ª No, they might be laughing at our overwhelming cowardice.¡¹ Caesar laughed in self mockery. ¡¸Pardon my impudence, but we can recapture the strongholds after our victory, retreating without a fight is also a type of stratagem¡ª Well, I¡¯m just repeating what Her Excellency Olivia said.¡¹ Evansin rubbed his nose bashfully. ¡¸A teenage girl talking about strategy? Time has really changed¡­¡¹ Probably because of the wars that had gone on and off for a few centuries, the most prominent part of this great war was the unusual high number of female soldiers. In fact, many of Caesar¡¯s bodyguards were women. But even Caesar who didn¡¯t discriminate by gender and emphasize on abilities wouldn¡¯t let a sixteen year old girl step on the battlefield, much less becoming a Commander. But the die had been cast, and the rest would be left to fate. Caesar reached out to the table and took a swig of the crimson liquid inside a glass. ¡¸Marquis Saltonia, allow me to say this again¡ª Don¡¯t worry, Her Excellency Olivia will definitely beat off the Nozan Persilla army splendidly.¡¹ ¡¸Beat off splendidly¡­ You sure are confident.¡¹ ¡¸Yes. My time serving Her Excellency Olivia might be short, but she is without question a reliable Commander. And her track record in the past is proof of that.¡¹ Caesar had survived all this while in the nobility society which was a melting pot of schemes and conspiracy. He considered himself to have a discerning eye, and thought of Evansin as a promising young man. But his blind faith in that girl intrigued Caesar. (Olivia Valedstorm¡­ Just what kind of girl is this Death God? I want to meet her.) The battle between the Royal Army and the Nozan Persilla Army was at hand. ¢ó Fort Thames located in the southern edge of the Farnesse Kingdom was a forward base erected by Raphael Sem Garmund as part of his quest to conquer the Continent. According to the reports by the guards garrisoned in Fort Thames, Cornelius received news of Nozan Persilla¡¯s invasion and ordered the Eighth Army to repel them. Two days later¡ª ¡¸Your Excellency, the Eighth Army is ready to set off.¡¹ ¡¸Then let¡¯s go.¡¹ ¡¸Before that, please say a few words to motivate the men.¡¹ On Claudia¡¯s urging, Olivia got onto the podium and cleared her throat. ¡¸Humans die easily in war, and you can¡¯t eat tasty food if you die¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Everyone, salute the Commander-in-Chief Olivia!¡¹ ¡¸Ehh?!¡¹ On Claudia¡¯s orders, the 35,000 soldiers in neat formation saluted as one. While Olivia¡¯s head was filled with question marks, the Eighth Army left the Royal Capital Fizz to the wild cheers of the crowd. Two days later, Olivia was now walking along the Tal city with 10,000 men. (This is the debut battle of the Eighth Army, but Her Excellency isn¡¯t nervous at all.) Claudia who was riding on her new white horse thought as she looked at Olivia who was talking to her horse Comet. Claudia¡¯s white horse had the lineage of the world famous ¡ºAdal Sila¡», with a beautiful appearance and strong legs. It also had tough mental endurance and was obedient, a great steed that could bring out the best of its rider. This was a gift from Claudia¡¯s grandfather, Ciel Fender, shortly after her promotion to Lieutenant Colonel. Comet and the white horse which Olivia named ¡ºKagura¡» greeted each other with a sway of their tails. The name Kagura was that of the princess featured in the story ¡¶The Snake Princess in the Afternoon¡·. She was usually a gentle princess, but would become very scary when she got mad. Claudia asked Olivia why she gave that name to Claudia¡¯s horse, but Olivia just brushed the matter aside with a smile. This was still a mystery to Claudia. Five days after leaving the capital¡ª The messengers dispatched to various places had gathered before Claudia once again. They had passed through Tal city and were near the Garlock Valley. ¡¸Reporting. The Nozan Persilla army is marching north by northwest. They should reach the Garlock Valley in two days.¡¹ ¡¸Your Excellency.¡¹ ¡¸Yes, Luke performed splendidly.¡¹ Olivia stroked Comet¡¯s back happily. ¡¸So the plan is proceeding smoothly?¡¹ ¡¸Yes. But the enemy commander isn¡¯t too hung up on seizing the forts, and might choose to deploy in the Garlock Valley without any prompting from Luke. He isn¡¯t bad for a commander, how about recruiting him?¡¹ ¡¸You want to turn the enemy commander to our side?¡¹ ¡¸Because it will be easier that way.¡¹ Claudia showed a speechless face at Olivia¡¯s nonsense. In which world would the strategy of getting the enemy commander to turncoat work? ¡¸Your Excellency, I will be troubled if you joke any further¡ª This will also affect the morale of the troops, so please be careful with your words.¡¹ Claudia said quietly with a glance at the confused faces of the recruits. ¡¸Ahaha, sorry sorry.¡¹ ¡¸As expected of Captain Olivia, you don¡¯t put up airs even after you got appointed as the commander of an army.¡¹ ¡¸Her Excellency had never put on airs before¡ª By the way, why are you here, Guile?¡¹ Guile who should be with the vanguard was by Olivia¡¯s side for some reason, and looking at her with eyes filled with respect. ¡¸I¡¯m here to see Captain Olivia¡¯s esteemed face, of course. To recharge myself before the battle starts. Performing this ritual will have a huge effect on my motivation.¡¹ ¡¸Ehh, is that so.¡¹ Seeing how Olivia¡¯s face was cramping, Claudia couldn¡¯t help sighing. Because of the Commander, the Eighth Army had gathered a group of weirdos. ¡¸Recharging or what not is not a reason to desert your post. You think military discipline is just fun and games?¡¹ ¡¸That isn¡¯t a good enough reason?¡¹ ¡¸Of course not! And she is not a Captain anymore, it¡¯s Her Excellency. Change the way you address her.¡¹ Guile and Gauss were still calling Olivia Captain, and Ellis went one step further and called her Onee-sama. They needed to be corrected, but the subject herself was not concerned at all. Not just that, Olivia even declared ¡ºFormal speech is forbidden¡». but they still needed to maintain the rules¡ª through Claudia¡¯s steadfast petition,, Olivia reluctantly retracted her order in the end. The recruits who didn¡¯t understand Olivia would think of this as a joke to ease the mood, but Claudia knew better. ¡¸¡ª By the way, how goes Ashton¡¯s preparations?¡¹ ¡¸From the report just now, it¡¯s going well.¡¹ ¡¸Great. Who is his bodyguard again?¡¹ ¡¸You already forgot? It¡¯s Lady Riffle we borrowed from the Field Marshal.¡¹ ¡¸Oh, then there¡¯s no need to fear since Riffle is there.¡¹ Not just Paul, Cornelius also understood the importance of Ashton, and assigned the ¡ºFirst Sword¡» of the Royal Ten Swords, Riffle Athens, to be Ashton¡¯s bodyguard. The Royal Ten Swords weren¡¯t soldiers nor knights, but swordsmen. They sought the limits of swordsmanship, and aside from a minority like Claudia¡¯s father, Solid Jung, they didn¡¯t serve in the army. Their true value laid not in wielding swords in war, but to protect King Alphonse. For Alphonse, they were his final shields. It would make sense for them to protect Field Marshal Cornelius, but letting a Ten Swords protect a mere Major was unusual. By the way, Riffle was known for her unique swordsmanship even amongst the Ten Swords. Olivia who saw her technique commented that it closely resembled the commander of the Crimson Knights, Rosenmarie. She was impeccable for a bodyguard. Claudia didn¡¯t doubt the best Ten Swords or Olivia¡¯s guarantee, but this concerned Ashton¡¯s life. Before they set off on this campaign, Claudia requested to spar Riffle even though she knew it was against the protocol. But she was rejected mercilessly. Maybe she thought I wanted to steal her techniques, since she had been researching swordsmanship all her life¡ª Claudia thought in the beginning, but Riffle then proceeded to challenge Olivia. Claudia pondered for some time, but still couldn¡¯t figure out why she got turned down. Riffle probably had her personal reasons. (I can¡¯t stay by Ashton¡¯s side for this battle, I hope he survives.) Ashton¡¯s unreliable smile flashed across her mind, and Claudia raised her head to the sky. The clouds was like a representation of how fast this era was moving, Olivia who was humming as she laid on Comet¡¯s back looked incredibly reliable. Vuiran PlainsDetachment Unit Secretly deployed in the Vuiran Plains was a detachment unit of 25,000 soldiers. After giving out instructions to his men, Ashton was resting under a shade¡ª ¡¸Ashton¡­ kun.¡¹ ¡¸W-What is it?¡¹ The person¡¯s dark hair was tied up in a bun, her light purple eyes seemed a little vacant. Riffle had delicate facial features and elegant accessories on her armour. (I think it¡¯s called ¡ºEastern Oriental Style¡», the battle garments of the Ulu tribe that died out a long time ago. So Riffle is a descendent of the Ulu tribe?) Ashton looked puzzled as he observed Riffle. Someone called out to him from behind, but kept quiet after he answered. This already happened several times. ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸Erm¡­ Ahem, is something wrong?¡¹ Ashton thought she was up to her usual antics, but decided to ask anyway. Riffle blinked her eyelids that seemed really heavy, and drew the sword by her waist. Ashton was completely baffled by her actions. ¡¸Riffle¡¯s techniques¡­ Want to see?¡¹ ¡¸Ehh?¡¹ ¡¸Want to see?¡¹ Riffle said as she approached a tree that was over a hundred years old. He was shocked that the conversation was actually continuing, but what really surprised Ashton was the contents of the conversation. ¡¸You want to show me your sword techniques?¡¹ ¡¸Yes¡­¡¹ She answered and looked up at the lush leaves above. Ashton had given up on sword training. Part of the reason was everyone else telling him it was a waste of time. Since he couldn¡¯t protect himself, having a strong bodyguard follow him closely put him at ease. However, he only knew that she was the top of the Royal Ten Swords, but he didn¡¯t know how strong Riffle actually was. This concerns my safety, please allow me to see it¡ª Ashton thought that way, but a doubt appeared in his mind. ¡¸I heard you turned down Lieutenant Colonel Claudia¡¯s request to spar, Special Officer Riffle?¡¹ ¡¸Claudia¡¯s sword¡­ is beneath Riffle. But if she grows¡­ Hard to say. So she can¡¯t see. No way.¡¹ Riffle made boo sound as she gestured with her arms to form a big cross. (So she doesn''t want a potential competitor to learn her abilities? I can understand how Special Officer Riffle feels, but¡­) The smile of a carefree girl flashed across Ashton¡¯s mind. ¡¸Ehh? But you are fine with sparring Olivia?¡¹ ¡¸Yes. I let her, watch. For Meister Olivia¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Hold it.¡¹ ¡¸What, is wrong?¡¹ ¡¸Just now, you called her Meister Olivia?¡¹ Why was she calling Olivia a Meister? Ashton wanted to retort, but Riffle answered plainly. ¡¸Well, Meister Olivia, she¡­ Super Meister Olivia is on a completely different realm. Completely different¡­ from Riffle¡¯s sword. So¡­ I let her watch. More accurately speaking¡­ I saw her. As expected of¡­ the Death God.¡¹ ¡¸Erm, why did she changed from a Meister to a Super Meister?¡¹ ¡¸I don¡¯t get¡­ what you mean.¡¹ Riffle tilted her head. This was like something that Clares, his senior from the Lion King Academy, would do to tease him. They were similar in nature. ¡¸I¡¯m not saying anything difficult¡­ Well, I understand the reason why Special Officer Riffle demonstrated your sword techniques to Olivia.¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m glad¡­ you understand.¡¹ Riffle smiled like a flower in full bloom. Ashton had been with Olivia all this while, so he couldn¡¯t really refute Riffle. He didn¡¯t understand what she meant by a different realm, but that was just his lack of martial talent speaking. Ashton laughed in self mockery. ¡¸Would you mind showing me then?¡¹ ¡¸Yes¡­ It¡¯s fine for Ashton-kun to see¡­ Pfft!¡¹ Riffle suddenly turned back with her shoulders shaking, drawing a circle in the air with her finger. Ashton felt he was being treated like a fool, and was a little peeved. ¡¸Well¡­ I will show you. Look at the falling¡­ leaves.¡¹ Riffle took a step forward with her right leg and lowered her hips, then kicked the tree. A power that didn¡¯t match her petite body shook the tree and several leaves fell. Ashton stared at the leaves as instructed by Riffle. ¡¸Dance like¡­ a Butterfly.¡¹ Riffle slashed once at the leaves. ¡¸It wasn¡¯t¡­ much.¡¹ Riffle slowly sheathed her sword. Ashton looked to the ground, and all the leaves were all evenly bisected vertically. Even Ashton could tell that this was only possible with outstanding swordsmanship. This was the moment the top of the Ten Swords proved herself. ¡¸How¡¯s, that? Feel¡­ at ease?¡¹ Riffle called out to the back of Ashton as he observed the leaves. Turning back, he saw Riffle standing in a weird pose. ¡¸Well, I wasn¡¯t worried in the first place¡­ By the way, what¡¯s that?¡¹ ¡¸Riffle, is¡­ cool.¡¹ ¡¸Ehh? ¡­ Oh, yeah, I think you are very cool.¡¹ Ashton averted his eyes. ¡¸Everyone in the Ten Swords say¡­ it¡¯s weird. Ashton-kun, you have¡­ good taste. I like¡­ that. On a closer look¡­ very cute.¡¹ Riffle stood beside Ashton and rubbed his hand like some old granny. Ashton gently pushed away Riffle¡¯s hands. ¡¸T-Thank you for your compliment.¡¹ ¡¸You are¡­ Welcome.¡¹ With a nod of satisfaction, Riffle disappeared into the woods. Right after that Gauss appeared as if to take her place, casting his gaze to the trees. ¡¸Was that the Kingdom¡¯s Ten Sword?¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s right.¡¹ ¡¸Hmm¡­ I can¡¯t tell.¡¹ Gauss stroked his chin and suddenly laughed. ¡¸¡ª What are you laughing at?¡¹ ¡¸Nothing, I¡¯m just wondering what Lieutenant Colonel Claudia would do if she saw this scene.¡¹ ¡¸Lieutenant Colonel Claudia? ¡ªShe thinks of me as some disgusting bug, so probably nothing.¡¹ Ashton scratched his nose a little bashfully. For some reasons, the number of invitations from female soldiers has increased recently. Ashton was a man, so he didn¡¯t hate being popular with the ladies. However, he still turned them down, using the war as his excuse. It would be bad if this got in the way of a mission¡ª Claudia was a big help shooing them off. ¡¸Oh, I don¡¯t mean it that way¡­¡¹ ¡¸Then what do you mean?¡¹ Confused about what Gauss was getting at, Ashton asked. Gauss looked at his superior officer with eyes of pity. ¡¸It might be rude for me to say this to a superior, but you are still too green. Being devoted to one person is praiseworthy, but instead of an elegant flower in full bloom, you should cherish the flowers by the roadside from time to time.¡¹ ¡¸Flowers? ¡­Sorry, I don¡¯t get you.¡¹ Gauss ruffled his hair troublingly. ¡¸Never mind¡­ Back to the reports. The deployment of the men has been completed.¡¹ Gauss suddenly saluted. ¡¸Oh, right. Good work on the report.¡¹ Ashton returned the salute with a baffled face. Neither of them spoke after that. As they watched over their men, Gauss suddenly said: ¡¸Speaking of which, this is our first battle with the Confederation of Sutherland, but I don¡¯t feel worried at all¡­¡¹ ¡¸That doesn¡¯t sound like you at all, Second Lieutenant Gauss.¡¹ The more experienced a warrior was, the less careless they would get. Even if the opponent was weaker, being careless could bring about their own demise¡ª That was what Gauss always told his men. In response to Ashton¡¯s gaze, Gauss answered without hesitation: ¡¸I believe in Major Ashton.¡¹ Ashton was confident in his plans, but he would still worry. Ashton fell silent, and Gauss used his large hand to pat him on the back. The big impact that matched his appearance, made Ashton fall forward. ¡¸Cough cough! ¡ªThat hurts!¡¹ ¡¸Hahaha. You don¡¯t need to go as far as Captain Olivia, but you should eat more, Major Ashton¡ª I can¡¯t keep the men waiting, I will take my leave now.¡¹ Gauss saluted again, and Ashton returned the salute in a panic. It was hard to tell who was the superior officer here. An outsider might think Gauss held the senior rank. (Sigh, forget it. I have never been dignified anyway.) ¡¸Oh right, the strange thing you mentioned just now¡ª¡¹ Ashton called out to him, but Gauss didn¡¯t turn back. (So what was Gauss trying to say?) Time stopped Ashton from thinking about it any longer. Shortly after, a messenger sent word that the battle had started. ¢ô Garlock ValleyNozan Persilla Army Basecamp A few hours after the Eighth Army and the Nozan Persilla army engaged, reports streamed gradually to the basecamp, which made the atmosphere inside lively. ¡¸This situation is a proper representation of the Royal Army¡¯s current state. ¡¸This is terrible. We might have the advantage of numbers, but they have the advantage of terrain, is their commander kidding around? It¡¯s mind boggling that they defeated two of the Empire¡¯s key Knight Corps.¡¹ Raji said with a surprised face. As Raji said, there was no sign of any command and control from the Royal Army, they were just attacking incoherently. They were worse than puppies, much less lions. ¡¸Your doubts can be answered easily, Raji.¡¹ ¡¸¡­ Pray tell, Commander.¡¹ ¡¸You don¡¯t get it? We are fighting a different army right now.¡¹ ¡¸A different army¡­ You mean the one who defeated the two Knight Corps is the Ever-Victorious General?¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s my take on it.¡¹ Cornelius, who was known as the Ever-Victorious General, and his ¡ºGurkha annihilation battle¡» during the war against the Lemuria Kingdom was still taught in textbooks in every Military Academy. He was still on active duty, so Arthur believed that Cornelius must be the one who repelled the Crimson and Sun Knights. ¡¸So why isn¡¯t he here?¡¹ ¡¸After fighting the two Knight Corps, even the Ever-Victorious General can¡¯t escape unscathed. No other reason why they would send out this fledging of an army.¡¹ ¡¸¡­ Shall we crush them in one shot? It might sound brutish, but I don¡¯t think tactics matters anymore.¡¹ ¡¸Raji, I know how you feel. Our foes are far more incompetent than I imagined.¡¹ ¡¸In that case¡ª¡¹ ¡¸In that case, we have to lure them into a trap and completely annihilate them.¡¹ They had pulled back for now, but the Imperial Forces would definitely return. It was hard to imagine the current Royal Army fighting two countries at the same time. Arthur judged that by crushing this army here, the Kingdom couldn¡¯t dispatch another one, giving them time to firm up their control over these territories. By confiscating the fortune of the nobles and distributing it to the poor masses, they could smoothen their rule here. For the masses, food and money had a higher priority than the survival of the nation. ¡¸Let¡¯s get started then.¡¹ ¡¸But given the situation, I¡¯m not sure how we can even feign an opening¡­¡¹ Raji was lost in thought when a new messenger barged in. ¡¸Reporting! The Royal Army is retreating!¡¹ When they heard this report, Arthur and Raji looked at each other blankly. ¡¸¡­ Commander.¡¹ ¡¸They are really putting on a pathetic showing.¡¹ Arthur laughed sarcastically. This wasn¡¯t even a B-rate comedy, even Arthur didn¡¯t expect to pull out just a few hours into the fight. (It¡¯s only natural that the Empire ravaged them. How the mighty Kingdom had fallen.) Victory was a foregone conclusion. Even so, Arthur still felt tired for some reason. ¡¸We will go on the pursuit here.¡¹ Raji tried to order as calmly as possible. ¡¸¡ª Go, Her Majesty Cassandra awaits our complete victory. Tell the men to dye the land red with blood.¡¹ ¡¸Yes.¡¹ ¡¸Also, the one who subjugates the enemy commander will get promoted to a Silver Officer. This applies to Common Officers too.¡¹ ¡¸Yes!¡¹ Eighth Army Basecamp ¡¸Your Excellency, our army is at a big disadvantage.¡¹ Looking from high ground, the Eighth Army¡¯s formation had been shredded, rendering the terrain advantage meaningless. If the situation didn¡¯t improve, this could spell the end of the Eighth Army. The Commander, Olivia, acknowledged with a casual grunt and was unfazed. But no one, including Claudia, held it against her. After all, everything was playing out according to her script. ¡¸Anyway, it¡¯s almost done, right?¡¹ Olivia took out a pocket watch. ¡¸If it all goes smoothly¡­¡¹ When Claudia was about to speak, an out of breath messenger appeared. He is from Ashton¡¯s detachment unit. ¡¸How goes the situation?¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s going smoothly, Major Ashton wants to push the plan to the final phase.¡¹ Claudia¡¯s face softened. If she was alone, she would have jumped for joy. Even without the two of them, Ashton accomplished his task splendidly. ¡¸Your Excellency! Ashton did it!¡¹ ¡¸As expected of the Eighth Army¡¯s strategist, our victory is assured now.¡¹ The humming Olivia took out a biscuit from her waist pouch and shoved it in her mouth. A fragrance that didn¡¯t match the battlefield spread in the air. ¡¸I will order a retreat immediately.¡¹ ¡¸Everyone¡¯s acting is so good, the enemy must be thinking that our army is being routed.¡¹ Claudia could only sigh at Olivia¡¯s take on things. It was going according to her script, but this was not completely an act by the recruits. The plan had been shared with the whole army, but when they saw the enemy before them, they could only wave their weapons around desperately. (But that should be part of Her Excellency¡¯s calculations.) She was just sixteen, but possessed outstanding swordsmanship and great acumen for tactics and strategies. Even her looks were getting more prominent. Sometimes, Claudia would seriously wonder if Olivia was a mischievous work of the gods. As Ellis said, she wasn¡¯t a person that mere gods could create. ¡¸We should be off too.¡¹ The crimson cape she received from Ellis looked elegant in contrast to her dark armour. In the center of the cape was a black rose and skull, with white trimmings on the side, along with two crossed scythes. That was the Valedstorm coat of arms. (Both Ashton and Ellis are such busybodies. This is going to entrench her image of a Death God even further.) While Claudia was grumbling in her heart, Olivia showed an innocent smile and asked ¡¸Does it suit me?¡¹ Well, it did suit her, but¡ª ¡¸Before the question of suitability, I don¡¯t like the Valedstorm coat of arms¡­¡¹ This coat of arms was the culprit behind Olivia¡¯s Death God nickname, so there was no way she would like it. If she had known, she would have done everything she could to stop Olivia from inheriting the Valedstorm house name. But no one could predict the future, and the past couldn¡¯t be changed. ¡¸Claudia really hates this coat of arms.¡¹ Olivia looked at the coat of arms on her chest and smiled. ¡¸A coat of arms that reminds me of death is too ominous.¡¹ ¡¸But death isn¡¯t the end. After the body dies, the soul will get purified by the zero horizon, and get connected to a new life. Which means, life and death are two faces of the same coin.¡¹ Olivia lectured like a teacher with deep nostalgia in her eyes. (Normally, death is described as a journey through hades. This is the first time I heard about the zero horizon mentioned by Her Excellency. Did she learn that from Z too¡­?) Claudia heard Olivia say that Z who raised Olivia called itself a Death God. The swordsmanship Olivia learned painstakingly from Z was deadly, and it was a fact that it struck fear into the hearts of the Imperial Army. Considering how Z had nurtured Olivia to such a level, it was understandable for Z to gloat about being a Death God. But wasn¡¯t there a better term¡ª Claudia thought randomly as she ordered the retreat. Olivia who was at the fore of the rearguard ordered a precise retreat and said to Claudia who was commanding besides her. ¡¸Contact Guile, tell him to focus attack on the enemy¡¯s protruding right flank.¡¹ ¡¸At once.¡¹ While Claudia went to find a messenger, Olivia reached into her pouch and took out Comet¡¯s favourite Asu pumpkin. Comet moved its mouth happily. ¡¸Your Excellency, is this really a good time?¡¹ ¡¸But it said it is hungry.¡¹ Comet wagged its tail and neigh loudly. ¡¸See, it is saying its hungry.¡¹ ¡¸Sorry, but I can¡¯t speak horse.¡¹ Normal people can¡¯t speak horse¡ª she explained, but Olivia gave her a confused look. To be frank, the confused one should be Claudia. ¡¸Since you have Kagura, I think Claudia should learn it too¡ª right, Kagura?¡¹ Kagura nodded profusely. Claudia imagined herself falling disgracefully from her horse. She sat up straight and looked right at Olivia. ¡¸Your Excellency, please focus on the battle.¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m very focused, you know?¡¹ Olivia answered as she fed Kagura the pumpkin. Claudia looked troubled at Olivia¡¯s overly relaxed attitude, but this was normal for the veteran subordinates like her. In fact, this was as soothing as being in one¡¯s mother¡¯s embrace. Olivia¡¯s Rearguard unitFirst Company ¡¸Orders from Her Excellency Olivia, focus attack on the enemy¡¯s protruding right flank.¡¹ ¡¸Good work on the report.¡¹ Guile was very motivated after receiving Olivia¡¯s orders. ¡¸Time to preach our valkyrie¡¯ teaching, so listen up.¡¹ ¡¸¡¸Yes Sir!!¡¹¡¹ ¡¸Our Valkyrie ordered us to focus our attacks on the enemy¡¯s protruding right flank¡ª and so, it¡¯s time for the ¡ºThousand Stars Bow¡» to take the stage, shoot the arrows right up the enemy¡¯s nose.¡¹ ¡¸¡¸¡¸Yes Sir!¡¹¡¹¡¹ The long bow unit trained by Guile moved deftly to their assigned positions. As they drew their bows with creaking sounds and aimed up diagonally, a soldier with a telescope started marking their distance with the enemy. ¡¸Hundred thirty¡­ Hundred¡­ Eighty. Enemy in effective shooting range.¡¹ ¡¸Three stage salvo¡ª let it fly!!¡¹ With the signal from the Captain, arrows rained from the sky and drowned out the enemy¡¯s vanguard. Meanwhile, Guile himself and 300 men charged in. Disrupt, confuse, and send them to hell one by one¡ª ¡¸Don¡¯t stop! They are just a few hundred men, there¡¯s nothing to fear!¡¹ The one shouting was the commander of the vanguard, Tough Gold Officer Goran, who was mounted on his horse. He blocked the arrows with his shield and yelled at his men who were in disarray. ¡¸But they are completely different from the enemy we fought before!¡¹ Goran¡¯s retainers said with pale faces. ¡¸So what, this is just their final struggle.¡¹ ¡¸But¡ª¡¹ ¡¸Don¡¯t worry, just advance!¡¹ When Goran was about to spur his mount forth, he locked eyes with a man in the dusty battlefield. That man drew his bow in an instant with a smile. ¡¸Ughh?!¡¹ The arrow he shot flew right at Goran. ¡¸Don¡¯t look down on me!¡¹ Goran cut the arrow down with his sword. The projectile was knocked down without harming Goran¡ª However... (W-What¡­!? There¡¯s another one!!) A second arrow closed in on Goran, following the exact same path as the previous arrow. Goran couldn¡¯t cut it or even dodge, and it pierce right into Goran¡¯s neck. Goran looked blankly at the arrow that hit him, vomited out copious amounts of blood and fell off his horse. Guile raised his voice in the chaos: ¡¸I have slain the enemy commander! Ride this momentum and rout the enemy!¡¹ ¡¸¡¸¡¸Yes Sir!!¡¹¡¹¡¹ The roar of his allies shook the ground. While Guile was giving out orders, his hands didn¡¯t idle. He swiftly readied his bow and killed the enemy with precision. He already mastered his capabilities as an archer that would be known by future generations. In modern days, he was known by his famous line ¡¶Arrows aren¡¯t shot with tools or skills, but with your soul¡·. However, not many people knew that this line was inaccurate. What he actually said was the strange line ¡¶Arrows aren¡¯t shot with tools or skills, but with your feelings for the Valkyrie¡·. ¡¸Hey, snap out of it! Don¡¯t space out!¡¹ Guile turned back towards the shrill voice. He then saw a woman stepping on an enemy soldier grimacing in pain, as she stabbed at that soldier¡¯s throat with a long sword. The woman pulled out her sword and flicked the blood onto the ground. ¡¸Ellis¡­ the Second Company is attacking too, huh¡­¡¹ Guile took away his hand from the knife on the right side of his waist. Ellis stared at Guile who was retrieving arrows from the chaotic piles of corpses. ¡¸Just look at you now. This might sound unnecessary but¡ª don¡¯t get careless.¡¹ ¡¸Careless? ¡ª Don¡¯t make me laugh. This is the debut battle for the Eighth Army, the start of the legend. I won¡¯t sully Captain Olivia¡¯s name even if it cost my life.¡¹ After filling his quiver with bloody arrows, Guile carefully checked the condition of his bow string. Ellis laughed out loud. ¡¸So you really get it. We have stopped the enemy for now, but it will take time for the army to withdraw. In order to make Olivia Onee-sama¡¯s plan more perfect¡ª give it your all, Guile.¡¹ ¡¸Yes, you too, Ellis.¡¹ They looked at each other and smiled boldly. Guile started shooting arrows with smooth motions, aiming for the approaching enemies. Ellis charged the enemy with curled lips and her body so low it was almost touching the ground. A few hours of fighting later, Olivia¡¯s Rearguard succeeded in disengaging and pulled back. The perfect command that made full use of Garlock Valley¡¯s terrain baffled Arthur. But he was sure of victory and gave up on thinking further, firm in his belief that this was just their final resistance. Naturally, Arthur had no way of knowing that his fate was sealed. Volume 4, 6: Hypocritical Alliance Volume 4, Chapter 6: Hypocritical Alliance ¢ñ Twelfth City Nozan PersillaEsu rudo PalaceFront Court ¡¸Is my memory hazy? I should have suspended you, Heavy Gold Officer Drake, correct?¡¹ Showered in Cassandra¡¯s icy gaze, Drake plainly said: ¡¸Your memory is in order. Pardon my impudence because of this emergency.¡¹ ¡¸Emergency? ¡ªNever mind, speak.¡¹ Cassandra yawned and switched the way she crossed her legs seductively. ¡¸A report from a messenger. Our Nozan Persilla army has been defeated by the Royal Army. The Commander, Heavy Silver Officer Arthur, was killed in action, and we lost more than 80% of our troops.¡¹ This report arrived an hour ago. The news by the messenger from Fort Safa was accurate and terrible. Cassandra stared at Drake in silence, then squeezed out her voice. ¡¸What kind of joke is this?¡¹ ¡¸Your Majesty, you know very well that I¡¯m not the type who jokes.¡¹ ¡¸¡­ Even if we lose to the Royal Army, our opponent is still the Kingdom on their last legs¡ª Right, the messenger must be mistaken, our elite army won¡¯t lose!¡¹ Her usual arrogance gone, Cassandra desperately denied the fact that the Nozan Persilla army lost. Drake shook his head silently and hurried the female courtier beside him to hand the box over to Cassandra. The female courtier received the box with a troubled look, slowly walked up the steps and respectfully handed the box to Cassandra. ¡¸¡­ What¡¯s this?¡¹ Cassandra asked as she looked at the box on her lap. ¡¸You will know when you open it.¡¹ Cassandra hesitated, then timidly opened the box. She then threw the box away with a scream. When Arthur¡¯s head rolled out of the fallen box, the female courtiers also screamed. Arthur¡¯s pale head rolled to Drake¡¯s feet. ¡¸Can you accept it now?¡¹ ¡¸Why, why did we lose¡­¡¹ Before facing reality, Cassandra conceded that they lost. Drake was relieved, as It was easier to speak to her now. ¡¸You still don¡¯t understand?¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m asking you because I don¡¯t!¡¹ Cassandra grabbed a glass of wine and threw it at Drake. The glass hit Drake in the face, and a red liquid flowed from his forehead. Seeing how upset Cassandra was, the courtiers started to panic. ¡¸Then allow me to explain¡ª The Royal Army is stronger than the Nozan Persilla Army. That¡¯s all.¡¹ After that simple explanation, Cassandra¡¯s face scrowled even more. ¡¸¡ª Princess, I have warned you time and again, that attacking the Kingdom is very dangerous. If the Royal Army rides on their momentum and counterattacks, we will be powerless to resist.¡¹ Realizing what he was implying, the courtiers turned pale. If the Royal Army wanted to control the Esu rudo palace, they needed to capture either Idora or Fort Safa. Normally, both places would be heavily guarded, but Arthur brought most of their forces out for his campaign. A stubborn defence of the fort wouldn¡¯t last long, and there was no hope of any reinforcement coming. If Esu rudo fell, they would be fighting with their backs literally to the walls. ¡¸Are you threatening me, the Queen?¡¹ A dark hue covered Cassandra¡¯s eyes. ¡¸I¡¯m just stating the facts.¡¹ ¡¸Then request for reinforcements! The Third City can make it in time!¡¹ Cassandra shouted hysterically. ¡¸How do we ask for aid? We declare war on the Kingdom, lost, and they are counter attacking us. Please send help?¡¹ ¡¸T-The Sutherland 13 Charter clearly states that a combined army will be organized against any invading forces. You should know that. There is no way they can turn that down.¡¹ Seeing Cassandra suddenly gloating with a smile, Drake sighed deeply. ¡¸If you really think so, why don¡¯t you try asking for aid?¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m ordering you to do it!¡¹ ¡¸Even if you say that, I¡¯m serving a suspension order right now¡­¡¹ Cassandra screamed hysterically again and pointed at the entrance of the Front Court. ¡¸I will lift your suspension orders, hurry up and go!!¡¹ Drake bowed respectfully. After relaying some specific details, he left the Front Court alone. (After experiencing this, the Princess will hopefully become more docile.) His eyesore Arthur dying was an unexpected bonus, but the army losses were too serious. When Drake thought about rebuilding the army, he couldn¡¯t help sighing as his sleeping hours would be drastically reduced. ¡¸Right, I might as well host an urgent 13 Stars Council¡ª¡ª¡¹ The mumblings from Cassandra behind him made Drake speechless. Volume 4, 7: Chalk Forest Volume 4, Chapter 7: Chalk Forest ¢ñ To the far north of the Imperial Capital Orsted, there was a place called ¡ºChalk Forest¡». This forest covered by snow all year round was a place where Danger Type 2 beasts like One Horned Beasts and Blood Curdling Birds roamed free. There were even Danger Type 3 beasts called ¡ºJaws¡» sighted here. Because of how rare they were spotted, they were also known as the phantom beast. According to ancient text, a Jaws had wiped out an entire city in the span of one night. Another record stated that several thousands soldiers died in its subjugation. There were also legends that Jaws could understand human speech. The Kaka tribe that lived in the north since ancient times revered Jaws like a god. (It¡¯s been a long time since my last visit.) Strolling in the white forest known as a demonic realm was¡ª Felixus in full armour. He pushed aside the snow as he advanced towards his destination. The long armed apes swinging dexterously between the trees like pendulums followed Felixus with baffled eyes. After walking for two hours. The field of vision suddenly cleared, and he could see a simple house built with logs. When Felixus exhaled in relief, an intense presence behind him stopped him in his track. (This presence is¡­) It wasn¡¯t human, but also not beasts driven by their feral instincts. Felixus turned and looked cautiously, and saw a giant white beast. The giant beast had the majesty and aesthetics of a king, and was obviously different from the other beasts. The giant beast slowly moved its four legs that could easily crush a human and closed its distance with Felixus. ¡¸Long time no see, Beast King Vajra.¡¹ Felixus straightened his back and formally bowed at the Vajra who was appraising him with golden eyes. The Vajra nodded slightly, then sat its butt down and bared its ferocious fangs. ¡¸Are you here to visit Lasara and the others?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, it¡¯s been some time since my last visit.¡¹ ¡¸But you came not too long ago.¡¹ ¡¸I remember that was a year ago¡­¡¹ When Felixus said that, the Vajra snorted, blowing the snow into the air with a strong breeze. ¡¸To me, one year is just a blink of an eye¡­ Never mind, that girl gets lonely easily, so spend more time with her. I ordered the beasts not to attack you, but this level of threat must mean nothing to you, correct?¡¹ ¡¸Thank you for your concern, I prefer to avoid meaningless bloodshed too.¡¹ Felixus touched the light yellow pouch on his waist. Inside was beast repellent made from crushed Snow Safflower. It was popular amongst hunters, and the more ferocious the beast, the more effective it was. He was attacked twice during his last visit, but none this time. Felixus was unsure whether the Snow Safflower was effective, or the result of the Vajra¡¯s order. ¡¸Hmmp, you are the only human who can talk smack after stepping into this deadly place.¡¹ ¡¸My apologies.¡¹ ¡¸Leave after you¡¯re done, the scent from you will agitate the beasts.¡¹ It glanced at Felixus again, Vajra slowly got up and left with its three tails swaying behind it. After seeing the Vajra off, Felixus moved towards the loghouse once again. When Felixus was about to knock on the door of the loghouse, he had a nostalgic voice. ¡¸This scent is Felixus!¡¹ The fairy that flew out of a tiny gap in the window was Silky Air. Leaving a trail behind her as if she was a shooting star, she sat on Felixus¡¯ shoulder. She looked similar to a human, but was only the size of a palm. What prominently differentiated her from humans were her long sharp tipped ears and the four grey wings on her back. Felixus gently patted the innocently smiling Silky with his index finger. Silky then rubbed her legs against Felixus¡¯ cheeks. ¡¸It¡¯s been a while, how have you been?¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m always lively! But Lasara keeps ordering us around, so it¡¯s been a bit tough. All because my Sorcery is outstanding.¡¹ Silky puffed out her chest proudly. ¡¸It¡¯s only been a year, but you have gotten prettier.¡¹ The last time they met, her hair only reached to her shoulders, but it was covering her arms now. Her face had always been beautiful, but the childishness about her had faded. Her green one piece dress matched well with her peach coloured hair too. ¡¸I-Is that so! Have I really gotten prettier!?¡¹ Silky spun around gracefully. But she was too worked up, so her skirt twirled up. Silky held down her skirt in a panic. ¡¸Ughh¡­ Did you see?¡¹ Silky glared at Felixus with a red face, her bashfulness was no different from a human girl. ¡¸I didn¡¯t see anything.¡¹ He answered truthfully since he really didn¡¯t see, but Silky¡¯s expression remained unchanged. The suspicion in her eyes grew stronger, and she stamped her feet hard. ¡¸You are lying you are lying! Felixus definitely saw inside my skirt!¡¹ ¡¸I said I didn¡¯t.¡¹ Felixus refuted a little exasperatedly. Silky puffed out her cheeks and asked ¡¸Then tell me what colour did you see?¡¹ She was way too cute, and Felixus couldn¡¯t help laughing. ¡¸Ahh! You saw! So you really saw!¡¹ Silky blushed even more and pounded on Felixus¡¯ head. As Felixus let her do as she wished, an irate voice came from inside the house. ¡¸How long are you going to keep up that stupid act?¡¹ ¡¸It¡¯s not stupid at all!¡¹ ¡¸Enough, hurry on in.¡¹ The moment she said that, the door opened silently. Silky leaned into Felixus¡¯ ear. ¡¸Lasara must be jealous of my relationship with Felixus.¡¹ Silky who was a little cocky disappeared behind the door with a hum. Because Silky normally cast a barrier Sorcery on the house, it was as complex as a maze. This was to guard against any intruders, but that spell had been dismissed. Felixus locked gazes with the petite girl sitting in the middle of the room. ¡¸Long time no see, Lady Lasara.¡¹ Just like his meeting with Vajra, Felixus respectfully bowed his head. ¡¸Brat, how many times do I have to remind you!? You will address me as Arch Sorcerer Lasara!¡¹ Lasara stamped hard on the floor. She looked just like Silky just now, and Felixus desperately suppressed his urge to laugh. ¡¸¡­ Brat, are you holding back laughter?¡¹ ¡¸I¡¯m not laughing.¡¹ Lasara looked at the sincere Felixus and grunted. She might have the appearance of a child, but she was actually over two centuries old. An existence that literally transcended humanity, and a living legend. According to her, she had not changed after inheriting the ¡ºGodly Gem of Light Magic Circle¡» in her youth. She wouldn¡¯t age, but wasn¡¯t immortal. She was forcefully clinging to this life through Sorcery, the unorthodox secret technique ¡ºLife Extension Sorcery¡». Lasara once said with a laugh that she would die once the effect was gone, since this was in defiance to the laws of nature. ¡¸¡­ What¡¯s the matter? Why the serious face all of a sudden?¡¹ Lasara looked at him in surprise. Silky also fluttered around him worriedly and asked ¡¸Hey Felixus? Are you alright?¡¹ ¡¸Pardon me, I was lost in thought.¡¹ ¡¸Is that all? Don¡¯t scare me like that. You must be thinking about war, all humans throughout the different eras are so eager to fight, what a foolish race.¡¹ Lasara lowered her face and sighed deeply. Lasara had lived for an unimaginably long time, so her words pricked Felixus¡¯ heart more than anyone else. ¡¸It is as Lady Lasara says.¡¹ Felixus said as he scratched his neck. Silky kicked Felixus¡¯ head as she said ¡¸Don¡¯t worry me like that.¡¹ ¡¸Getting back on topic, what brings you here today? Let me say this first, I¡¯m not lonely at all¡ª Really now, that busybody dog is always nagging¡­¡¹ Lasara clicked her tongue pridefully, she seemed to have heard the conversation between Felixus and Vajra. And of course, Lasara wasn¡¯t there. This was probably¡ª no, this was definitely a form of Sorcery. That wasn¡¯t a surprise, since no one was as proficient in Sorcery as she was. ¢ò ¡¸Actually¡ª¡¹ Felixus started talking about the Sorcerers from the Holy Nation of Mekia. Lasara nodded as Felixus spoke, then scratched her head and sighed when he finished. ¡¸It is as you say, brat, they are undoubtedly Combat-type Sorcerers. Originally, Sorcery is developed to enrich the lives of people. But now, it had been relegated to tools of wars, how depressing.¡¹ Felixus looked quietly at Lasara¡¯s lonely face. Sensing his gaze, Lasara cleared her throat awkwardly and said: ¡¸So that country has at least three Sorcerers? That¡¯s a lot. From what I know, this is the first time a country have so many Sorcerers.¡¹ ¡¸Sorcerers are rarities in the first place.¡¹ Even the Empire only had one Sorcerer, Lasara. There was no news of any Sorcerers in the Farnesse Kingdom. The same for the Confederation of Sutherland. Although the Holy Nation of Mekia was home to the Artemia Cathedral, known for nurturing Sorcerers, their numbers were still unusual. ¡¸From what you described, they are young, but have outstanding capabilities. This minor nation is not to be trifled with.¡¹ Felixus nodded firmly in concurment. ¡¸That is correct. So I was thinking that it would be great if I can borrow your wisdom.¡¹ ¡¸Wisdom? What wisdom?¡¹ Lasara asked with narrowed eyes. ¡¸¡­ You jest, Lady Lasara. You should know very well.¡¹ ¡¸I haven¡¯t any clue. You will be fine even if you face an outstanding Sorcerer, brat.¡¹ ¡¸Even if I¡¯m fine, the troops¡­ I came up with some defensive measures, but they are not foolproof. They have at least three Sorcerers after all.¡¹ ¡¸If you are worried about the troops, then just stop the war. A simple solution.¡¹ ¡¸Indeed. Why are humans pushing themselves to extinction though wars? I don¡¯t understand, it doesn¡¯t make sense.¡¹ Felixus could only smile awkwardly at Lasara and Silky who showed cold faces. This was especially baffling for Silky who was worried about the extinction of fairies. But this was the will of Emperor Ramza, and he couldn¡¯t do anything about that. ¡¸Can¡¯t you think of something?¡¹ Felixus bowed deeply once more, and Lasara stood up. ¡¸Well, if I, the Arch Sorcerer steps in, any foe could be slain easily¡ª However.¡¹ Lasara showed a mean smile that gave Felixus a bad feeling. ¡¸As you already know, I¡¯m a hermit now. More accurately speaking, the reigning Emperor has nothing to do with me, so I refuse.¡¹ Lasara laughed with a ¡¸Kakaka.¡¹ Lasara never liked using Sorcery for one¡¯s own benefits, so she cut off worldly ties and hid herself in the Chalk Forest. Even if someone wanted to bring her back, they couldn¡¯t do so since they would never reach this place. No one would risk their lives and enter a forest full of dangerous beasts. Lasara¡¯s stance was within expectation, so it was still too early for Felixus to be dismayed. While Felixus was showing a troubled face, Silky sat on Lasara¡¯s head. ¡¸Lasara is so mean! Felixus, I will help you then!¡¹ Silky kicked at Lasara¡¯s head as she volunteered to help. Before Felixus could answer, Lasara chased Silky away with a sullen look. ¡¸Go expose the existence of the whimsical fairies then, and wait for the humans come catch you with blood shot eyes.¡¹ ¡¸Hmmp~ I won¡¯t get caught by stupid humans!¡¹ Silky who flew freely in the room landed on Felixus¡¯ shoulder again, and cutely stuck her tongue out at Lasara. ¡¸Even so, the humans would pull out all the stops to catch you. Not all humans are like that brat. Once you interact with other humans, you will understand that I¡¯m telling the truth.¡¹ Lasara said with a hint of bashfulness. Felixus put Silky on his palm and stared right into her clear green eyes. ¡¸It is as Lady Lasara says. After seeing Silky once, most people won¡¯t leave you alone and do all that they can to capture you. I¡¯m happy about your offer, but it¡¯s okay.¡¹ ¡¸¡­ Is Felixus worried about me? Cherishing me?¡¹ Felixus sincerely answered Silky who had a strange fervour in her eyes. ¡¸I¡¯m worried about you and cherish you. So please stay here, since no other humans but me can come in.¡¹ ¡¸I see¡­¡¹ Silky who was grinding against Felixus¡¯ cheeks suddenly kissed him. When Felixus was at a loss, Silky flew away with her face flushed. ¡¸¡­ Brat, when did you learn to pick up girls?¡¹ ¡¸I wasn¡¯t planning that¡­¡¹ Lasara rolled her eyes and Felixus scratched his face embarrassedly. ¡¸Forget it, you have other matters to discuss with me, right? You might look calm on the outside, but you couldn¡¯t hide your troubles.¡¹ Felixus was quietly in awe of Lasara¡¯s usual sharp senses. He then told her about the greatest threat to the Empire¡ª ¢ó ¡¸Hmm, the girl that is called a Death God¡­¡¹ Lasara listened to Felixus who overlapped the uneasiness he felt after the war erupted with the appearance of the Death God girl. According to Lasara who had lived for two hundred years, there had been many with the nickname of Death God. All of them were outstanding warriors on the battlefield who terrorized their foes. Death God was a nickname used for the abnormally strong, However, the girl called Death God was different. In the first place, an Abyss Clansman that could rival the Asura was leagues above normal top warriors. On top of that, there was this uneasiness without bounds that he was feeling. It was hard to tell whether the legend was true, but Lasara felt that the Asura and Abyss Clansmen were equally matched. That might be so, but Felixus was still incredibly guarded against that Death God girl. (Maybe the brat felt something hiding behind the Death God girl, which was the source of the dark cloud hanging over the Dubedirica continent. The truly strong also had exceptional abilities in detecting danger.) Lasara thought as she looked at Felixus in full battle gear. ¡¸I think Olivia Valedstorm is the greatest threat to the Empire. If she isn¡¯t stopped, the Empire will never unite the continent.¡¹ Felixus said seriously. Just one girl could stop the unification of the Continent¡ª anyone who heard that would think that was an exaggeration. Lasara would have laughed it off if Felixus wasn¡¯t the one who said it. Conversely, this also proved how much she trusted this strong willed young man. And of course, she would never say that out loud. ¡¸Even an Asura would have to tread lightly when fighting against an Abyss Clansman¡­ Wait, Olivia Valedstorm?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, is there a problem?¡¹ Seeing the confused Felixus, Lasara searched her memories. ¡¸Hmm, I remember reading about the Valedstorm house. I think it¡¯s this book¡­¡¹ To one side of the table in the center of the room, there was a bookshelf right by the wall. Lasara reached out to the bookshelf with her left hand, and the shelf started to shake. A moment later, one book flew out of the neatly arranged shelf. The black book flying through the air landed in Lasara¡¯s hand. ¡¸The Clan of Darkness, the author is Angus Rem White.¡¹ Felixus who was watching from the side read the meaningful title and the name of the author. Lasara browsed through it quickly and said to Felixus: ¡¸This happened one hundred and fifty years ago. In the Farnesse Kingdom, the Valedstorm House famous for their loyalty was suspected of treason. In less than half a month, their mansion was surrounded by the Royal Army who burned it down, killing their entire family. And of course, the name Valedstorm House died out and was erased from history.¡¹ Lasara looked at Felixus while furrowing her pretty brows. ¡¸A clan known for their loyalty was wiped out in half a month, this story doesn¡¯t make sense¡­ are such things common during that era?¡¹ ¡¸No, it¡¯s not. It¡¯s normal for you to think that way, maybe this was a product of that period of time.¡¹ ¡¸That period of time? One hundred and fifty years ago would be the Eighth Century of the Lunar Calendar¡­ I see, it¡¯s during the dark era?¡¹ Felixus fell silent. The Eighth Century of the Lunar Calendar. Aside from the Empire, all their other nations threw themselves into wars as if they were possessed. The land was filled with corpses all year round, and the weak would perish without eating even a slice of bread. The great nation Farnesse Kingdom was no exception. For Lasara who actually lived through that period, this wasn¡¯t something she could overlook. ¡¸Even so, wiping out the House is too strange. Just what did they do to get suspected?¡¹ ¡¸Hmm. They were suspected of harbouring a minority race that had amazing powers from ancient times, powerful enough to overthrow a nation. The descendents of the book title¡¯s Clan of Darkness. Someone supposedly told on them.¡¹ ¡¸Amazing powers from ancient times¡­ Could it be?!¡¹ Lasara smiled boldly. ¡¸Brat, you are a descendent of the Asura Clan, so you must have realized it by now. That¡¯s right, this clan of darkness is probably referring to the Abyss Clan, it¡¯s normal for the winners to discredit the losers. This book didn¡¯t mention any evidence of treason, but the reason for their suspicion did exist. Even if the Valedstorm House bore no intention of harming the Royal family.¡¹ ¡¸¡­ The one who told on them was the Asura Clan, correct?¡¹ Felixus sighed deeply and sat in a chair nearby. ¡¸Probably. I¡¯m not sure how the Asura learned that the Valedstorm House was descendents of the Abyss Clan¡­ maybe your comrades have some clues, brat.¡¹ ¡¸I don¡¯t think of them as comrades.¡¹ Seeing Felixus displayed a rare face of displeasure, Lasara remembered that the blood of assassins flowed in his veins, and he hated the Asura Clan that spent their lives as assassins. She smiled awkwardly to herself for having misspoke. ¡¸Well, in any case, I don¡¯t know how much influence the Asura Clan had over the Farnesse Kingdom back then. But since they framed the loyal Valedstorm house as traitors eyeing the throne for themselves, they must be very influential. This was definitely not the doing of someone incompetent.¡¹ In all nations, there would be darkness to some degrees. Putting on pretty appearances alone wasn¡¯t enough to maintain the country. The powerful Assassination group Asura would never make their identities public. During times when their identities were exposed, they would participate in many work that affected the survival of a nation. Conversely, this was the best proof that they wouldn¡¯t leak intel outside of their organization. Lasara deduced that as the reason why Asura¡¯s exposing the secret carried so much weight. ¡¸That¡¯s¡­ probably true.¡¹ Felixus showed a pained expression as if he just thought of something. ¡¸I don¡¯t know if it is a coincidence or an inevitable destiny, but the Death God Olivia inherited the Valedstorm House that had died out.¡¹ ¡¸Lady Lasara, which do you think it is?¡¹ ¡¸I think it¡¯s destiny. This is too much for a coincidence.¡¹ ¡¸I feel the same.¡¹ Felixus nodded. ¡¸But that¡¯s not important, the question is this part¡ª A dark lump flew out of the mansion that was burning with a raging fire.¡¹ Lasara tapped on the page she turned to, and pointed it out to Felixus. ¡¸A dark lump¡­ Hah?!¡¹ ¡¸That¡¯s right, it¡¯s as you say. Olivia Valedstorm¡¯s dark sword is surrounded by dark mist. I don¡¯t think these two matters are unrelated.¡¹ ¡¸¡­ Assuming it¡¯s related, what do you make of it then, Lady Lasara?¡¹ Lasara stroked her chin and stared at Felixus. ¡¸When I first heard this, I think Olivia is a Sorcerer.¡¹ ¡¸What did you say?!¡¹ Lasara push Felixus down as he tried to stand up, and said: ¡¸You are impatient as always, can¡¯t you let me finish? I think that at first, but it seems weird. I can¡¯t explain it with words¡­ And Olivia didn¡¯t use Sorcery during the war against the Empire, correct?¡¹ ¡¸Yes. If she did, I would have seen it in the report.¡¹ Felixus nodded firmly, and Lasara explained her rationale again. ¡¸I said the dark lump and the dark mist are related, correct?¡¹ ¡¸You did say that, Lady Lasara.¡¹ ¡¸It seemed related, but at the same time, it seemed unrelated. For example, do you know the difference from a practical sword and a ceremonial sword?¡¹ Felixus gave a vague answer. Lasara paused as she formulated her thoughts. ¡¸The Valedstorm House emblem reminds people of a Death God; the dark sword covered in dark mist; the mysterious dark lump that flew out of the burning mansion¡¯s window¡ª summing all these, we can get one conclusion. There¡¯s an existence that surpass humans behind the Valedstorm House.¡¹ Lasara felt they were the culprit causing all the unrest during all these years. ¡¸Lady Lasara, are you saying that a real Death God exists?¡¹ Felixus sounded surprised. ¡¸Conversely, why do you think Death Gods aren¡¯t real, brat?¡¹ ¡¸Death Gods are just products of our imagination.¡¹ Felixus explained and Lasara giggled before pointing at the open door. ¡¸Let¡¯s change the question. How will you explain the existence of fairies like Silky Air, brat? You treat her normally, but she is also a product of our imagination too?¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸Taking it one step further, that dog is also revered as a holy beast by some people. They have died out now, but it¡¯s said that people with amazing powers were a natural existence in ancient times. The same goes for the Abyss Clan and the Asura Clan too. So it¡¯s not a surprise that a Death Gods actually exist.¡¹ ¡¸¡­ I don¡¯t have anything to refute that right now.¡¹ Felixus slumped into his chair tiredly. ¡¸Well, I call it a Death God, but that¡¯s only because it¡¯s the most convenient way to describe it. Civilization is progressing, but as a price, humans are losing all sorts of mysterious powers.¡¹ And one day, she would lose the power of Sorcery. Compared to before, the number of Sorcerers had fallen sharply, and they were just rumours now. However, Lasara didn¡¯t grief this change, everything was just the choice of time. (My life like a withered tree that is being extended with Sorcery is almost at an end. So, what can I leave behind to this young man after I¡¯m done with this life¡­?) Lasara watched Felixus¡¯ profile as he fell silent. Volume 4, Epilogue: The Light of Dawn Volume 4, Epilogue: The Light of Dawn Fort Gallia To prepare for the upcoming battle, an unprecedented large number of soldiers were garrisoned in Fort Gallia. On the walls of the fort, two men watched the morning sun shining through the Seratonis mountain. One of them was the leader of the Royal Army, Field Marshal Cornelius Wym Curling. The other was the number two man of the military, based on the achievements in the Battle of Carnac, General Paul von Barza. ¡¸¡ª You are really blatant about this, Field Marshal Sir. Separating the old from the young.¡¹ ¡¸That might be so.¡¹ Seeing Cornelius¡¯ cheerful smile, Paul couldn¡¯t help smiling wryly. Olivia and Brad who would be attacking the Imperial Capital Orsted had a combined age of 50. In contrast, the average age of Paul and Cornelius who would be sieging Fort Kiel was 65. Paul alone was older then the two of them added together, which reminded him how old he was. ¡¸But is your judgement correct, Field Marshal? They have to believe our siege on Fort Kiel isn¡¯t a feint. Major General Olivia might be fine, but the careless Lieutenant General Brad¡ª correction, General Brad, this might be too heavy a burden?¡¹ ¡¸The only one who evaluates General Brad, known for seizing victories through surprising tactics, in such a way is you, Paul.¡¹ ¡¸His carelessness is still a fact.¡¹ ¡¸Fufu, no matter what happens, he will always be a student to you¡­ And you still have deep faith in Major General Olivia as always.¡¹ ¡¸Not as much faith as you who appointed her the Commander of the Eighth Army, but Major General Olivia had never disappointed me since her days in the Seventh Army.¡¹ Paul puffed out his chest proudly, and Cornelius nodded. ¡¸Indeed. If not for that girl, you and I would be dining in Hell right now.¡¹ ¡¸I won¡¯t go that far¡­¡¹ Cornelius turned his eyes to the banner flying on a spire. It was a red banner with a lion and grail. Paul followed his gaze. ¡¸There¡¯s no one else around, so speak freely.¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸God didn¡¯t abandon us¡ª didn¡¯t abandon the Farnesse Kingdom. Because He sent us a girl on par with a Goddess of War.¡¹ ¡¸¡­ For this campaign, what¡¯s your take on our chances of success, Field Marshal Sir?¡¹ After he spoke, Paul realized he shouldn¡¯t have asked. But he still asked, probably because of the uneasiness he felt deep down. Their armies had been depleted greatly, but the Crimson and Sun Knights still survived. And the Imperial Capital was guarded by the strongest elites of the Empire, the Azure Knights. Sensing Paul¡¯s unease, Cornelius said with confidence. ¡¸We will win. If we don¡¯t, there won¡¯t be any future for the Kingdom. And this time, the Holy Nation of Mekia is on our side.¡¹ ¡¸Speaking of the Holy Nation of Mekia, Field Marshal, do you trust her¡ª Sofitia Hel Mekia? To be honest, I can¡¯t read her at all¡­¡¹ Sofitia had two demands. Ten thousand gold coins. And ceding a part of the Kingdom¡¯s territory to the Holy Nation of Mekia. Neither demands were meek, but considering the fate of the Farnesse Kingdom hung in the balance, it wasn¡¯t too much either. Their demand for gold seemed to suggest they knew the limits of the Kingdom¡¯s treasure vault, and Alphonse agreed to these terms in the end. ¡¸I don¡¯t trust her at all.¡¹ Cornelius answered nonchalantly. ¡¸Not one bit?¡¹ ¡¸Yes, the gold and territory is just a distraction. They might look calm on the surface, but there¡¯s a bright light deep in her eyes. Sofitia Hel Mekia is definitely scheming something, she has the eyes of a warrior who was about to do something big.¡¹ ¡¸If you knew that, why didn¡¯t you warn His Majesty, Field Marshal Sir?¡¹ ¡¸Unfortunately, that woman has His Majesty under his thumb. He won¡¯t listen to anything I say, the best I could do is to criticize this decision a little.¡¹ Cornelius said with a bitter smile and Paul recalled Alphonse¡¯s face as he fawned all over Sofitia. Paul understood that not just Alphonse, most of the attendees that night were looking at Sofitia with eyes of admiration. At this era¡¯s turning point, a person with natural charm appeared ¡ª in short, a person with the true qualities of a ruler had shown up. Sofitia was the most typical example. ¡¸We are low on soldiers too, while the Holy Nation of Mekia was strong enough to repel the Stonia army with half their numbers. Even if Sofitia Hel Mekia is plotting something, we can only take the hand they are offering.¡¹ The Holy Nation of Mekia would supposedly commit 30,000 men. If the reports were true, that would be a great help. ¡¸That army is really tempting.¡¹ ¡¸In the end, this is just a fragile alliance where our goals just happen to align. It will crumble the moment our mutual benefits disappears, so don¡¯t let down your guard.¡¹ ¡¸I will be careful¡ª on a side note, I heard the Holy Nation of Mekia has officially invited Major General Olivia over as a guest. I think it¡¯s unlikely, but are we really letting her go?¡¹ Cornelius¡¯s dark blue eyes wavered slightly. ¡¸¡­ Regrettably, before I could stop him, His Majesty already granted their request. According to the schedule, she would be setting off today.¡¹ He knew it wasn¡¯t Cornelius¡¯ fault, but Paul couldn¡¯t help sighing heavily. Cornelius said with an apologetic face. ¡¸Sorry about that. I¡¯m not sure what caused His Majesty¡¯s change of heart, but recently, he had been making prompt and wise decisions.¡¹ ¡¸Indeed, his delegation of authority over the military came as a surprise. If the First Army didn¡¯t deploy, the Central War Theatre would be overrun.¡¹ Cornelius cleared his throat. ¡¸His Majesty said he accepted this request to strengthen the alliance between the two nations, and there isn¡¯t much issues with that line of thinking.¡¹ ¡¸But we will need to keep our guards up, especially towards that Sofitia Hel Mekia who invited Major General Olivia.¡¹ The Holy Nation of Mekia was located far in the west of the continent. It was hard to imagine Olivia¡¯s fame reaching that far, but they could just claim they heard the rumours during their stay in the Capital. It was natural for Sofitia to be curious about Olivia. (I can¡¯t stop worrying about it though.) Since they were allies, they probably wouldn¡¯t harm Olivia. However, being a veteran of countless battles, Paul could smell something with his keen nose. ¡¸And of course, I urged Major General Olivia to stay on her guard. It would be bad if she goes there with the attitude of playing around.¡¹ ¡¸Oh, that¡¯s a good move.¡¹ ¡¸To be frank, there was no need for me to remind her.¡¹ ¡¸Why is that?¡¹ ¡¸Even without me reminding her, Major General Olivia already understood the risk. As expected of her. Lieutenant Colonel Claudia always said she would protect Major General Olivia, but she might be overdoing it. This would be a good check against the Holy Nation of Mekia¡ª Look, Major General Olivia is setting off.¡¹ Paul turned and saw Olivia riding on her dark horse and waving at them. ¡¸Fufu, she actually sensed us from so far away.¡¹ Paul said as he waved back with a smile, while Cornelius waved as he stroked his beard. Olivia then waved even harder. ¡¸¡­ We can¡¯t let that girl die.¡¹ ¡¸Of course. Since ancient times, the old should always go before the young.¡¹ ¡¸Since ancient times, huh. Then the first ones to die would be us two.¡¹ Cornelius laughed heartily. ¡¸Well, you are the one who told me to speak freely¡­ it has been a long time since I saw you show such a face, Field Marshal.¡¹ Cornelius who was calmly concealing his fighting spirit reminded Paul of their younger days on the battlefield together. Cornelius smiled. ¡¸The same goes for you too, Paul. This is literally the final battle, maybe I can catch a glimpse of the prowess of a ¡ºdemon¡» that had laid dormant for so long.¡¹ The horn announcing the departure of Olivia sounded out. With his back to the rising sun, the sneering Paul looked very much like a Demon God.